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“I’d love to own a
panther.”
This oft heard comment piqued the imagination of a prominent cat breeder,
the late Nikki Horner, from Louisville, Kentucky. Ms. Horner set her
sights on producing a copper-eyed black shorthaired cat with the exotic
appearance of a "mini", or "parlor-panther." The black leopard of India
inspired her choice of the breed's name. Ms. Horner began her effort in
1953 with the selection of a black American Shorthair male with deep
copper eye color and a Grand Champion sable Burmese female. Through a long
process of inbreeding and outcrossing and careful selection, she was able
to consistently produce a black cat unlike any other.
The Bombay achieved CFA Championship status in 1976, eighteen years after
it was created. Outcrossing to Black American Shorthairs and sable Burmese
is still allowed.
It has been said that if you want a dog, a cat, or a monkey, you want a
Bombay. Bombays can often be leash trained, most enjoy playing "fetch,"
and all are fond of inventing new ways to entertain themselves and the
folks that live with them. Bombays are congenial and outgoing, and make
intelligent, affectionate companions. They do well with children and will
often act as a "greeter" with visitors. They live compatibly with dogs and
other pets as well. The Bombay generally combines the easy-going
temperament and robust nature of the American Shorthair and the social,
inquisitive, lap-loving character of the Burmese
With the exception of color, the Bombay and Burmese standards are very
similar. Whereas the Burmese body presents a compact sturdy appearance,
the Bombay body is of medium length, neither compact nor rangy, presenting
a more lithesome appearance then its Burmese cousin. The Bombay's head is
rounded with a short
muzzle, but there should not be a "pugged" or "snubbed" look. The coat is
the most defining characteristic of the Bombay. Its short, flat, gleaming,
black-to-the-roots coat accentuates its rippling muscular form. And, along
with its conspicuous gold to copper eye color, leads to the Bombay being
described as the "Patent leather kid
with the copper penny eyes."
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