The Bombay: temperament, price, health, and breeders

The Bombay was created in the United States in the middle of the 20th century by the breeder Nikki Horner, who wanted to obtain a cat reminiscent of a miniature panther. The breed comes from crosses between the American Burmese of sepia color and the black American Shorthair. After a long selection effort involving many litters, it was recognized in 1976. Despite its name, it has no connection with the Indian city of Bombay.

The Bombay has a compact, powerful and athletic body, with a well-opened rib cage and a morphology close to that of the American Burmese. Agile, supple and lively, it has a short, satiny coat lying close to the body. Its head is round, its muzzle broad, its forehead rounded and its stop pronounced. Its medium ears are wide, slightly pointed and rounded at the tip. Its almond-shaped eyes are golden. Its tail is of medium length. The standard accepts only a uniform jet-black coat, without any white spot.

The Bombay is a calm cat, very affectionate, gentle and sensitive. It readily seeks cuddles and copes poorly with absences that are too long. Very sociable, it appreciates children, its fellow cats and other animals. Its not very wary nature and its low vocalization make it a pleasant companion, but its natural trust calls for caution outdoors.

Indoors, the Bombay likes to live in warmth and is perfectly comfortable in an apartment. It is playful without being particularly athletic and fits in well in an active household. Very intelligent, it quickly understands how its environment works and can learn to walk on a leash if it is gradually accustomed to it. It meows little and prefers the presence of its family to a long solitude.

His intelligence and attachment make learning based on gentleness and consistency easier. A gradual habituation to the leash can make outings safer, as this not very wary cat is not always cautious outdoors. It is also advisable to set consistent boundaries from his arrival, notably to prevent him from learning to open certain storage spaces.

The purchase price varies depending on the breeder, the lineage and the kitten’s characteristics. The budget must also include annual maintenance, estimated between 300 and 500 euros.

The Bombay generally enjoys good health and appreciable robustness. Regular veterinary monitoring remains necessary, notably due to a risk of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and Burmese craniofacial anomaly. Like any cat, it must receive the recommended vaccinations and benefit from good oral hygiene.

The Bombay's diet must be adjusted to its lifestyle, its morphology and its state of health. As it expends relatively little energy, a controlled ration is essential to limit the risk of being overweight.

Nicknamed a miniature panther or a living-room panther, the Bombay owes its appearance to Nikki Horner’s desire to create an entirely black domestic feline reminiscent of a small panther. Its name evokes India, but the breed was developed in the United States and has no direct connection with the city of Bombay.