CAT BREEDERS

Kitten Breeding

Kitten History: Bombay

The Bombay is the result of a mix of a black American Shorthair male with deep copper eyes, and a sable Burmese female.

Stacy Hackett

Bombay © Helmi Flick Black as midnight, sleek as a panther your Bombay kitten charms with her exotic beauty. Such good looks are what drove Nikki Horner to establish the Bombay breed.

After hearing many cat lovers comment in passing that they'd love to own a panther, Nikki decided to take up the challenge to create a breed with all the exquisiteness of the wild, black cats. She began her breeding program in 1953 with a black American Shorthair male with deep copper eyes, and a sable Burmese female. After years of careful selective breeding, she could consistently produce her unique domestic counterparts.

Eighteen years later, the Bombay was granted Cat Fanciers Association championship status. Today, these sleek black beauties enjoy popularity with cat lovers of all ages.

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Kitten History: Bombay

Reader Comments

I got my female from my neighbor, whose cat had kittens. She was pure black, just like her mother. She was the only female left of the group, but she was docile compared to her 2 brothers. I got her at 2 months. She does not sit on laps, but she will sit beside you and want petted. She has beautiful eyes, and a nice personality. I also thought she was a regular shorthair, but her quiet meows and her speed told me otherwise.

Terry, Haydenville, OH
Posted: 10/6/2009 11:20:12 PM

Its helpful but my Bombay is 12 pounder and agreessive behavior

krista, Rogers, AR
Posted: 9/15/2009 5:39:00 AM

I was amazed as have many others who have commented here. My Sam is totally black and I just figured he was a traditional black cat. However, after reading this article, and stories of other Bombay cats, this describes Sam perfectly. He has a gorgeous sleek black coat and I have always thought he looked like a little panther when he is slinking around in the grass in my backyard. I dont know if this is a normal feature of the Bombay breed, but he has the largest and thickest claws of any cat I have seen before. He is very smart, likes to fetch, is pretty lovey most of the time, doesnt make much noise except when he wants to go outside! He loves to rub his face on mine. He has been the perfect cat. He would walk me to the door when I left for work, and I am sure he heard my keys in the lock, but would be right there when I came home, wanting to be picked up and loved. He learned immediately the only place to sharpen his claws is his cat post! I have never had a cat this smart, this beautiful, this gorgeous!

Russ, Denver, CO
Posted: 8/16/2009 9:39:23 PM

Oh my gosh, my story is almost identical to that of the writer from Beaver Meadows. I had no idea my Leonardo Angus Hellweasel is a Bombay. I just thought he was a typical American Shorthair black cat. The description on this site describes him to a tee. The picture migh as well be a picture of my Leo. I visited a no kill rescue shelter with the intention of getting a tabby kitten. But I also wanted a lap kitty as the tabby cat I already had, which I love dearly, was not the friendliest cat. And after seeing the kittens I decided to go into the adult cattery. Leo picked out my boyfriend immediately, then I held him for almost twenty minutes on my shoulder like a baby as I was looking at other cats. Needless to say, we brought him home. He is the love of our lives. He is the ABSOLUTE PERFECT CAT. He is soooooo sweet, you can hardly hear his meows. He will let us kiss, hug and hold him as much as we want. He will wait to be fed, unlike our tabby. He is shiny, sleek, long and smells so clean. Although he has those beautiful golden eyes that make him look so innocent, he wacks at our 21 pound tabby then looks at us and say "I didn't do anything." We also couldn't believe that someone had left him at the shelter and that we were lucky enough to be chosen by Leo.

Nina, Honolulu, HI
Posted: 8/2/2009 3:09:51 AM

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