The Pixie-Bob is a unique breed of cat with bobcat heritage. On the North American Continent, in every geographical area where the Bobcat may be found, kittens are born in barns each spring, resulting from wild, domestic matings. This is the legendary ancestry of the Pixie-Bob.
The Pixie-Bob was founded in the early 1980s by Carol Ann Brewer of StoneIsland Cattery in Washington State, USA.
In 1985, a small Coastal Red Bobcat was seen fighting with a short-tailed polydactlyl barn cat. The owners ran to save their cat from possible harm, and later kittens were born through suspicious circumstances. A male polydactyl kitten was purchased by Carol Ann Brewer, who was immediately intrigued with the kitten's appearance and behaviour.
Carol began a search for information to help her understand if this unusual cat would have any special needs. She discovered documentation by others who also believed that they had a cat with wild heritage and that what had occurred in the Pacific Northwest, was not that unusual. It seemed that this breed essentially began through a naturally occurring mating between a Bobcat and a domestic.
Carol Brewer called her first cat a "Legend Cat", and within the year, she had acquired one more cat with exactly the same "legend" and another of speculative heritage, but whose sheer size, appearance and tail length convinced her to use him to form the basis of a breeding program. Pixie was a female kitten born from the union of two of these original cats. She was covered with muted spotting on her reddish-fawn coat and had a very wild face, reminiscent of a Bobcat. Pixie then became the dam line for most of the females in the program, and also became the namesake for the breed.
The Pixie-Bob is muscular cat with a heavy bone structure that features a double coat that can range from a woolly short "stand out" coat to slightly longer medium length silky coat. Facial appearance is especially reminiscent of the Bobcat. These cats also have a naturally bobbed tail, usually between two and six inches. Males range in weight between 12 to 26 pounds, females are usually smaller.
A straight foot Pixie-Bob has the normal number of toes usually allotted to a cat, 5 in the front, 4 in the back. A poly or polydactyl Pixie-Bob has more than the usual allotted number. Being polydactyl is such a dominant trait that this is the only breed accepted for show with more than the usual number of toes. Many Pixie-Bobs also have Lynx tufting on their ear tips.
Pixie-Bobs are intelligent and loyal cats with a doglike devotion that makes them great companions and affectionate household pets. This breed exhibits an unusually strong bond with their family and make excellent companions for children. These highly intelligent cats will train easily to walk on a harness and quickly learn to fetch and play other games. Pixi-Bobs are also extremely quiet cats with only an occasional chirp or chitter that they use to talk to their humans. This is a very adaptable breed that loves to travel and gets along very well with other pet animals. These cats are often referred to as "dogs in disguise". Owners quickly become enchanted with these beautiful cats and it is often said that there is nothing like being owned by a Pixie-Bob.
Pixi-Bob Coat patterns range from spots to broken bars and rosettes. Colour varies in shades of brown and russet with silver to black ticking. Eyes are medium sized, deep set with gold to brown colour preferred. Wild gooseberry green is also accepted.
Organisations
Pixie-Bob Website Official Pixie-Bob website by the breed originator.
LegendTales Cattery Breeds of beautiful Pixi-Bobs in Washington, USA.
Canadian Pixi-Bob For Canadian enthusiasts of the Pixie-Bob cat.
Pixie-Bobs.com Present factual information on this exciting breed.
TIPBS The International Pixie-Bob Society.
PNWO Pacific Northwest Outlaws, TICA Pixie-Bob breed club.
TICA Pixie-Bob Breed Committee Dedicated to providing an in-depth look at the Pixie-Bob cat.
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