The Bombay cat is a brand new breed. Despite the name, the homeland of these kitties is not India at all, but the United States, or rather, Kentucky. Its resident, Nicky Horner, impressed by Kipling's Mowgli book from childhood, dreamed of having a little panther in her home. She was the first and crossed an American domestic cat of black color with a Burmese breed. To exclude the occurrence of any spots and shades of other colors than black, she crossed the kittens that appeared with other burmese, and as a result achieved the desired result. Regardless of Horner, work was carried out in the British Isles to cross the British shorthair black beauty with burmese, giving similar results. In 1976, the breed was recognized by the CFA.
Bombay is a cat that inherited from its ancestors both the best qualities and birth diseases. It is somewhat similar to the Burmese, but the stop on the face is not so pronounced. In addition, from the American ancestor she got a well-developed chest, strong muscular legs and a balanced character. An Asian relative gave the bomb a graceful gait and the hypnotic eyes of a copper or bronze tint. The main sign of the breed is a pitch black color and a varnished wool texture. Moreover, the whole body should be black, right up to the nose and paw pads, and the fur coat should in no case be fluffy - the fur must be shiny and snug against the body, creating the effect of varnished rubber.
Bombay cats are much smaller than cats. Real machos weigh 4-5 kilograms, while ladies are more elegant, 3-4 kilograms. Another feature of the breed is early puberty: as early as 6–9 months, animals of this breed are eager to meet with a partner. These small animals combine grace and power. Representatives of the breed inherited the “Burmese craniofacial defect” from the Asian ancestor, which develops in the kitten even in the womb of the mother. Their “thoroughbred” diseases also include gum disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, problems with eyes, ears and breathing (due to the structure of the nose).
The black suit gene is dominant; therefore, the Bombay cat is easily recognizable by its black coat, which is glossy like anthracite. However, the manifestation of a recessive gene sometimes gives rise even to the offspring of two completely black bombay kittens of a beautiful "sable" suit. Most associations do not recognize the sable color, considering it a defect and a deviation from the standard, but TICA allows the sable bombs to be displayed, calling them the same name. 2-3 days before the show, it is recommended to bathe the cat with the use of special oils to give a luster to the hair, and immediately before it also “polish” it with a suede or silk cloth.
Bombay cat does not require special care. Short hair does not need to be combed out daily, except that during molting, the animal should be combed with a special rubber brush. Animals of this breed are very thermophilic and like to sleep under the covers. They are prone to colds, so you need to take care that the cat house is insulated and does not stand in a draft. Another feature of the breed is indefatigable gluttony. Sometimes afternoon snacks, late dinners and endless snacks between the main meals do not affect the pet’s figure in any way, but it happens that it leads to obesity. To feed such a cat you need balanced feed.
The temperament of these kitties is good-natured and companionable. The Bombay cat easily gets along with dogs and other animals, but loves to dominate. She is very attached to people, and in a large family she chooses a beloved master, to whom she demonstrates loyal feelings in every possible way. He is afraid of children, but does not let his claws go - he just runs away and hides from them. He likes to play or sit quietly on his lap. This breed is suitable for both active people and calm retirees, as a miniature home panther can, if it wants, create a cozy atmosphere in the house.