Kurilian Bobtail Cats

Kurilian Bobtail Cat against a white background

an orange and cream kurillian bobtail with a feathered coat

An orange tabby kurillian bobtail with amber eyes

a young kurillian bobtail with a fluffy coat

A marbled tabby kurillian bobtail with a feathery coat

A brown tabby kurillian bobtail with a wild look

History

The history of the Kurilian Bobtail cat begins on the Russian Island of Sakhalin and to the Kuril Islands, an archipelago of around 56 volcanic islands, spanning 700 miles between the Russian peninsula of Kamchatka and the Japanese island Hokkaido, separating the Sea of Okhotsk from the Pacific Ocean. Documents in Russia that date back at least 200 years state that cats with short tails were originally present on the islands and then brought back to central Russia in the middle of the 20th century by members of the military or scientists. They are a popular breed of cat in Russia as they are highly praised for their pest controlling abilities. They are quite popular in Europe because of their laid back temperament but are still relatively unknown in the United Kingdom and USA. The Kurilian Bobtail was accepted to Championship status by TICA in 2012.

Behaviour

The Kurilian Bobtail is devoted to its owner and loves to curl up in their owners bed or on a nice warm lap. They are happy enough with other cats, children, dogs and other household pets which makes them a great family pet. They are powerful jumpers and enjoy perching on the highest thing in the room to survey what goes on around them.