BOMBAY CAT

Bombay

The British Bombay cat is the name given to black cats of the Asian group. It is a cat of Burmese type with a black coat, toes, nose, and copper to greenish eyes. The close lying, sleek and glossy black coat should be coloured to the roots, with little or no paling. The Bombay is a shorthair breed of domestic cat, closely related to the Burmese.

The American breed called Bombay was bred in 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky, when Nikki Horner of Shawnee Cattery deliberately bred an Amerivan Shorthair with a Burmese for the purpose of creating a domesticated cat that resembled a "miniature black panther". These cats have copper or golden eyes, and a striking satin-like jet black coat. Occasionally, a Bombay kitten may be born sable colored, because of its relation to the Burmese. American Bombays are often confused with the British Bombay. Note that they are different cats though they both share the name of "Bombay." The offspring of this breeding did indeed resemble the black Leopard of India. The name came from the Indian city of Bombay (now Mumbai). The American Bombay is also at times referred to as the "Patent Leather Kitty with the Copper Penny Eyes."

The Bombay is a muscular, yet agile, cat with a black coat. The heads of British Bombay cats are rounded and wide with a medium short, blunt tapered muzzle. The eyes, which are usually brown or green in color , should be shaped like a Burmese cat's (not round) and set wide, and their ears are broad, slightly rounded and medium sized and, like the eyes, set wide. The American Bombay should have copper or golden eyes and a jet-black coat (occasionally sable), with the same eye shape, and a rounded head. There should be no edges in the shaping of the Bombay's head, and the ears are also slightly rounded at the tips. This cat also looks like a miniature panther giving it the nickname "the parlor panther". The Bombay has a coat that is short, satiny, high-gloss and tight to the body, thus giving it another name the Patent Leather Cat. Bombay cats require little grooming. They have personalities like Burmese cats as they are virtually genetically the same they are fun loving and very affectionate.

Both the American Bombay and British Bombay have very unique voices. They are not a traditional "meow". While some cats are very vocal, others tend to keep quiet. This is perfectly normal and just reflects the type of personality the Bombay cat has. Bombay cats are heat-seekers, meaning that they love to be warm and will tend to sleep with you either under the covers or on top of your legs because of the heat you emit. It shouldn't be a surprise if you sit down on the couch and soon after, your Bombay sits next to you. They're very beautiful and affectionate cats that love human attention.

In February 2010, The Bombay won "Best Breed of cat" for the first time in 50 years.