The Bombay
Bombay are medium energy cats who enjoy a mix of play and relaxation. Typically they are very adaptable, people-oriented cats.
They are happy in a variety of home environments with children, seniors, and other animal companions. Bombay do best when they have regular interaction with humans and/or other pets as they are very social, and may become despondent and withdrawn when left alone for extended periods of time.
Bombay have a black, glossy, close-laying coat, and gold or copper coloured eyes. They are a stocky, compact cat that are heavier than they appear, and are very muscular with heavy boning.
They have minimal grooming requirements, but do best with regular brushing, occasional bathing, and quality food to maintain their coat and skin.
About the Breed
History of the Breed
Despite its exotic name, the Bombay is a 100% domestic breed of cat intended to have the look and feel of a miniature panther, but with a playful, outgoing personality that would be an asset to any home.
The birth of the breed occurred in 1966, when Kentucky breeder Nikki Horner decided to combine two popular breeds, the American Shorthair and the Burmese, to produce a cat that drew on the characteristics of both parent breeds, yet was distinctive enough to become a separate breed.
She began with a black American Shorthair male, bred to a sable Burmese female, and over the next few years, utilized both line breeding and careful outcrossing to produce her own version of the “parlour panther”.
