The American Bobtail is a medium to large powerfully built, naturally occurring short tailed cat. Being a product of natural selection, this is a hearty breed with all of the intelligence and skill nature demands of her predatory creatures. The American Bobtail displays the look of an athletic animal, well muscled & solid in appearance.

The tail is relatively short and can be slightly curved or knotted. The length will vary and acceptable show lengths will depend on the individual cat's stature. For show cats, the tail must be long enough to be clearly visible above the cat's back when alert, but not so long as to be past the hock when relaxed. The tail can appear both longer and shorter than these lengths required on show quality cats.

American Bobtails should have a strong head with large, almost almond-shaped eyes set under a distinctive brown giving the cat an exceptional hunting look. The ears should be moderately large and placed as much on top as on the side of the head. Ears with lynx tipping, furnishings and thumb print ocelli are highly desirable.

Males will be proportionally larger than females and should possess male characteristics. Females of this breed generally weigh 7-12 pounds, whereas their male counterparts have been known to weigh anywhere from 12-20 pounds. This is a slow maturing breed that will take 2-3 years to develop into a fully mature adult.

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