The Bombay is calm, gentle and affectionate. This solid, medium-size cat was created in the 1950s by crossing sable Burmese with black American Shorthairs. His short, velvety coat is easy to care for.
Did You Know the Bombay Has a Reputation as a Lap Cat?
The Bombay looks like a small leopard but has an easygoing, pleasant disposition.
The Bombay is an easygoing and tolerant cat who takes life as it comes. He enjoys greeting visitors and gets along well with children, dogs and other cats, although he will expect to be the one in charge. It’s not unusual for him to learn to walk on a leash or to play active games such as fetch, but he also has a reputation as a lap cat. The Bombay loves attention, so do not get one if you don’t have the time or desire to interact with him frequently. He will want to be involved in everything you do.
Brush the Bombay weekly to keep his thick coat shiny and healthy. The only other grooming he needs is regular nail trimming and ear cleaning.
The Bombay is well suited to any home with people who will love him and care for him. Keep him indoors to protect him from cars, diseases spread by other cats and attacks from other animals.
Other Quick Facts About the Bombay
When you look at a Bombay, you see a muscular, medium-size cat. If you were to pick him up, you would find that he is heftier than he looks.
To maintain the Bombay’s body type and coat texture, breeders may occasionally outcross to Burmese, one of the Bombay’s parent breeds. Outcrosses to American Shorthairs or domestic shorthairs are rarely done because the body type is not the same. The Bombay and Burmese differ in that the Bombay is slightly larger and has a longer body and longer legs.
While they reach sexual maturity early, sometimes at five months, Bombays may not complete their physical growth as far as size and muscle development until they are almost two years old.
The Bombay’s nickname is “the patent-leather kid with the new-penny eyes.”
