CHILDREN 'S WORLD - CATS 3, The Bombay cat

The Bombay cat A relatively new breed (created 70 years ago), the Bombay is a cross between the Burmese and a black American Shorthair. Blending these two breeds from two continents created a breed of cat that resembled a miniature black panther. The breed was registered in 1976 and was named after the Indian city of Bombay which is considered the homeland of black leopards. Black leopards or panthers get their jet-black coat from melanism, a gene mutation. The Bombay has a short coat with hair that is thick and shiny and easy to groom. You just have to brush them more often during the shedding season. When born, kittens do not have black hair, but after shedding their baby coat, its colour becomes black and shiny. These cats love warmth, so they will choose the warmest corner in the house, and they often crawl under the covers. They have large eyes, widely set on a beautiful round head usually of bronze or gold colour. Their ears are also set wide and are round, which contributes to the tame appearance of this cat. They do not have any special health problems. Males of the Bombay cat grow to a weight of 5 kg, while adult females can weigh up to 4 kg and live up to 15 years. They grow relatively quickly and may reach sexual maturity by the young age of 6 months, but should not mate before twelfth months of age. These cats are very intelligent and playful, although they do not have high demands for movement, so staying at home suits them. They like to play and can learn different tricks - they like to bring the ball almost like dogs, and they can be easily trained to walk on the leash, so they can enjoy outside adventures. They also get along fine with other cats, but will try to impose their dominance over the others. They get along well with all family members, but choose one person who will be their “boss”. They are a little distrustful of strangers, so they retreat to their safe place until they gain confidence.