Pixiebob Cat

The Pixiebob cat originates in the Northwestern United States. In 1985, Carol Ann Brewer purchased an extra-toed male kitten while in the Cascade Mountain Range in Washington State which was believed to be the natural mating of a bobcat and a domestic. However, proof was unavailable, but in 1986, she again rescued a similar cat and named him Keba. "Pixie" was the result of the union of these two cats. Registered with The International Cat Association (TICA) as a domestic cat, the Pixiebob was DNA. tested for wild genes and none were found. The most obvious feature of the Pixiebob cat is its face. It has the look of a true Bobcat and is bred to be similar to the wild Coastal Red Bobcat of the coastal mountains. It is the only cat breed that takes polydactyls, or extra toes.

It comes in shorthair and longhair. They have a thick, double coat that has a padded feel to it. Longhairs have a medium coat with a silky texture. Their facial hair grows downward. Their spots are small and muted with heavy ticking. Their eyes are golden brown or gooseberry green. Pixiebobs are medium to large cats with substantial boning and muscular bodies. Their long, heavy legs, big paws, and thick toes add to their resemblance of a wild cat. They may weigh from eight to twenty-two pound, depending upon gender and live to thirteen years or longer. The minimum length of its tail must be two inches but can be as long as the hind leg. Cats usually have five toes on the front and four on the back. Polydactyl cats have more; they may have more on one paw than the other, or more on the front than the rear, or vice-versa. However, seven is the greatest number of toes allowed. Their coats range from light fawn to tan, golden, rust red, or brown.

Incredibly intelligent, the Pixiebob is devoted to its owners and is an active, but laid-back cat who wants to be a central part of its owner's life. Normally after it reaches one or two years of age, it cannot be given to another home. It can be trained to a walk on a leash and to fetch. It communicates by voice in a series of chirps and occasional growls, but tends to be a quiet cat.