Animalia Life

The Breed History
This breed was developed in America to be a bobcat look-alike. The breed was developed from domestic cats. Though some report wild Bobcat blood in the breed, DNA evidence does not support inclusion of wildcat blood. In 1984 Pixie, a founding female was bred in Washington State. Outcrossing to wild cats and pedigreed cats is not allowed, though outcrossing to approved legend cats (native brown tabby unregistered domestic cats with appropriate traits) is allowed. TICA first accepted them as a provisional breed in 1994, with full championship status in 1998.

Physical Characteristics
Weight: 10-18 lb (4.5-8 kg), some males larger.
Coat: The Pixie-Bob coat has extensive ticking and in the shorthair, is quite short and dense. The coat is soft, and has elastic resilience. There is a longhaired (actually a medium length coat) Pixie-Bob, and the texture of that coat is soft and close lying. The longhair should not have any ruff but mutton chops may be present. Random light to medium brown tabby spotting is ideal; base color is mouse grey; color may change quite a bit with the changing of the seasons. Spots should be small, plus or minus a rosette. Classic and marble tabbies also occur and are considered pet quality. Coat is water resistant.
Eyes: A softly triangular shape, the eyes are deep-set with an intense gaze, are medium sized, and hooded brows above are prominent. A gold or brown eye is preferred though the green color referred to as Gooseberry is accepted.
Points of Conformation: The large Pixie-Bob head is pear shaped, with strong mascara markings and spectacles around the eyes. Chin is white. Ears are set wide, with round tips; lynx tipping is preferred; moderate in size. Nose is wide and slightly convex in profile, and the muzzle is moderate in length; break is evident. Body is a heavy build, prominent scapulae, flank is deep, chest is wide, and they are large in overall size. Limbs are long and well boned and muscled. Polydactyl cats are accepted (seven digit maximum). The tail is usually about two inches long, but may extend to a maximum of six inches; a kink or curl does not disqualify. When rear limbs are extended, the tail should not reach past the tarsus. Paws are large, round and compact. Pixie-bobs possess a typical rolling gait. A belly pouch is evident.
Grooming: Low grooming needs for this breed, low tendency to mat.

Recognized Behavior Issues and Traits
Reported breed characteristics include: Affectionate, quiet, "one man dog" cat, not particularly adaptable to changing homes; seem to wag their short tail during play. They like to rule the home, so sometimes best not to be with other pets. Curious, easily trained; play fetch and leash walks. Good with children. Tend to make chatter and chirp noises rather than typical cat meows. May be somewhat cautious with strangers, and requires more attention than some other breeds of cats.

Normal Breed Variations
None reported in the literature

Drug Sensitivities
None reported in the literature

Inherited Diseases
None reported in the literature

Disease Predispositions
Pancreatitis-anecdotal

Genetic Tests
None available commercially

Miscellaneous
- Breed name synonyms: Bobcat
- Registries: TICA (LH and SH separated), CCA
- Breed resources: The Official Pixie-Bob Site: http://www.pixie-bob.org/