Cat breed · United States
The Bombay cat is a short-haired breed of domestic cat. Bombays are glossy solid black cats with a muscular build, and have characteristic large bright copper-golden eyes. The breed is named after the Indian city of Bombay (Mumbai), referring to the habitat of the Indian black leopard.
There exist two different variants of Bombay breed: the American Bombay and the British Bombay. US-type Bombays were developed by crossbreeding sable American Burmese and black American Shorthair cats, to produce a cat of mostly Burmese type, but with a sleek, panther-like black coat with copper-golden eyes. UK-type Bombays are solid black-coloured Asian Self cats under the Asian group, a group of European Burmese and chinchilla Persian crosses. The UK-type Bombay originated from three mismatings of European Burmese with black domestic short-haired cats.
Both types of Bombay cats are selectively bred by breeders and pedigreed in multiple major cat fancier and breeder organisations. Similar to other officially recognised cat breeds, the term "Bombay" is only meant to be used for cats from this specific breed, which are by definition all purebred cats with a known and formally registered ancestry, also known as the cat's pedigree or "paperwork".
Behaviour: The personality of the Bombay tends to be highly social, is marked by strong attachment to families, and is typified by craving attention. As a breed, these characteristics make them highly suitable for children.
Bombay cats are happy and comfortable being strictly indoor cats, and can comfortably live in a single room apartment, so long as all of their needs are met. They prefer quiet surroundings.
Appearance: The Bombay is a short-haired pedigreed breed of domestic cat, closely related to the Burmese. The US-type Bombay is described as the "patent leather kid with the new penny eyes." The cats are characterised as having an all-black coat, including the whiskers, and black skin, including the soles and nose leather. The close-lying, sleek and glossy black coat of mature cats is coloured to the roots with no paling (exceptions are allowed in juvenile cats less than 2 years old). The eyes are always copper-golden coloured, and green (or any other colour) eyes are not allowed.
The Bombay has a medium-sized, Oriental-type body build that is muscular. Their weight ranges between 2.5–[dose — ask your vet] (5.5–11.0 lb), with males typically being heavier than females.
Health: A healthy Bombay has an average lifespan of 15 years, and some have been known to live up to 20. They are prone to nasal and sinus problems, and gingivitis. Their food intake should be controlled to avoid overfeeding.
History: Starting in 1958, the US-type Bombay breed was developed by Nikki Horner, a breeder from Louisville, Kentucky, USA, who attempted to create a breed of cat that resembled a miniature black panther. The first attempt was a failure, but the second, in 1965, was successful.
