|
|
| (2 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | {{redirect5|Stray cat|the band|Stray Cats}}
| + | [[Image:Japanese Bobtail walking.JPG|thumbnail|180px|A Japanese Bobtail cat, with the short tail clearly visible]] |
| − | [[Image:DorDor.JPG|thumb|right|'''Rescued feral kittens'''<p>Most feral kittens have little chance of surviving more than a few months and are vulnerable to starvation, predators, disease and even flea-induced anemia[http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_flea_anemia.html][http://www.vetmedpub.com/vetmed/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=306529]. Here, kittens from two feral litters are fostered by a domestic mother.]] | |
| − | '''Feral cats''' are the offspring of domesticated cats that were abandoned by their owners or that strayed into wild areas from their homes. When the domesticated cats mated, their offspring were never handled by or associated with humans, thus making their kittens feral. In [[Australia]] the term feral cat refers to cats living and breeding entirely in the wild. Significant populations of wildlife in Australia, including marsupials, reptiles and birds, poorly adapted to this efficient predator have allowed the establishment of stable populations across most of the country.
| |
| | | | |
| − | Adult feral cats, that were never socialized with humans, can rarely be socialized. Feral kittens can sometimes be socialized to live with humans if they are taken from a feral colony before they are six weeks old: four to five weeks is preferable.
| + | The '''Japanese Bobtail''' is a [[cat breeds|breed]] of [[cat]] with an unusual 'bobbed' tail more closely resembling the tail of a [[rabbit]] than that of an ordinary feline. The short tail is caused by the expression of a [[recessive gene]]. Thus, so long as both parents are bobtails, all kittens born to a litter will have bobtails as well. Unlike the [[Manx (cat)|Manx]] and other cat breeds, where genetic disorders are common to tailless or stumpy-tails, no such problem exists with the Japanese Bobtail. |
| | | | |
| − | Feral cats may live alone but are usually found in large groups called [[feral cat colony|feral colonies]] with communal nurseries, depending on resource availability. The [[average life span]] of a feral cat that survives beyond [[kitten]]hood is usually cited as being less than two years<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.crittercontrol.com/?doc=resources_af_cats |title=CritterControl - Cat animal facts |accessdate= 2007-04-11}}</ref>, while a [[domestication|domestic]] house cat lives an average of twelve to sixteen years. <!--12-14 in UK 16+ in USA but stats are incomplete --> However, feral cats aged nineteen (Cat Action Trust) and twenty-six (Cats Protection) have been reported where food and shelter are available.
| + | The Japanese Bobtail is a small domestic cat native to [[Japan]] and [[Southeast Asia]]. The breed has been known in Japan for centuries, and there are many legends and myths, as well as pieces of ancient art, featuring it. |
| | | | |
| − | [[City]]scapes and [[North America]] are not native environments for cats. The domestic cat comes from [[temperate]] or hot, dry [[climate]]s and was distributed throughout the world by [[human]]s. Cats are extremely adaptable, and feral felines have been found in conditions of extreme cold and heat. They are more susceptible to cold, damp conditions than to cold alone. The domestic cat requires a diet of 90% protein, so many feral cats lack adequate nutrition{{Fact|date=January 2007}}. In addition, they have no [[self-defense|defense]] against or understanding of [[predator]]s such as [[dog]]s and [[coyote]]s.
| + | Japanese bobtails may have almost any color, but "Mi-ke" {{nihongo||三毛|''mike''|literally "three fur", and composed of red, black, and white coloring}} or bi-colors are especially favoured by the Japanese. Much like any other breed, the colors may be arranged in any number of patterns, with van and [[tortoiseshell_cat|calico]] being common among purebred cats, and tabby being seen in non-purebred Japanese bobtails{{Fact|date=March 2007}}. |
| | | | |
| − | The current population of feral cats in the United States is twenty to forty million. {{Fact|date=May 2007}}
| + | ==History== |
| | | | |
| − | ==Major Places with Feral Cats==
| + | The earliest written evidence of cats in Japan indicates that they arrived from [[China]] or [[Korea]] at least 1,000 years ago. In 1602, Japanese authorities decreed that all cats should be set free to help deal with rodents threatening the silk-worms. Buying or selling cats was illegal, and from then on, bobtailed cats lived on farms and in the streets. Japanese Bobtails thus became the "street cats" of Japan. |
| − | {{Expand-section|date=January 2007}}
| |
| − | ===United States of America===
| |
| − | [[|thumb|220px|right|Some adult feral cats can be socialized, depending on the degree of human interaction throughout their lives; feral kittens must be socialized with humans in order to be adoptable, and it is best to remove them from their mother before six weeks of age in order to do so. This feral cat has had the tip of one ear severed, which identifies it as having been sterilized and inoculated by a [[Trap-Neuter-Return]] program.]] | |
| | | | |
| − | In the United States, there is an ongoing debate about how to deal with feral cat populations. There is little doubt that feral cats are extremely effective at controlling or even eradicating small animal populations, and some cite the utility of cats in controlling populations of verminous rodent species. This is one of the major justifications for the keeping of [[Farm Cat|farm cats]]. However, conservationists argue that feral cats contribute greatly to the killing of songbirds and other endangered birds, with estimates that bird loss is at 100 million a year due to predation. However, research into the causes of bird deaths has also found that transparent windows constitute the biggest threat that birds face [http://www.currykerlinger.com/birds.htm]. Additionally, it is argued that the resurgence of other small predators such as the [[gray fox]] (''Urocyon cinereoargenteus''), [[fisher (animal)|fisher]] or pekan (''Martes pennanti''), [[coyote]] (''Canis latrans''), and [[bobcat]] (''Lynx rufus'') is a contributing factor in conserved bird deaths. {{Fact|date=February 2007}}
| + | The Japanese Bobtail is mentioned in ''Kaempfer's Japan''. First published in London in 1701/02, it is the first book written by a Westerner about the flora, fauna, and landscape of Japan. [[Engelbert Kaempfer]], a German doctor, wrote: "there is only one breed of cat that is kept. It has large patches of yellow, black and white fur; its short tail looks like it has been bent and broken. It has no mind to hunt for rats and mice but just wants to be carried and stroked by women."{{Fact|date=February 2007}} |
| | | | |
| − | Websites such as The Feral Cat Hunt {{Fact|date=February 2007}} advocate culling feral cat populations by hunting, arguing that it is the most cost effective method of population control. However, a proposal in the state of [[Wisconsin]] to legalize the hunting of feral cats in an attempt to reduce their population (April 2005) was blocked by the state's lawmakers. [[South Dakota]] and [[Minnesota]] allow wild cats to be shot. The US spends over 50 million dollars a year (Tax money) to shelter some of these cats.
| + | The ''[[Maneki Neko|maneki-neko]]'' ("beckoning cat"), a Japanese Bobtail seated with one paw raised, is considered a good-luck charm. A maneki-neko statue is often found in the front of stores. In 1968 the late Elizabeth Freret imported the first three Japanese Bobtails to the United States from Japan. In 2001 the first registered litter of Bobtails in the UK were bred under the "Solstans" prefix. |
| | | | |
| − | [[Trap-Neuter-Return]] or TNR programs, presented as a humane method of feral cat population control, are facilitated by many volunteers and organizations in the United States. These organizations trap and sterilize feral cats as well as provide [[inoculation]] against [[rabies]] and other viruses. Sometimes long-lasting [[flea treatment]]s are also applied before release. Frequently, attending [[veterinarian]]s notch the tip off one [[ear]] during spay/neuter surgery to mark the individual as [[spaying and neutering|spayed or neutered]] and inoculated, as these cats will more than likely find themselves trapped again. Volunteers often continue to feed and give care to these cats throughout their lives, unfortunately, it becomes very difficult to domesticate and adopt a feral cat unless it is trapped and socialized before six weeks of age.
| + | ==Legend== |
| − | [[Image:Feral_cat.jpg|thumb|150px|Feral cat with clipped ear to signify spay/neuter trap and release.]]
| |
| | | | |
| − | [[October 16]] is National Feral Cat Day in the United States.[http://www.nationalferalcatday.org/] | + | There is a [[legend]] in Japan about why the Japanese Bobtail lost its tail. It states that a cat was warming itself too close to a fire, and set its tail on fire. It then ran through the town, burning many buildings to the ground. As punishment, the Emperor decreed that all cats should have their tails cut off. |
| | | | |
| − | ===Australia=== | + | ==Breed Standard== |
| − | It has been suggested that feral cats have been present in [[Australia]] since before [[European]] settlement, and may have arrived with [[Netherlands|Dutch]] [[shipwreck]]s in the [[17th century]], or even prior to that; arriving from present-day [[Indonesia]] with [[Macassan contact with Australia|Macassan]] fisherman and [[trepang]]ers who frequented Australia's shores. However historical records do not suggest this, instead dating the arrival of feral cats at around 1824. <ref name="Abbot"> Abbot, I. (2002) "Origin and spread of the cat, Felis catus, on mainland Australia, with a discussion of the magnitude of its early impact on native fauna" ''Wildlife Research'' '''29'''(1): 51-74 [http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/WR01011.htm abstract] </ref> Intentional releases were made in the late [[19th century]] to control mice, rabbits and rats. Cats had colonised their present range in Australia by 1890. Evidence for early predation by cats having caused major and widespread declines in native fauna is circumstantial and anecdotal and its credibility and significance is debated (Abbot 2002, Dickman 1996).
| |
| | | | |
| − | Feral cats in Australia [[prey]] on a variety of wildlife. In arid and semi-arid environments [[introduced species|introduced]] [[European Rabbit|European rabbit]]s and [[House Mouse|house mice]] are the dominant part of the diet; in forests and urbanised areas native [[marsupial]] prey forms the larger part of the diet (based on 22 studies summarised in Dickman 1996). In arid environments where rabbits do not occur native rodents are taken. Birds form a smaller part of the diet, mostly in forests and urbanised areas, reptiles also form just a small part of the diet.
| + | '''Head''': The head should form an equilateral triangle. (Not including ears) |
| − |
| |
| − | Numerous Australian environmentalists and conservationists claim that the feral cat has been an ecological disaster in Australia, inhabiting most ecosystems except dense [[rainforest]], and being implicated in the [[extinction]] of several [[marsupial]] and [[placental]] mammal [[species]] (Robley ''et al'' 2004). Scientific evidence has been hard to come by to support this view and some researchers disagree with it (Abbot 2002). Sound evidence that feral cats exert a significant effect on native wildlife throughout the mainland is lacking (Dickman 1996; Jones 1989; Wilson et al. 1992). Difficulties in separating the effects of cats from that of [[fox]]es (also introduced) and environmental effects have hindered research into this. Cats have co-existed with all mammal species in Tasmania for nearly 200 years. Tasmania is fox free.<ref name="Abbot" /> The Western Shield program in Western Australia, involving broad-scale poisoning of foxes, has resulted in rapid recoveries of many species of native mammals in spite of the presence of feral cats throughout the baited area.<ref name="Abbot" /> However in 2005 a study was published which for the first time found proof of feral cats causing declines in native mammals (Risbey ''et al'' 2005). an [[experiment]] conducted in [[Heirisson Prong]] compared small mammal populations in areas cleared of both foxes and cats, of foxes only, and a control plot. Researchers found that mammal populations were lower in areas cleared of foxes only and in the control plots.
| |
| | | | |
| − | Cats may also play a further role in Australia's human altered ecosystems; with foxes they may be controlling introduced [[rabbit]]s, particularly in arid areas, which themselves cause ecological damage (Robley ''et al'' 2004). Cats are not believed to have been a factor in the extinction of the only mainland [[bird]] species to be lost since European settlement, the [[Paradise Parrot]]; their role in the loss of rare species on [[Australasia]]n islands, however, has been significant.
| + | '''Ears''': Large, upright, set wide apart but at right angles to the head and looking as if alert. |
| | | | |
| − | Australian Folklore holds that some feral cats in Australia have grown so large as to cause inexperienced observers to claim sightings of other species such as [[Puma]] etc. This folklore is however being shown to be more fact then fiction, with the recent shooting of an enormous Feline in the [[Gippsland]] area of [[Victoria (Australia)|Victoria]], subsequent DNA test showed the feline to be [[Domestic cat|Felis Catus]]<ref>"Feral Mega Cats" http://scienceblogs.com/tetrapodzoology/2007/03/australias_new_feral_mega_cats.php#more</ref>. Subsequent news stories of large Feral Cats being sighted is almost monthly in Australia and the evidence is very good to suggest a breading population of these enormous Felines in the south-eastern states of Victoria and [[New South Wales]]<ref>"The Big Cat Files"http://www.strangenation.com.au/Articles/paulclacher.htm</ref>.
| + | '''Muzzle''': Fairly broad and round neither pointed nor blunt. |
| | | | |
| − | Control programs are difficult to devise due to the [[nocturnal animal|nocturnal]] and [[solitary]] nature of feral cats, broad distribution in the landscape and continuous additions to the population from abandoned domestic cats. Due to the danger posed to humans handling the animal, captured feral cats are almost always [[Pest control|killed]]. Although trap neuter and return programs such as those in the United States are not prevalent in Australia, they are now being introduced in some urban and suburban areas such as [[Adelaide]]. More recently, such programs have been introduced in [[Sydney]] by the "World League for Protection of Animals".
| + | '''Eyes''': Large, oval rather than round. They should not bulge out beyond the cheekbone or the forehead. |
| | | | |
| − | ===Rome===
| + | '''Body''': Medium in size, males larger than females. Long torso, lean and elegant, showing well developed muscular strength. Also balance is very very important. |
| − | [[Rome]], [[Italy]] is perhaps the city with the largest feral cat population in the world; its population has been estimated to be between 250,000 and 350,000, organized in about 2,000 colonies, some of them living in famous ancient places such as the [[Colosseum]].[http://www.romancats.de/romancats/index_eng.php] Some historians believe, Romans' affection for cats dates from the Roman Empire's conquest of Egypt, where royalty kept cats. Others believe that Rome was spared from devastating outbreaks of the bubonic plague by the city's feral cat population, which kept Rome's rat population low thus reducing key plague carrying vector. Whatever the case, Rome's affection for stray felines remains strong.
| |
| | | | |
| − | ===Canada's Parliament===
| + | '''Neck''': Not too long and not too short, in proportion to the length of the body. |
| − | {{main|Canadian Parliamentary Cats}}
| |
| − | [[Image:Catman.jpg|thumb|150px|Rene Chartrand runs a stray cat sanctuary on Parliament Hill in [[Ottawa]], [[Ontario]].]]
| |
| − | For many years (tradition associates them with a British garrison of the 1850s), a feral cat colony has existed on Canada's [[Parliament Hill]] in [[Ottawa]]. In recent years, living structures have been built for them, and they are fed by a volunteer who is given a stipend by the House of Commons. Veterinary services are donated by doctors in the city, and most of the cats are sterilized. At any given time, about fifteen cats live in the colony.
| |
| − | The present Canadian Prime Minister, [[Stephen Harper]], is a cat fan and takes feral kittens into his home to socialize them before they are put up for adoption in Ottawa's shelters. Visitors to his official residence can expect to be asked if they have room in their homes for a cat.
| |
| | | | |
| − | ==Feral cats and island restoration==
| + | '''Legs''': Long, slender, and high. The hind legs longer than the forelegs. |
| − | Feral cats [[introduced species|introduced]] to islands with [[island tameness|ecologically naive]] fauna, that is species that have not evolved or have lost predator responses for dealing with cats (Moors & Atkinson 1984), have had a devastating impact on these islands' [[biodiversity]]. They have been implicated in the extinction of several species and local extinctions, such as the [[huita]]s from the [[Caribbean]] and the [[Guadalupe Storm-petrel]] from [[Pacific]] [[Mexico]]. Moors and Atkinson wrote, in 1984, "No other alien predator has had such a universally damaging effect." Given the damage they cause, many conservationists working in the field of [[island restoration]] (literally restoring damaged islands through removal of introduced species and replanting and reintroducing native species) have worked to remove feral cats. As of [[2004]], 48 islands have had their feral cat populations removed, including [[New Zealand]]'s network of offshore island bird reserves (Nogales ''et al'', [[2004]]), and Australia's [[Macquarie Island]]. Larger projects have also been undertaken, including their complete removal from [[Ascension Island]]. The cats, introduced in the 19th century, caused a collapse in populations of nesting [[seabird]]s. The project to remove them from the island began in 2002, and the island was cleared of cats by 2004. Since then seven species of seabird which had not nested on the island for a hundred years have returned.[http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2005/07/ascension.html]. In other instances the removal of cats has had unintended concequences, such as on [[Macquarie Island]] where the removal of cats caused an explosion in the number of rabbits and rats which have also harmed native seabirds (the removal of rats and rabbits is scheduled for 2007).
| |
| | | | |
| − | Feral cats, along with rabbits, some sea birds and sheep, form the entire animal population of the remote [[Kerguelen Islands]] in the southern [[Indian Ocean]].
| + | '''Paws''': Oval. Toes: five in front and four behind. |
| | | | |
| − | ==Activism==
| + | '''Coat (Shorthair)''': Medium length, soft and silk. |
| − | [[Feral cat colony|Feral cat colonies]] often arise from stray or abandoned unsterilized cats. The cats breed rapidly and have multiple-kit litters, although relatively few kittens survive to breeding age.
| |
| | | | |
| − | The conditions lived in by feral cats vary immensely. Some live short, dangerous, unhealthy, desperate lives, in deplorable conditions{{Fact|date=January 2007}}. Others are welcomed as working cats around factories and farms, and while their lives are not luxurious, some live over 10 years. Cat Action Trust has encountered ferals up to 19 years old; the record age for a feral is 26. Because of the perceived dangers to humans, other species, and the cats themselves, and out of compassion toward the animals, many people, including [[celebrity|celebrities]] such as [[Bob Barker]], campaign to encourage people to spay and neuter their pets and support the humane control of feral cats.
| + | '''Coat (Longhair)''': Length medium-long to long, texture soft and silky gradually lengthening toward the rump. |
| | | | |
| − | A growing number of animal societies realize that feral cats are wild animals and should not be judged by pet animal standards. Where the cats perform a useful task or are not a threat to the local ecology, the approach is to trap, neuter and return them to their own habitat, while removing any ill, injured or tameable individuals. <!--HSUS has changed its policy from trap-kill -->
| + | '''Tail''': The tail must be clearly visible and is made up of one or more curves. |
| | | | |
| − | Unfortunately, recent studies published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association indicate that trap-neuter-release programs are not effective in reducing feral cat populations. These programs cannot be effective unless they manage cats on a population--rather than colony--basis, neuter at least 75% of the cats in the population, and carrying capacity is reduced, usually by reducing the amount of food provided to the cats by humans.
| + | The Japanese Bobtail is a recognised breed by all major registering bodies: CFA ([http://www.cfa.org]), TICA ([http://www.tica.org]), FIFe; Shorthair only ([http://www.fifeweb.org]) with the exception of GCCF (UK). |
| | | | |
| − | ==In Popular Culture== | + | ==General== |
| − | Feral cats are the main characters of the book series ''[[Warriors (book series)|Warriors]]'' which is a very good reference to how they live, including the challenges they face. The colonies are called Clans, which do have a very organized hierarchy. It also says how feral cats catch prey, and what they catch.
| |
| | | | |
| − | ==References==
| + | Japanese Bobtails usually have litters of three to four kittens with newborns that are unusually large compared to other breeds. They are active earlier, and walk earlier. |
| − | <references />
| + | Affectionate and generally sweet-tempered, they enjoy supervising household chores and baby-sitting{{Fact|date=March 2007}}. They are active, intelligent, talkative cats with a well-defined sense of family life{{Fact|date=March 2007}}. Their soft voices are capable of nearly a whole scale of tones; some people say they sing{{Fact|date=March 2007}}. Since they adore human companionship they almost always speak when spoken to{{Fact|date=March 2007}}. |
| − | * Tabor, Roger, Arrow Books (1983). ''The Wild Life of the Domestic Cat.'' ISBN 0-09-931210-7
| + | Because of their human-oriented personality they are easy to teach tricks and enjoy learning things like walking on a harness and lead{{Fact|date=March 2007}}. |
| − | * Moors, P.J.; Atkinson, I.A.E. (1984). "Predation on seabirds by introduced animals, and factors affecting its severity.". In ''Status and Conservation of the World's Seabirds''. Cambridge: ICBP. ISBN 0-946888-03-5.
| |
| − | * Nogales, Manuel ''et al'' ([[2004]]). "A review of feral cat eradication on islands". ''Conservation Biology''. '''18'''(2): 310-319. [http://www.issg.org/database/species/reference_files/felcat/Nogales%20et%20al.%202004.pdf]
| |
| − | * Risbey, Danielle A. ; Calver, Michael C. ; Short, Jeff ; Bradley J. Stuart and Ian W. Wright (2005) The impact of cats and foxes on the small vertebrate fauna of Heirisson Prong, Western Australia. II. A field experiment " ''Wildlife Research'' '''27'''(3): 223-235 [http://publish.csiro.au/nid/144/paper/WR98092.htm abstract]
| |
| − | * Robley, A., Reddiex, B., Arthur T., Pech R., and Forsyth, D., (2004). "Interactions between feral cats, foxes, native carnivores, and rabbits in Australia". Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne.
| |
| − | * Abbot, I. (2002) "Origin and spread of the cat, Felis catus, on mainland Australia, with a discussion of the magnitude of its early impact on native fauna" ''Wildlife Research'' '''29'''(1): 51-74 [http://www.publish.csiro.au/paper/WR01011.htm abstract]
| |
| − | * Dickman, C. (1996) "Overview of the Impact of Feral Cats on Australian Fauna" Australian Nature Conservation Agency ISBN 0-642-21379-8 [http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/publications/cat-impacts/pubs/impacts-feral-cats.pdf whole text]
| |
| | | | |
| − | ==External links== | + | ==Ocular heterochromia== |
| − | {{linkfarm}}
| |
| − | * [http://www.alleycat.org Alley Cat Allies] Feral Cat Resource - provides information about how to deal with feral cats humanely.
| |
| − | * [http://www.abcbirds.org/cats/ Birds and cats: the ''Cats Indoors!'' program] (information from the American Bird Conservancy)
| |
| − | * [http://www.feralcat.com/ Feral Cat Coalition]
| |
| − | * [http://www.felineresistance.com/ The Feline Resistance]
| |
| − | * [http://www.indyferal.org/ IndyFeral.org]
| |
| − | * [http://www.cat77.org.uk/ Cat Action Trust 1977]
| |
| − | * [http://www.catactiontrust.org.uk/ Original Cat Action Trust]
| |
| − | * Defenders of Wildlife. [http://www.defenders.org/defendersmag/issues/spring03/plightsongbird.html Plight of the Vanishing Songbirds]
| |
| − | * [http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/invasive/publications/cat-impacts/pubs/impacts-feral-cats.pdf Australian Department of Environment and Heritage: Overview of the impact of feral cats on native fauna (pdf)]
| |
| − | * [http://www.naturebase.net/content/view/463/834/ Western Shield & baiting of Feral Cats]
| |
| − | * lovethatcat.com: [http://www.lovethatcat.com/spayneuter.html List of US spay & neuter programs]
| |
| − | * [http://www.messybeast.com/eradicat.htm Why Extermination of Ferals is Ineffective]
| |
| − | * [http://www.messybeast.com/feralkit.htm#Kittens Taming Feral Kittens]
| |
| − | * [http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/science/nature_20030623.shtml Feral cats] (BBC)
| |
| − | * [http://www.animalsaustralia.org/default2.asp?idL1=1274&idL2=1311 Animals Australia]: Feral Cat bibliography
| |
| − | * [http://www.wildlife.org/policy/index.cfm?tname=policystatements&statement=ps28 Feral cats] (The Wildlife Society)
| |
| − | * [http://www.happytails.org happy tails]
| |
| | | | |
| − | ==See also==
| + | [[Image:Cat_odd-eye.jpg|right|250px|thumb|normal eye color and odd-eye color]]While rare, Japanese Bobtails, especially predominantly white specimens, are more likely than other breeds to express [[heterochromia]], or differing [[iris (anatomy)|iris]] colors. One eye will be blue while the other is yellow (though in Japan, blue is referred to as silver while yellow is referred to as gold). This trait is popular and kittens displaying this "[[odd-eyed cat|odd-eye]]" feature are usually more expensive. |
| − | *[[Warriors (book series)]]
| |
| | | | |
| − | [[Category:Cat types]] | + | == External links == |
| − | [[Category:invasive species]] | + | *[http://www.aaceinc.org/pages/breeds/jap.htm AACE Breed Standards] |
| | + | *[http://www.aquadesign.be/news/article-4289.php Article Japanese Bobtail] |
| | | | |
| − | [[fr:Chat haret]] | + | [[Category:Cat breeds]] |
| − | [[nl:Verwilderde kat]] | + | |
| − | [[ja:野良猫]] | + | [[fr:Bobtail japonais]] |
| | + | [[nl:Japanse stompstaartkat]] |
| | + | [[ja:ジャパニーズボブテイル]] |
| | + | [[fi:Japanin bobtail]] |
A Japanese Bobtail cat, with the short tail clearly visible
The Japanese Bobtail is a breed of cat with an unusual 'bobbed' tail more closely resembling the tail of a rabbit than that of an ordinary feline. The short tail is caused by the expression of a recessive gene. Thus, so long as both parents are bobtails, all kittens born to a litter will have bobtails as well. Unlike the Manx and other cat breeds, where genetic disorders are common to tailless or stumpy-tails, no such problem exists with the Japanese Bobtail.
The Japanese Bobtail is a small domestic cat native to Japan and Southeast Asia. The breed has been known in Japan for centuries, and there are many legends and myths, as well as pieces of ancient art, featuring it.
Japanese bobtails may have almost any color, but "Mi-ke" Template:Nihongo or bi-colors are especially favoured by the Japanese. Much like any other breed, the colors may be arranged in any number of patterns, with van and calico being common among purebred cats, and tabby being seen in non-purebred Japanese bobtailsTemplate:Fact.
History
The earliest written evidence of cats in Japan indicates that they arrived from China or Korea at least 1,000 years ago. In 1602, Japanese authorities decreed that all cats should be set free to help deal with rodents threatening the silk-worms. Buying or selling cats was illegal, and from then on, bobtailed cats lived on farms and in the streets. Japanese Bobtails thus became the "street cats" of Japan.
The Japanese Bobtail is mentioned in Kaempfer's Japan. First published in London in 1701/02, it is the first book written by a Westerner about the flora, fauna, and landscape of Japan. Engelbert Kaempfer, a German doctor, wrote: "there is only one breed of cat that is kept. It has large patches of yellow, black and white fur; its short tail looks like it has been bent and broken. It has no mind to hunt for rats and mice but just wants to be carried and stroked by women."Template:Fact
The maneki-neko ("beckoning cat"), a Japanese Bobtail seated with one paw raised, is considered a good-luck charm. A maneki-neko statue is often found in the front of stores. In 1968 the late Elizabeth Freret imported the first three Japanese Bobtails to the United States from Japan. In 2001 the first registered litter of Bobtails in the UK were bred under the "Solstans" prefix.
Legend
There is a legend in Japan about why the Japanese Bobtail lost its tail. It states that a cat was warming itself too close to a fire, and set its tail on fire. It then ran through the town, burning many buildings to the ground. As punishment, the Emperor decreed that all cats should have their tails cut off.
Breed Standard
Head: The head should form an equilateral triangle. (Not including ears)
Ears: Large, upright, set wide apart but at right angles to the head and looking as if alert.
Muzzle: Fairly broad and round neither pointed nor blunt.
Eyes: Large, oval rather than round. They should not bulge out beyond the cheekbone or the forehead.
Body: Medium in size, males larger than females. Long torso, lean and elegant, showing well developed muscular strength. Also balance is very very important.
Neck: Not too long and not too short, in proportion to the length of the body.
Legs: Long, slender, and high. The hind legs longer than the forelegs.
Paws: Oval. Toes: five in front and four behind.
Coat (Shorthair): Medium length, soft and silk.
Coat (Longhair): Length medium-long to long, texture soft and silky gradually lengthening toward the rump.
Tail: The tail must be clearly visible and is made up of one or more curves.
The Japanese Bobtail is a recognised breed by all major registering bodies: CFA ([1]), TICA ([2]), FIFe; Shorthair only ([3]) with the exception of GCCF (UK).
General
Japanese Bobtails usually have litters of three to four kittens with newborns that are unusually large compared to other breeds. They are active earlier, and walk earlier.
Affectionate and generally sweet-tempered, they enjoy supervising household chores and baby-sittingTemplate:Fact. They are active, intelligent, talkative cats with a well-defined sense of family lifeTemplate:Fact. Their soft voices are capable of nearly a whole scale of tones; some people say they singTemplate:Fact. Since they adore human companionship they almost always speak when spoken toTemplate:Fact.
Because of their human-oriented personality they are easy to teach tricks and enjoy learning things like walking on a harness and leadTemplate:Fact.
Ocular heterochromia
normal eye color and odd-eye color
While rare, Japanese Bobtails, especially predominantly white specimens, are more likely than other breeds to express heterochromia, or differing iris colors. One eye will be blue while the other is yellow (though in Japan, blue is referred to as silver while yellow is referred to as gold). This trait is popular and kittens displaying this "odd-eye" feature are usually more expensive.
External links
fr:Bobtail japonais
nl:Japanse stompstaartkat
ja:ジャパニーズボブテイル
fi:Japanin bobtail
