Pixie-bob

Brown spotted tabby.
All brown spotted tabby colours are accepted, but warmer tones are preferred. The colour of the coat is lightened by ticking, and the hairs are mousey grey at the base.

Spotted / speckled and tabby / striped

There are 2 varieties:

• Short-haired variety: the fur is woolly in texture, less flattened to their body than in the long-haired variety, and longer on the stomach area.
• Long-haired variety: the fur measures about 5cm in length and sits closer to the body than in the short-haired variety.

Golden yellow, brown, gooseberry green

Pixie-bobs are large, robust cats, with a wild look that can make them seem imposing. But don’t be too quick to judge - their temperament is the opposite, and they actually have a very gentle character.

These cats will no doubt have their moments of tenderness and they’ll be sure to let you know when they want a stroke. You’ll certainly enjoy the texture of their woolly coat.

You must be sure to offer these felines interactive play sessions, as well as independent activities, on a daily basis.

Pixie-bobs have a reputation for being quite the homebodies… But there is of course variation between individuals so you’ll have to wait and see if this applies to yours or not!

They are very capable of putting their brain cells to work when the situation calls for it. So don’t underestimate them - these cats may just impress you!

These cats are said to be quite sociable. They will likely be at your side to welcome any visitors!

These cats are good at coping when you’re absent. If you provide them with independent activities and enriching food, they will wait patiently and happily until your return.

Pixie-bobs aren’t known for being chatty, but they will talk to you on occasion with chirps and coos.

Just like any cat, they need to wear themselves out. Daily play sessions, combined with games that they can play alone, will be enough to satisfy them. Additionally, since these cats are powerful and agile, their environment must be tailored to their needs. High-up installations, such as wall-mounted perches, are just the thing.

You must always be careful with doors and windows, but these are cats who tend to enjoy the comfort of home.

These cats are fairly big and burly. This means they’ll need plenty of good food to satisfy them. Although they don’t have a reputation for being greedy, you must be careful to avoid the buildup of fat on their muscles due to a food intake that exceeds their basic caloric needs.

With an adequate introduction, this breed will most likely get on very well with other cats.

With the right environment that is adapted to their needs, these cats can quite easily live with a dog and develop a good relationship.

These cats make good companions for children. They will enjoy play sessions with them, as well as taking little siestas together!

The fairly calm temperament of these kitties can be well suited to a calm person who is able to give them the stimulation they need.

These cats only lose a very small amount of fur.

The Pixie-bob has a life expectancy of between 12 and 20 years, with an average of around 14 years.

Thanks to their thick fur, these cats are very resistant to cold temperatures. However, they don’t cope so well with heat.

These cats are no more likely to be overweight than any other cats.

No specific diseases are particularly prevalent among this breed.

The Pixie-bob can, however, eventually develop the same conditions as any other cat, such as oral diseases.

No external pairings are permitted.

According to some sources, it isn’t recommended to breed two polydactyl Pixie-bobs as this could lead to paw deformations. However, there are no scientific studies to corroborate this.

In 1986, Carol Ann Brewer rescued a male cat with a very short tail, who came up to about knee height. She called him Keba. Keba then mated with an unsterilised domestic female named Maggie, who gave birth to a litter of kittens. Mrs Brewer kept one of the female kittens which had a speckled pattern on a red-fawn coat, and called her Pixie - this being the origin of the breed’s name. Mrs Brewer started to look for cats who had the same type of look as the Pixie-bob. After her determined efforts, in 1993, a request was made to TICA to recognise these cats as a breed, but it wasn’t until 1998 that champion status was first granted to one of these cats and TICA officially recognised the breed.