The American bobtail is one of the newer cat breeds, originating in the United States in the 1960s; its actual ancestry is not well-documented but they are thought to have derived from a Siamese cross.
They are in fact such a new breed that they only became formerly recognized, by the International Cat Association, as recently as 1989.
Being known as a tailless breed (with very short, stubby 'bobbed' tail growth), owing to a genetic mutation, similar to the Manx, they come in a large range of colors with varied patterned furs like mink, sepia and pointed; white, red tabby, blue tabby and fawn and white are the commonly available colors.
To look at, the American bobtail has a strong, hearty physique with medium size muscled bodies, heavy legs and large paws.
They appear somewhat wild, with heavy-browed, oval-shaped eyes like those of a hunter and have short-hair coats that can grow sufficiently long to almost appear somewhat shaggy rather than dense or fluffy.
This type of cat is a very sturdy breed and there are actually a small number of long-haired American bobtails but they are comparatively rare.
The bobtail tends to weigh between 3-7 kg (7-15 lb) and possesses a friendly and curious nature, although they may shy away from strangers.
Temperament wise they tend to be fairly placid cats yet quite playful.
One notable point is they are usually very quiet, their voices rarely heard.
This type of cat is know for its energy levels and love of exercise, being both playful and affectionate; they're fun-loving, frisky, but not overactive.
The American bobtail is renowned for having a friendliness towards dogs, other pets and sometimes even strangers! They are easy to train, have an uncanny watchdog ability and are very protective; these cats are very efficient groomers and have an inbuilt tolerance to both cold and hot weather.
As a choice of pets they might appeal to an older person who would likely appreciate the American bobtail's quiet nature.