The short and folded tail of the Japanese Bobtail cat is the result of a natural mutation caused by the expression of a dominant gene.
Japanese rabbit tail cat.

The image of a cat with a long tail has long been associated with human life and perception. But in Japan, there is a strange breed of cat with a prominent feature of a short rabbit-like tail. They are called Bobtail cats, or in Vietnam they are called bobtails/rabbit-tailed cats.

In fact, the bobtail’s tail is curled, causing the hair on the tail to spread out, making it look like a cotton ball on the tail of a rabbit. Even so, the cat’s tail remains flexible and can be moved in any direction.

No one knows exactly when this unusual breed of cat came to Japan, but it has been a part of Japanese culture for at least a few hundred years, as well as being regularly incorporated into traditional art and culture. folklore.

In Japanese folklore, the bobtail cat is seen as a symbol of good prospects and a promising future. The famous maneki neko – a symbol of good luck – usually shows a bobtailed cat sitting on its hind legs with one front paw raised.

The Maneki-neko, or God of Fortune cat, is built on the image of the Japanese bobtail cat.

In the early 1600s, the breed played an important role in conserving Japan’s silkworm production, by fighting rodents. By the next century, the Bobtail was even the dominant cat breed raised in Japan.

In 1968, the Japanese Bobtail was first introduced to North America, granted temporary status by the Cat Fanciers’ Association – CFA in 1971 and became popular around the world. In 1976 they were accepted into the Competition of Champions.

In 1993, the long-haired bobtail Japanese cat was accepted into the CFA Champion Competition. Until 2011, in North America and Europe there existed a number of breeding facilities for the Japanese Bobtail, and in its homeland at least one. However, this breed is still quite rare.

The scientists concluded that the short and folded tail of the Japanese Bobtail was the result of a natural mutation caused by the expression of a dominant gene. This mutation causes a decrease in the number of caudal vertebrae, as well as fusion of the vertebrae. But on the other hand, it develops as a complete tail, like that of a long-tailed cat.

By convention, to be considered a standard Bobtail, the tail length must not exceed 3 inches (7.62 cm). The lifespan of this cat breed is also quite high, averaging up to 15-18 years. With proper care and proper exercise, this cat breed can live longer.

No one knows if it’s because of the special tail that looks like it’s broken, or because the friendly, hyperactive and “talkative” personality makes the Japanese Bobtail cat extremely popular in the land of the rising sun. until today. However, it is still very rare outside of Japan