15 facts about the Bombay cat

by Michael Broad · February 4, 2022

Here are 15 succinct facts about the Bombay cat. This cat breed makes the black more desirable.

Bombay cat. Photo: Pinterest.

They call the Bombay cat the sleek black panther of the cat fancy. And this is the purpose of the breed. It is meant to look like a miniature, domesticated black panther.
And therefore, it is a human-made breed. It was dreamt up by Nikki Horner, who at the time was living in Louisville Kentucky, USA. It was the 1950s and she mated a sable Burmese with a black American Shorthair. The result was disappointing. She tried again a few years later with different cats. She had some success. She wanted good musculature and a short, close-lying black coat.
The Bombay was accepted for championship by the CFA in 1976 and by TICA from the beginning of the organisation’s relationship with the breed.
The appearance is of a shorthaired, semi-cobby, medium-sized cat with good musculature. They say that the weight of the cat is surprising. In other words, like the American Shorthair, the cat feels heavier than she looks.
The head is round with medium-sized ears, set wide apart. Burnished into the head are deep copper eyes which are striking against the jet-black fur of the face.
There should be a slight indentation at the bridge of the nose (called a ‘stop’).
The forehead is rounded but not domed.
The muzzle is short but not too short i.e. not pugged or snubbed.
The cat should be moderate in appearance and not extreme. Extreme breeding has no place in the creation of the Bombay cat. However, some organisations demand that the Bombay does have an extreme look with a shorter muzzle and a break in the nose reflecting the extreme look of the American Burmese.
The Bombay can only have one colour: solid jet-black.
The coat should be shiny and slick as if lacquer-painted and be wonderfully smooth to touch.
In general, the Bombay has inherited the Burmese personality which means that they are people orientated, intelligent, friendly and very relaxed.
They like to be close to people just like their Burmese cousins. They seek interaction with people and love to play games. They like to be in your bed with you at night, even under the covers.
They are not as noisy or as vocal as the Siamese or Oriental Shorthair. Some can be talkative and some might be quieter.
They are suitable for house or apartment living as they are generally quiet in nature and calm in character.