AY Honors/Cats - Advanced/Answer Key
The Japanese Bobtail is a breed of cat with an unusual 'bobbed' tail that resembled a rabbit's tail more than a standard cat. The short tail is caused by a recessive gene rather than the dominant gene that created a manx cat or the American bobtail cat. This means that all kittens born to a litter will have bobtails, as long as both of their parents were bobtails.
The bobtail is a small oriental cat, native to Japan and South East 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. The Maneki Neko, or 'beckoning cat' is a bobtail.
Japanese bobtails may be almost any colour, but calico (called "Mi-ke", meaning "three-fur") or bi-colours are considered especially favoured by the Japanese.
