The Bombay Cat
General Description
The Bombay is a
sleek muscular cat
with great big
copper penny eyes
and a shiny
midnight-black coat
that resembles black
patent leather. The
combination is
spectacular and
resembles the
mini-panther that
the late Nikki
Horner had in mind
when she began
developing the breed
in 1953. The Bombay
is a man-made breed
developed from
crossing a black
American Shorthair
with a sable
Burmese. These
purring bundles of
love want to be with
you all the time and
as close to you as
possible, reveling
in your company.
History
Nikki Horner had in
mind a cat that
resembled the black
leopard of India and
named the breed she
developed from
combining black
American Shorthairs
with Burmese the
Bombay after the
Indian city. She
wanted a cat with
the sleek, short
tight coat of the
Burmese in the
darkest black from
the American
Shorthair lit up
with eyes like new
copper pennies. Her
early efforts were
unsuccessful but
undeterred she kept
trying to create her
vision and the
combinations she
used beginning in
1965 led to success.
Horner had been
breeding cats since
she was 16 and in
the 1970s, when her
creation was finally
accepted for
championship
competition, she
stopped breeding.
Other breeders had
fallen in love with
the stunning breed
with the fabulous
personality and
worked to keep the
breed going.
Major influencers in
the breed's
progression and
popularity were Herb
and Suzanne Zwecker.
They also developed
new lines with new
combinations of the
Burmese with the
American Shorthair.
Shawnee and Road To
Fame are found
behind many of
today's Bombays.
TICA accepted the
Bombay for
championship
competition in June
1979.
Personality
The Bombay combines
the easy-going
nature of the
American Shorthair
with the
inquisitive, loving
personality of the
social Burmese. They
love to be in your
company and will
greet you joyously
at the door-and they
will greet visitors
with the same loving
enthusiasm. Expect
your Bombay to be as
close to you as
possible whether it
is
perched on your
soldier as you walk
around, rubbing
round your ankles
purring while you
make supper, cuddled
into your lap while
you watch TV or read
a book, or snuggling
up against you under
the covers in bed
like a hot water
bottle. The Bombay
loves the entire
family and is
particularly good
with children since
it is always ready
to play. It also
gets on well with
other family pets
given the proper
introduction. Their
craving for company
means they are
unhappy if let alone
for long periods so
consider getting
another cat if you
will be gone most of
the day.
Traits
The Bombay comes in
one color-black; but
the deepest, densest
black imaginable and
with a high gloss
sheen. The large
eyes are anywhere
from a deep, rich
gold to copper -
just like new copper
pennies. The
gleaming coat is
tight and short and
hugs the muscular
body so you can
watch the muscles
ripple as this
mini-panther stalks
an imaginary prey in
the living room.
They are a
medium-sized cat
with a robust bone
structure to support
the powerful
muscular body and
are surprisingly
heavy for their
size. The head is
rounded with no
sharp angles and the
large eyes are
wide-set giving the
face a sweet
expression. The ears
are medium sized,
set well apart and
sit tilted forward.
The short coat is
very tight and sheds
very little so it
does not need much
maintenance. An
occasional bath will
help keep the coat
sharp and list any
loose dirt while a
quick rubdown with a
rubber brush will
remove any loose
hairs. The palm of
your hand as you
lovingly stroke your
mini-panther imparts
a little natural oil
that will help the
sheen of the coat.
For tip-top shine, a
quick polish with a
chamois is all that
is needed.
Taken from The
International Cat
Association (TICA),
www.tica.org
RW SGC TORILAND
PROMISE OF PANDORA
2009 SOUTHEAST
REGION AWARDS:
SIXTH BEST KITTEN OF
THE YEAR
NINETEENTH BEST CAT
OF THE YEAR
THIRTEENTH BEST
SHORTHAIR CAT OF THE
YEAR
BEST BOMBAY OF THE
YEAR
BEST BLACK BOMBAY OF
THE YEAR
RW SGC BURMGARDEN
ELVIRA OF PANDORA
2009 TICA
INTERNATIONAL
AWARDS:
THIRD BEST BOMBAY
KITTN OF THE YEAR
2009 SOUTHEAST
REGION AWARDS:
SIXTH BEST KITTEN OF
THE YEAR
EIGHTEEN BEST
SHORTHAIR CAT OF THE
YEAR
SECOND BEST BLACK
BOMBAY OF THE YEAR
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