Know anything about Japanese bobtails?

I'm not really seriously looking for another kitty right now but I love my mi-ke street cat and am wondering about the purebreed variety of Japanese cat?

Someday I'd like to have a pure breed.

How rare are they? Has anyone owned any? Met any? What are they like?

I do not know a lot about them but I saw a few at the cat show.
Here is some info on them.

http://www.cfa.org/breeds/profiles/japanese.html

Yup, I've got a friend who breeds them here in New Zealand. They are stunning.

Here is a gallery from her website http://www.catsrus.co.nz/japanesegallery.php

GC Kichoo Kori of Kenipurr (IMP NZ) was 10th best Cat in championship in CFA for 08-09 (NW Region) awards! You can see a photo of her here
http://home.comcast.net/~lkksmith/page3.html

She granded in one show - anyway Iris is the only person who breeds them here in NZ (She breeds SH/LH) so they're very rare here, I can't speak for US or JAP

I've met a few in the last year - wonderful creatures Never owned one but the ones I have met have been great in temperament. Again, never met them outside of the show halls either so I really don't know what they're like at home.

Personally I prefer the longhaired variety over the short haired.

I've only seen one at a show, there are very few breeders of them here.

I've only met them at shows, but seems to be a fairly active cat. Their coat is kinda silky and their tails are bobbed and unique in the twists - each is different. The do come in a long and short hair version.

The "me-ki" is the most popular (calico), but they can come in almost every color (excepted the pointed and chocolate spectrums)

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

The "me-ki" is the most popular (calico), but they can come in almost every color (excepted the pointed and chocolate spectrums)

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It's 'mi-ke' in Japanese, means '3 colors'. My Japanese mongrel street cat is that color, and has a somewhat similar coat and body structure including the long hind legs, which is why I'm getting interested in the breed.

Thanks everybody for the replies. I'd found the CFA link already. Any other info would be helpful...

I figured I had spelled it wrong - chaulk it up to early morning replies

Originally Posted by Lyrajean

It's 'mi-ke' in Japanese, means '3 colors'. My Japanese mongrel street cat is that color, and has a somewhat similar coat and body structure including the long hind legs, which is why I'm getting interested in the breed.

Thanks everybody for the replies. I'd found the CFA link already. Any other info would be helpful...

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Bob-tailed Japanese domestic cats may be registered in CFA as Japanese Bobtails and can not only be used in breeding program, but they can be shown. There has been a GC/DM import So that would explain the resemblance!

Originally Posted by FerrisCat

Bob-tailed Japanese domestic cats may be registered in CFA as Japanese Bobtails and can not only be used in breeding program, but they can be shown. There has been a GC/DM import

So that would explain the resemblance!

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Except mine has a tail... And she just got fixed.

Really, that's interesting. I don't know how Japense mine is other than the resemblance. There is a cow-patched bob down the street who is allowed to roam. It's in a small colony of mura neko near the riverfront park.

I'd been told that the large feral population here was largely a result of American military personnel abandoning pets in years past (they have much better controls on animals on base now, I understand). But the Japanese/Okinawans seem to regard cats as outdoor pets and are less into reproductive control, and other Japanese cities have feral cat problems.

Don't get me wrong, people love the mura neko or village cats, and often put out food for them. The attitude toward domestic animals is similar to what my mom described growing up on a farm with barn cats.

Fixed cats can still be shown! Just not bred with!

Originally Posted by WellingtonCats

Fixed cats can still be shown!

Just not bred with!

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I doubt Aya has the showing temperament... as in all the bad ex-feral orphaned kitten habits. 'I luv U=chomp!'

Other than the tail, is there something else that makes these cats unique? From glancing through the photos, these just look like your every day house cat with a bobbed tail to me. Not that I'm in any way an expert or anything, but that's my initial impression.

Very soft bunny like fur and the head shape is a little different, but you are right - its not a lot of "pop out" different looking features.

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Very soft bunny like fur and the head shape is a little different, but you are right - its not a lot of "pop out" different looking features.

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I like the idea of "bunny fur" though!