Bombay

The Bombay was born in 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky, when breeder **Nikki Horner** set a very clear goal: to develop **a "house-sized mini black panther."** She chose two foundation breeds to cross: - **Sable Burmese**: providing a compact medium body, muscularity, and copper eyes - **Black American Shorthair**: providing solid black short coat and a sturdier frame

The first generation appeared in 1958, but the whole stabilisation process took 16 years — the CFA didn't list the Bombay as an experimental breed until 1974, and it received formal recognition as an independent breed (**CFA Championship status**) in **1976**. **TICA recognised it in 1979, GCCF in 2001, and FIFe still does not recognise it** (FIFe considers it a black variant of the Burmese).

**Origin of the name**: Nikki Horner thought it looked like the Indian Black Panther of Bombay (today's Mumbai), India, so she named it after that city. This was purely inspiration — the Bombay **has no Indian blood or origins** and is a purely American breed.

**The "Asian Group"**: In the UK GCCF system, the Bombay belongs to the "Asian" breed group along with Asian Shorthair, Asian Tiffanie, and Burmilla — all sharing the Burmese frame and body type. CFA and TICA list the Bombay separately.

Its founding gene pool **is very close to Burmese**: any offspring showing non-black colours (chocolate, cinnamon, red points) in American CFA lineage will be reclassified as Sable Burmese rather than Bombay, and the pedigree paperwork updated automatically.

The Bombay standard requires **"an all-encompassing black," "molten-copper eyes," and "medium-sized muscularity"** — the CFA uses two classic phrases: **patent-leather coat** and **new-penny eyes**.

- **Coat colour**: **Solid black — no other patterns / white / spots accepted** - Every hair is **solid black to the roots** - Short, dense, close-lying, glossy like patent leather - Kittens may have a slight "smoke undercoat" at birth, which should be entirely gone by adulthood (>6 months) - **Eyes**: **Deep gold / copper is core** - CFA breed standard describes as gold to copper, the deeper the better - Blue eyes, green eyes, or odd eyes are considered off-standard - **Head**: **Round + medium width**, between the round Burmese head and the squarer American Shorthair head. Nose bridge has an obvious curve but is not sunken - **Ears**: Medium, wide-based, with rounded tips, moderately spaced - **Body**: **Medium + solidly muscular**, males 3.5-5 kg, females 3-4 kg. Medium-length torso, limbs proportional to body - **Tail**: Medium length, with a rounded tip, proportionate to the body - **Gait**: Bombays have a distinctive "panther gait" — the Burmese heritage endows it with high **paw-pad elasticity**, so its steps are very light

**Compared with the solid black British Shorthair, black American Shorthair, and Sable Burmese**: - Solid black British Shorthair: rounder, chubbier face, copper eyes but wider frame - Solid black American Shorthair: leaner, longer nose bridge - Sable Burmese: not black — chocolate-brown - **The Bombay is the only cat whose breed standard requires solid black + copper eyes**

The Bombay ranks **top 5 in personality extroversion** among pedigree cats. Despite its imposing appearance, its personality is exactly the opposite — the CFA description sums it up as dog-like, extroverted, follows owner, greets visitors, retrieves toys.

**Key behaviours**: 1. **Door greeting + shadow-following**: Runs to the door when family comes home, meows a greeting, then follows people around all day (bathroom, kitchen, bedroom) 2. **Lap jumping + pillow sleeping**: Within minutes of the owner sitting down, the Bombay is on the lap; at night, sleeps on the owner's pillow or chest 3. **Welcomes strangers**: Unlike most cats' "hide," the Bombay actively welcomes visitors — a hallmark of Burmese heritage 4. **Fetching + trainability**: Learns "fetch," "high-five," and name-recognition like a dog 5. **Vocalisations**: Softer than a Burmese but more talkative than a British Shorthair — gentle, not shrill 6. **Extremely tolerant of children, dogs, and other cats**: The Bombay is a **top pick for multi-person / multi-pet households**, on par with Siamese, Burmese, and Devon Rex

**One caveat**: The Bombay needs **extensive companionship** — leaving it alone for more than 8 hours a day causes noticeable anxiety, and can lead to over-grooming or reduced appetite. **Pair-keeping or cohabiting with a dog is recommended**.

Key day-to-day care points for the Bombay:

1. **Diet**: - **High protein**: Protein >36%, close to the Burmese standard - Medium frame + high energy — metabolism faster than a British Shorthair - 2-3 meals a day; avoid free-feeding (Bombays gain weight easily in middle age) - Recommended one wet-food meal per day for hydration

2. **Grooming**: - **Extremely low-maintenance** — the short, close-lying black coat needs only a wipe-down with a **rubber grooming glove / chamois cloth** 1-2 times a week - Very low shedding — you'll rarely see black hairs around the home (a notable advantage over solid black British / American Shorthairs) - No bathing required unless the coat is dirty

3. **Exercise + Environment**: - Moderate-to-high exercise needs — enjoys wand toys + puzzle feeders + chase games - **A medium-height (120-150 cm) cat tree** and at least one bay window are enough - Doesn't need the extreme vertical space demanded by a Bengal

4. **Social + Companionship**: - **Companionship needs are the most important part of care** - If the home is empty long-term: **must be paired with a companion** (another Bombay or Burmese, or a friendly dog)

5. **Teeth + Claws**: Regular care - Bombay gingivitis rates in middle age are similar to Burmese — annual oral check

6. **Sun exposure and the black coat**: - The extreme black coat can develop a slight brown tint from **sun-bleaching** in strong sunlight — this is normal and reversible in winter - Prolonged outdoor sun accelerates this — indoor keeping is recommended

Because the Bombay heavily depends on the Burmese as its foundation stock, it shares **the Burmese breed disease profile**:

1. **Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)**: - Moderate incidence, similar to Burmese (~5-10%) - No **Bombay-specific MYBPC3 locus** has been mapped, but breeders should perform annual cardiac ultrasound screening

2. **Burmese Head Defect / craniofacial deformity**: - **Autosomal recessive**, first described by Sponenberg & Graf-Webster 1988 - Affected fetuses die in utero or shortly after birth, showing severe craniofacial abnormalities (missing eyes, incomplete skull development) - Primarily affects Contemporary-type Burmese and Bombay - UC Davis VGL and Langford Vets offer genetic testing

3. **Diabetes mellitus**: - The Burmese is **the domestic cat with the highest diabetes rate** (UK O'Neill 2016 J Feline Med Surg reports Burmese diabetes incidence 4-8× that of ordinary domestic cats) - Bombay inherits some risk — annual blood glucose / fructosamine screening from age 7+ - Strict weight management is the core preventive measure

4. **Periodontal disease + FORL**: - Bombay and Burmese have **the highest** rates of gingivitis and tooth resorption (FORL) - **Annual professional oral exam + dental cleaning** is essential

5. **Ocular / orofacial issues**: - **Feline Orofacial Pain Syndrome**: Rusbridge 2010 J Feline Med Surg reports elevated incidence in Burmese of an oral / facial pain syndrome — Bombay may share it

6. **Comorbidities**: Bombay may also have other common domestic cat conditions (FLUTD, CKD), at rates similar to ordinary domestic cats.

**Average lifespan**: **12-16 years**, up to 18 with responsible care.

The Bombay is **highly beginner-friendly** and highly interactive — imposing looks, gentle personality, easy care.

**Good fit for**: - Fully indoor apartments or detached homes - Households wanting "unique looks + strong interaction + low grooming cost" - Multi-person / multi-pet homes with children, seniors, dogs, or other friendly cats - First-time cat owners willing to learn basic care - Owners able to provide extensive companionship or willing to keep in pairs - Households wanting "a cat that behaves like a dog" (the Bombay is one of the most typical dog-like cats)

**Not a fit for**: - Owners home less than 8 hours a day who cannot pair-keep - Homes seeking an "independent, quiet" pet (choose Persian / Russian Blue / British Shorthair) - Buyers unable to bear the cost of dual HCM + diabetes screening - Households with black-cat superstitions (Bombays face bias in some cultures — **entirely without scientific basis**)

**Special notes**: - **Must be kept indoors** — a solid black coat is nearly invisible outdoors at night, so traffic accident risk is extremely high - When purchasing, request the breeder to provide **HCM cardiac ultrasound + Burmese Head Defect gene test + diabetes risk assessment** — three reports - **Beware of market confusion**: "black kittens" from bird-and-flower markets are usually stray or Chinese Domestic Cat kittens, unrelated to the Bombay lineage. A true Bombay must come from a CFA / TICA pedigree-certified breeder