Kurilian Bobtail

2023 Author: Molly Page | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 12:41

The Kurilian bobtail is a Russian aboriginal cat breed originally from the Kuril Islands. Cats of this breed have a very short tail that forms a pompom, which is the result of natural mutation. There are shorthaired and longhaired variations. Despite their wild appearance, these are very friendly creatures that adore affection and attention. Some prefer to sit on their knees and hug, while others have a more independent character and do not like to be picked up. Kurilian bobtails are very curious, these are "tails" cats accompanying the owner around the house. Kurbobas do not smell and do not mark in the apartment. They get along well with dogs, they are excellent companions for children (6+), single and elderly people.

Weight: from 3 to 8 kg.

Height: 22-30 cm.

Cost (price) of a kitten: depends on the class of the kitten - from 10,000 to 50,000 rubles. Without a pedigree, you can buy a kitten in the range of 3000-8000 rubles. In the US, the price of Kurilian Bobtail kittens starts at $ 600.

Life span: 15 to 20 years.

Country of origin: Russia (Kuril Islands).

Breed diseases: no hereditary diseases are observed.

The breed is recognized by felinological organizations: LOOF, TICA, FIFé, WCF.

Buying a Kurilian Bobtail kitten

Nicknames for the Kurilian Bobtail

Character and temperament

The appearance of the Kurbob

Caring for the Kurilian Bobtail

Feeding the Kurilian Bobtail

Breed standards according to CFA and WCF

History of the breed

The Kurilian Bobtail is a wild bob-tailed cat that lives on the Kuril Islands (Kunashir and Iturup), from where, at the end of the 20th century, these cats were taken by the military and geologists to the mainland.

Long ago, in the Middle Ages, and maybe even earlier, Japanese sailors left domestic cats on the Kuril Islands. They became feral, multiplied and, under conditions of island isolation, over the course of several centuries, completely changed their appearance and habits. In the 18th century, Russian settlers appeared on the Kuril Islands, and along with them their beloved cats, mostly Siberian. Massive, long-tailed, fluffy, with a round large head and round eyes. Mixing with the feral Japanese Bobtail, they gave birth to a new breed, which is now called the Kurilian Bobtail.

That is, the Kurilian Bobtail is a cross between a feral Japanese Bobtail and a Siberian cat. The characteristic features of this breed are a more massive stocky build, a round head, not very high ears, semi-long hair, the most varied color, a shortened tail in the shape of a "bob" ("pompom").

Kurilian bobtails were first shown in Russia at an exhibition in 1990. The first step in the development of the breed, which received the working name "Kurilian Bobtail", was the creation of a preliminary standard in the SFF. Already according to the results of the first mating, it became obvious that the type of Kuril cats and the short tail are inherited stably, the "pompom tail" is not associated with any anomalies harmful to the health of cats. The first breeders were Lilia Ivanova (Kunashir kennel, long-haired variation) and Tatiana Bocharova (Renaissance kennel, mainly short-haired variation).

21.10. 1991 SFF adopted the first Kurilian Bobtail breed standard. As of 9.06.2009, the WCF and FIFe recognize two Kurilian Bobtail breeds: semi-longhaired and shorthaired. The WCF recognized it as the only breed in 1994. TICA (International Cat Association) also recognized it in the 2012 championship status category.

Appearance

The body is muscular, compact and short. The back is slightly arched. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced. The head is large, trapezoidal with rounded contours. The muzzle is of medium length and broad. The cheeks are full, the chin is well developed. The eyes are oval at the top and round at the bottom, set wide apart. The ears are medium in size, wide, set high and tilted forward. The distance between the ears is approximately one ear width. The tips of the ears are rounded.

The legs are powerful and long. The hind limbs are much longer than the front ones, so the Kurilian Bobtail moves in a kind of waddling gait or jumping. The paws are round. Claws, unlike other breeds of cats, are semi-retractable; when the kurboba moves on a hard surface, a characteristic clicking sound is heard.

The tail is small (2-8 cm), round, consisting of one or more kinks or bends, in the shape of a pompom. The tails of the Kurilian Bobtail are unique, as are human fingerprints. The length of the tail varies from cat to cat. Usually the length is from two to ten deformed vertebrae. The tail can be flexible or stiff.

Types of tails:

- stump - a tail of 2-8 strongly deformed and glued together vertebrae, often straight or slightly curved downward, 2-5 cm long;

- spiral - a tail of 3-15 vertebrae, forming a spiral or a hook, 5-10 cm long;

- a whisk - a tail of 5-10 vertebrae, the vertebrae are bent at an obtuse angle, can maintain partial flexibility in some nodes of the tail, 5-15 cm long;

- retracted bobtail - the tail of their 5-7 vertebrae, which begin like the tail of an ordinary cat, and at the end there is a "hook" formed by 4-7 more vertebrae with 3-4 kinks of any degree of mobility at any possible angle.

Two variations of bobtails are recognized at once: with short and with long hair. In the first case, these are cats with dense short hair, tightly attached to the body, in the second - cats with medium-length hair. In this case, the kurbobs should have clearly defined "pants", tassels on the ears and a "collar". The wool is soft, silky, two-layered, with a peculiar structure - thanks to the harder and longer top coat (awn), it does not fall off, practically does not fade and gets dirty with difficulty.

The colors are varied, except for fawn (in all variations), cinnamon, purple, chocolate and the so-called acromelanic colors. Eye color matches the color of the coat (yellow, green and yellow-green are preferred). The nose, lips, rims of the eyes and paw pads are black.

Character and temperament

Kurilian Bobtails successfully live both in city apartments and in country houses. Kurbobas are excellent hunters, they catch not only mice and rats, but also fish. Cats show their hunting passion for any reason, so they are very playful, every now and then they hunt, if not for live game, then for toys, lids and any rustling pieces of paper that just come into their field of vision.

Cats become attached to a person, not to a place of residence. They choose their own master among family members, and having chosen, they can no longer do without him, they get bored. Despite their wild appearance, they are very intelligent, affectionate, friendly and outgoing cats. They will not try to mark in the apartment, but they can show aggression towards a stranger.

Kurilian bobtails are somewhat reminiscent of dogs. They are very loyal to their owners, love affection and attention. However, their friendliness does not mean that they like to sit in their arms, some pets simply cannot stand it. Kurilian bobtails are great companions for the elderly and lonely people.

Great for children (6+). They get along with other pets, especially dogs, but aquarium and pond fish are likely to be caught and eaten. Due to the strong hunting instinct, it is also not worth keeping kurbobs with mice, birds, ferrets and rabbits.

The Kurilian Bobtail is an excellent jumper, it easily and without a run “takes off” to a height inaccessible to ordinary cats. Bobtails love to climb higher and observe their "possessions" from there. Therefore, for "steam release" it is recommended to purchase a cat tree (the more difficult and higher it is, the better). For several cats, you can additionally install a cat complex, which is placed on the walls or under the ceiling.

Cats of this breed love water. If a pond, a stream, a puddle, a container with water meets on the way of a bobtail, he examines them in the most thorough way. If something catches his attention, he fearlessly climbs into the water. And freshening up under the tap on a hot day is a sacred duty! Some kurboba enjoy taking a bath with their beloved owner.

Kurilian bobtails do not meow, but make pleasant chirping sounds similar to a bird's trill.

They love to run after a toy, bring it to the owner. They can play with interactive and puzzle toys for quite a long time.

Buying a Kurilian Bobtail kitten

The Kurilian Bobtail is a Russian cat breed, so there will hardly be any problems with buying a purebred kitten. Kittens with pet-class documents (pet) cost from 10,000 to 15,000 rubles, for breed-class kittens (for breeding) you will have to pay from 20,000 to 35,000 rubles, the price of show-class kittens ranges from 35,000 to 50,000 rubles. For kittens without a pedigree, they ask from 3,000 to 8,000 rubles.

Since the breed is still quite rare, it is recommended that you carefully look for a kennel and check it out before buying. A conscientious breeder will never sell you a kitten under 12-16 weeks old. The kitten must have a veterinary passport (indicating all vaccinations received). When buying, you must conclude a sale and purchase agreement, and when transferring money for a kitten, demand from the breeder a receipt for receiving the money. These documents will help you in the future if you have any complaints about the breeder or the quality / health of the kitten.

In the litter, Kurilian Bobtails have only 2-3 kittens. Kittens are born blind and deaf, their weight ranges from 95-140 g. Cats help cats to look after kittens. Kurbobas reach full physical development only by the age of five.

Feeding the Kurilian Bobtail

Each bobtail owner chooses for himself what to feed his pet. Today, there are several types of feeding: natural food, dry food, canned food for cats and raw food.

Whatever decision you make, for the first time (two to three weeks) the kitten must be fed with the same food that the breeder fed him. During this time, the kitten's gastrointestinal tract must be prepared for a change in diet. To do this, 7-10 days after the kitten appears in the house, it is necessary to gradually add new food to the old food. For example, on the first day you add 5% new and 95% old feed, on the second - 7-10%, on the third 10-13%, and so on. Changing to a new feed should take 7 to 14 days. If you immediately start feeding the kitten with new food, it will cause gastrointestinal upset and diarrhea, as well as a decrease in immunity, which can affect its health.

The cat should always have access to water. It is better if it is a special fountain for cats, as many cats prefer to drink running water. In addition, the water in such a fountain stays clean for a long time (due to the built-in filters), which is also important for most cats.

Some Kurilian Bobtail owners advertise a raw food diet, claiming that cats should only be fed the food they naturally ate. There are many conflicting opinions on this score. But, one way or another, you need to focus on the pet's well-being. Currently, there are many companies that supply ready-made raw food to your home.

If you decide to feed your cat with dry food, then the best choice is super-premium and premium food. They do not contain unnecessary components and components of unknown origin. Before purchasing feed, be sure to familiarize yourself with its composition. It should not contain preservatives, dyes, flavors, processed meat products, cereals and other unnecessary components. The intestines of cats do not digest cereals well, so they should not be included in the feed, or their amount should be minimal. Cats do not need a large amount of carbohydrates, their food should not be more than 10-15% (depending on the condition of the animal: growth, pregnancy, feeding kittens, etc.).

Kittens are fed usually 3-5 times a day in small portions, adolescents - 3-4 times a day, adult cats - 2 times a day.

Kurilian Bobtail care

It is not difficult to care for a kurbob. It is important to provide your pet with a suitable scratching post and a separate bedding (lounger, house).

If we are talking about a cat with semi-long hair, then it must be combed out with a special brush at least twice a week. Bobtails do not shed as much as, for example, Persian cats, so there are no problems with their fur. Shorthaired cats are combed once a week. During spring and autumn molting, cats are combed out more often. The hair of the Kurilian Bobtails does not fall off due to the harder and longer top coat (awn), practically does not shed and gets dirty with difficulty.

Many breeders claim that cats are odorless breeds.

Caring for ears, eyes, claws and teeth is the same as for other cat breeds. Discharge from the eyes is removed daily with a damp cloth (a separate cloth is used for each eye) for eye care. The ears are examined once a week and cleaned as they become dirty with special ear wipes or a cloth soaked in vegetable oil or apple cider bite solution (50% water and 50% apple cider vinegar). The nails are usually trimmed twice a month. The teeth should be brushed at least twice a month, but preferably once a week. To do this, use a bandage wound around your finger or a special toothbrush for cats. Pet stores offer a wide range of pet toothpastes in different flavors.

It is not recommended to bathe cats of this breed too often, it is better only as it is heavily soiled.

Health

The Kurilian Bobtail is a very healthy and hardy cat breed with no known genetic diseases. Usually cats of this breed live up to 15 years and longer.

20 nicknames for Kurilian bobtails

For male kittens: Dilly, Krolf, Leveret, Hea, Karsak, Mkia, Sippo, Torio, Raiden, Urusai.

For female kittens: Lulu, Usagi, Amaya, Harley, June, Kasumi, Miami, Ohara, Reiko, Fumiko.

See the full list of nicknames …