Bombay

The Bombay is a man-made breed developed in 1958 from a Black American Shorthair and a Sable Burmese. Named for Bombay, India, because of its resemblance to India's black leopard, the Bombay is often described as the patent-leather cat.


bombay cat The Bombay is a sleek muscular cat with great big copper penny eyes and a shiny midnight-black coat that resembles black patent leather. The combination is spectacular and resembles the mini-panther that the late Nikki Horner had in mind when she began developing the breed in 1953. The Bombay is a man-made breed developed from crossing a black American Shorthair with a sable Burmese. These purring bundles of love want to be with you all the time and as close to you as possible, reveling in your company.

According Wikipedia, he term Bombay cat is used to refer to two different breeds of cat, british and american bombay
 

History and Origin of Bombay

Nikki Horner had in mind a cat that resembled the black leopard of India and named the breed she developed from combining black American Shorthairs with Burmese the Bombay after the Indian city. She wanted a cat with the sleek, short tight coat of the Burmese in the darkest black from the American Shorthair lit up with eyes like new copper pennies. Her early efforts were unsuccessful but undeterred she kept trying to create her vision and the combinations she used beginning in 1965 led to success. Horner had been breeding cats since she was 16 and in the 1970s, when her creation was finally accepted for championship competition, she stopped breeding. Other breeders had fallen in love with the stunning breed with the fabulous personality and worked to keep the breed going.

Major influencers in the breed's progression and popularity were Herb and Suzanne Zwecker. They also developed new lines with new combinations of the Burmese with the American Shorthair. Shawnee and Road To Fame are found behind many of today's Bombays. TICA accepted the Bombay for championship competition in June 1979.


Physical Characteristic of Bombay

The Bombay comes in one color-black; but the deepest, densest black imaginable and with a high gloss sheen. The large eyes are anywhere from a deep, rich gold to copper often described as "new copper-penny eyes". The gleaming coat is tight and short and hugs the muscular body so you can watch the muscles ripple as this mini-panther stalks an imaginary prey in the living room. They are a medium-sized cat with a robust bone structure to support the powerful muscular body and are surprisingly heavy for their size. The head is rounded with no sharp angles and the large eyes are wide-set giving the face a sweet expression. The ears are medium sized, set well apart and sit tilted forward.

The short coat is very tight and sheds very little so it does not need much maintenance. An occasional bath will help keep the coat sharp and list any loose dirt while a quick rubdown with a rubber brush will remove any loose hairs. The Bombay has a coat that is short, satiny and tight to the body. Bombay cats require little grooming. 

The Bombay is a muscular yet agile cat with a black coat. The heads of British Bombay cats are rounded and wide with a medium short, blunt tapered muzzle. The eyes, which are usually brown or green in color , should be shaped like a Burmese cat (not round) and set wide, and their ears are broad, slightly rounded and medium sized and, like the eyes, set wide.

Both the American Bombay and British Bombay have very unique voices. They are not a traditional "meow". While some cats are very vocal, others tend to keep quiet. This is perfectly normal and just reflects the type of personality the Bombay cat has. Bombay cats are heat-seekers, meaning that they love to be warm and will tend to sleep with you either under the covers or on top of your legs because of the heat you emit. They're very affectionate cats that love human attention.


Personality of Bombay

Bombays are outgoing and make intelligent, affectionate companions.  A combination of the easy going temperament of the American shorthair and the inventive, more talkative character of the Burmese, they make wonderful pets.

The Bombay combines the easy-going nature of the American Shorthair with the inquisitive, loving personality of the social Burmese. They love to be in your company and will greet you joyously at the door-and they will greet visitors with the same loving enthusiasm. Expect your Bombay to be as close to you as possible whether it is perched on your soldier as you walk around, rubbing round your ankles purring while you make supper, cuddled into your lap while you watch TV or read a book, or snuggling up against you under the covers in bed like a hot water bottle. The Bombay loves the entire family and is particularly good with children since it is always ready to play. It also gets on well with other family pets given the proper introduction. Their craving for company means they are unhappy if let alone for long periods so consider getting another cat if you will be gone most of the day.



British Bombay Vs American Bombay

British Bombay

The British Bombay cat is the name given to black cats of the Asian group. It is a cat of Burmese type with a black coat, toes, nose, and copper to greenish eyes. The close lying, sleek and glossy black coat should be coloured to the roots, with little or no paling. The Bombay is a shorthair breed of domestic cat, closely related to the Burmese.

American Bombay

The American breed called Bombay was bred in 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky, when Nikki Horner of Shawnee Cattery deliberately bred an American Shorthair with a Burmese for the purpose of creating a domesticated cat that resembled a wild panther (also known as baby panther or parlor panther). These cats usually have orange eyes. Bombays are often confused with the British Bombay. Note that they are different cats though they both share the name of "Bombay." The offspring of this breeding did indeed resemble the black leopard of India. The name came from the Indian city of Bombay (now Mumbai).

Registered Bombay


The Bombay cat  is accepted in many club from Europe and America:



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