bombay cat sitting on a white bedsheet

Often associated with witches and omens the Bombay panther is one of the most unique, beautiful, and widely misunderstood cat breeds in the world. The characteristics of the Bombay cat include its pitch-black coat and amber-yellow eyes. The Bombay is a highly intelligent breed with each cat having its unique personality.

I have personally hand-reared several Bombay cats. Kalu was my favorite cat, whom I got as a rescued kitten when he was just 4 days old. He was an intelligent cat with a strong personality that you just couldn’t ignore.

Brief History of Bombay Cat

The Bombay Panther cat breed is known as a man-made breed which was developed by Nicki Horner a cat breeder from Louisville sometime in the 1950s. Nicki was an enthusiastic cat breeder who was obsessed with owning a miniature panther, So she started to breed the Burmese with other breeds to get the panther. The first few attempts were unsuccessful till 1965 when the breed now most often known as the Bombay cat came into being. 

The Bombay is divided in two sub-breeds the American Bombay and the British Bombay. These sub-breeds do have not many noticeable differences except for their eye colors. The American Bombay has copper, orange or golden eyes but never green. Whereas the British Bombay cat has copper-to-green eyes.

bombay cat sitting in a completely black background

physical characteristics

With its completely black, sleek, and shiny coat combined with golden or ember-colored eyes, the Bombay black cat is highly distinguishable from all other black cat breeds. They’re the only black cat that has black hair from root to tip.

The Bombay panther is a medium to slightly large muscular cat with the male being around 3.5 to 4 kg in general, whereas the female is slightly more slender and can weigh between 3.4 to 4 kg.

shedding

The Bombay is a short hair breed and shedding is not an issue for their shiny coat is quite manageable. Given their lineage, it tend to have long, sharp, and quite strong claws and teeth. You can trim their nails every month or two.

personality traits of the Bombay Panther

Given their appearance and misconceptions people often fear them and assume that Bombay is a dangerous cat, nothing can be further from the truth. The Bombay panther is an energetic highly intelligent cat with a very strong personality. If you want a cat that will take the backseat then the Bombay is not your cat….

Simply said the Bombay panther is a leader, a boss in every manner. You cannot get away with ignoring them. Not being given attention can result in your favorite pillow in shreds or your sovereign crashing on the floor!!!

 
APPEARANCE, TRAITS
lustrous, shiny, pitch-black coat. Big amber-yellow to orange eyes. strong canines and claws.
 
COLOURS
pitch black
TEMPERMENTenergetic, curious, a family cat, playful, and extremely intelligent.
 
COMPATIBILTY
Great with children, playmates, and adults alike. tolerant towards other animals.
 
HABITUAL ADAPTATION
adaptable to every kind of weather and environment. can stay indoors and outdoors alike.
 
SHEDDING FACTOR
low

GENERAL CHARACTERISTIC
a high level of intelligence, with a brave, friendly, and quite mesmerizing personality.
DISEASESquite a healthy bread occasional case of sinus or gingervitis
 
LIFE EXPECTANCY
13 to 20 years.
bombay kitten playing with an orange toy.

This breed is blessed with higher-than-average intelligence and can be trained or even learn tricks of different sorts like shaking hands playing dead opening cans etc.

The Bombay kitten’s best toy is a ball of fur that will always keep it interesting.

In nine lifetimes, you’ll never know as much about your cat as your cat knows about you. ― Michel de Montaigne

bombay cat sitting next to laptop

health and life expectancy.

The Bombay Panther cat is quite a healthy breed with not many recorded illnesses except the occasional case of gingivitis or sinus both of which can be avoided with proper care and oral hygiene. the only other health threat they could face is the genetic disease called Craniofacial Defect and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy.

The Bombay panther is known to have long and healthy lives that span well over 13 to 15 years of age, most even reaching 20.

All said and done the Bombay cat is a non-hassle, easy-to-care cat that makes life easy, fun, and enjoyable..

FAQs

Is the Bombay cat a dangerous breed?

Contrary to popular belief the Bombay Panther cat as its commonly known, is not a dangerous breed at all. They are great playmates and make excellent companions for kids and adults alike. However, they can be overly active or energetic, which can be dealt with by giving them plenty of playtime or cat toys.

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