Pixie-Bob

Don’t be alarmed, this is not a wild bobcat, but the Pixie-Bob. A Pixie-Bob in general looks like a wild bobcat that has rolled into your yard. Although it has a fierce look, it isn’t fierce at all. Travis Barker of the rock band, “Blind 182”, adopted two of these affectionate felines.

The Pixie Bob cat don’t just use their front paws as feet, but also as hands. Almost 50% of Pixie-Bobs are polydactyl, which means they have extra toes. The average cat has five toes on the front feet and four toes on the back feet. A polydactyl cat can have up to seven toes per foot, a total of twenty-eight toes. This extra toe feature goes way back in the Pixie Bob’s bloodline. The first member of the breed was polydactyl, and that trade has been passed down, and also their love for water.

Some say their fascination with water can be attributed to their supposedly wild nature or their dog-like personality. The Pixie-Bob is essentially a dog in a catsuit. They like to be walked on a leash, and they also tend to be the cat that will greet you at the front door when you arrive home.

So, how did these cool cats come to be? In 1985, a Pacific Coast breeder purchased a large barnyard cat with a bobtail and extra toes. He was mated with the neighbour’s wild-looking spotted cat. The result was Pixie, a female cat with the distinctive wild appearance reminiscent of a bobcat.

Today’s Pixie Bobs have more than a few features in common with the North American Bobcat. Starting with their bobtail, which is a shorter tail of anything from 3 cm to 15 cm. Whether short coat or long-haired, the Pixie Bobcat has a double coat that ranges from tawny hair to brown, complete with spots. What’s interesting about the Pixie-Bob, is that they have a primordial pouch that is lighter in colour than the rest of its body. The primordial pouch is mostly seen in wild cats and allows flexibility in the stomach to store food after a large kill.

The Pixie-Bob forms powerful bonds with their owners. They are wonderful, outgoing cats that like to be involved with the family. Whether the Pixie-Bob is hanging around with you on the water or at home, you are likely to enjoy this social feline for a long time.

Pixie-Bobs are generally healthy cats that only require routine health care, and grooming them won’t keep you up all night. In general, short-haired cats need very little grooming, but be sure to monitor its polydactyl paws. Polydactyl cats often have overgrown nails, so you will have to trim them regularly. If you are considering bringing this dog-like cat into your home, be prepared to shower it with love, attention and plenty of activities.