Looking for a member of the cat family? Unique appearance? Well-balanced personality? Child and pet-friendly? Do you know what we are talking about? Yes, it’s the Pixie-bob cat breed which includes playful, intelligent, affectionate representatives that have an original appearance. Once you see a Pixie-bob cat, you’ll definitely notice its cute short tail! However, this is not all that makes these pets special… Keep reading to find out more about this fascinating cat breed!
- Pixie-bob cat appearance and characteristics
- Pixie-bob personality and temperament
- Pixie-bob cat intelligence level
- The history of Pixie-bobs
- Grooming a Pixie-bob
- What to expect while owning a Pixie-bob cat?
- How big can a Pixie-bob cat grow?
- What do Pixie-bobs eat?
- How long can a Pixie-bob cat live?
- Can you keep a Pixie-bob together with other pets?
- How much do you have to pay for a Pixie-bob?
Pixie-bob cat appearance and characteristics
Slightly similar to the wild American Northern Bobcat, the Pixie-bob cat breed can easily be recognized from its extremely short tail that grows up to 5 centimeters on average. Furthermore, Pixie-bobs tend to have strong medium-sized bodies that include wider hips and a broad chest.
The legs are heavy-boned and perfectly toned for strength-requiring activities such as jumping and climbing. The back legs are a little bit longer as they are the ones that mainly participate in jumps. Pixie-bobs usually have five toes on the front paws and four toes on the back ones. However, these cats can have a maximum of seven toes per one paw.
If you ever see a Pixie-bob, you will supposedly notice that this type of cat has a medium-sized head that looks like an inverted pear. Their cute noses tend to be a little bit wide and feel slightly bumpy when touched with a finger. The ears of a Pixie-bob are medium-sized, triangle-shaped, and end with a round tip.
Talking about the eyes, Pixie-bobs are likely to have wide, almond-shaped ones that usually come in colors such as brown, gold, and green. Continuing with the coating color of a Pixie-bob, there is a very strong tendency for this cat breed to have fur that comes in different shades of brown.
Furthermore, these creatures can have a hint of black on their toe beans and tail tip.
Additionally, light colors such as white and cream have also been spotted to be common around the eyes of some Pixie-bobs. The coat color is often accompanied by a random spotted pattern that can vary from small to medium spots.
Pixie-bob cats are known to have coating in various types of lengths. Medium-long fur is typically around 5 centimeters, very soft, and close to the body where short hair is way shorter, soft, and wooly. Both types of coating include longer pieces of hair in the belly region.
Pixie-bob personality and temperament
A Pixie-bob cat might look a little bit wild but, in reality, it has a very sociable and friendly personality. These pets tend to have a high need for attention, so they like being between well-known people. A Pixie-bob is usually a family cat as it’s not common for this animal to pick one favorite human.
This particular cat breed is likely to show affection and warm feelings towards its owners, usually enjoys lap time, and might even like to follow you around the house or just watch you work. Don’t worry, great company is a guaranteed thing while owning a Pixie-bob. However, if a stranger approaches such a cat, it might act in a shy way and run away to find a hiding spot.
Continuously, Pixie-bobs are known to be active pets that really enjoy playtime and fun activities. Animals that have a higher energy level need to reduce it through games, otherwise, your pet might go wild around the house… So, don’t forget to spare some extra 15 minutes daily and include your pet in some fun cat games!
Even though Pixie-bobs are needy for attention, they aren’t that likely to bother you with long meows or screams as some other cat breeds. However, they still are a bit talkative and might greet you with some soft meows, start purring while being petted or just sleeping on your lap, and of course… meow for food!
Pixie-bob cat intelligence level
Pixie-bobs are known to be an intelligent breed of cats. Definitely not clumsy or purblind, these pets can appear very smart while targeting something that they want. Pixie-bobs might think of clever ways to approach different moving objects, reach their wanted toys, or get on the top shelf.
Nevertheless, the representatives of this cat breed can make good playmates and free-time companions. You might find it quite simple to teach a Pixie-bob some popular cat tricks such as fetch, high-five, sit, stand, meow on command, etc. Looking for an intelligent friend? A Pixie-bob cat shouldn’t disappoint you.
The history of Pixie-bobs
Speculations say that the Pixie-bob cat breed emerged at the end of the 20th century when a bobcat unexpectedly bred with a barn cat. Afterward, one newborn kitten was named Pixie by Carol Ann Brewer who was the owner of the mentioned barn cat. Cat fanciers believe that Pixie’s father was from the wild cat family.
The Pixie-bob cat breed was recognized by TICA, i.e. The International Cat Association in 1994. However, the ACFA, i.e. American Cat Fanciers Association accepted this particular breed only at the beginning of the 21st century. Nevertheless, the CFA, i.e. the Cat Fanciers Association hasn’t yet admitted the Pixie-bob as a real cat breed. Cat lovers are hoping that it will happen soon.
Grooming a Pixie-bob
If you own a Pixie-bob cat that has short hair, you shouldn’t find grooming your pet a very heavy chore. If your beloved one is short-coated, brushing its fur thoroughly once a week is completely enough. Keep in mind that excessive grooming can result in sensitive and flaky skin, spot-based hair loss.
However, if your pet has a medium-long or even longer coating, you’ll probably have to brush it more often, e.g. two times per week. Note that it’s important to properly take care of your Pixie-bob’s coating because, if brushed rarely, it can get tangled and even tie up in tight knots.
Continuously, if you let your pet run around in your yard, you should check its fur and skin every time it gets back home. Beware that time spent outside increases the risk of your Pixie-bob (and any other cat) catching various parasites such as fleas, ear mites, and ticks.
What to expect while owning a Pixie-bob cat?
This is probably the question that arises in every new owner’s head. What we can ensure you is that every cat is less or more unique and there are some things that no one can know before getting a chance to meet the new friend. However, a lot depends on the way you train your cat, at what age you get it, and many other factors.
Overall, you can expect your cat to be a true representative of the Pixie-bob family. This means a friendly personality that easily gets along not only with its owners but also with other pets and even small children although Pixie-bobs are not likely to pick their favorite person.
To add, you’re likely to receive an intelligent and very clever playmate. Pixie-bobs are known to be smart and easy to train. Looking for a great free-time companion? A Pixie-bob cat should suit you just right as you will be able to spend some time with your pet while involving it in some fun training games.
However, as we already mentioned, every pet comes with its own unique characteristics and personality traits. A piece of advice would be to appreciate your cat in the way it is and, if you’re having a hard time with your pet, you can always ask a veterinarian or another person who has experience with cats for advice.
People ask these questions about Pixie-bobs
Cat lovers really do have a lot of questions about their beloved cat breeds! Let’s see what type of information about Pixie-bobs is found relevant to many people…
How big can a Pixie-bob cat grow?
Generally, Pixie-bobs tend to be medium-sized cats slightly tilting towards the larger side. It is known that this particular cat breed includes representatives that mostly grow up as big as 4-8 kilograms, although the weight can be a kilogram or two less/more depending on the cat’s body build, muscle/fat mass.
The average length of a Pixie-bob is about 50-60 centimeters but the length can also be more or less than the set boundaries. However, if you have any concerns about your cat’s weight, size, body shape, and similar details, you should not hesitate to contact the vet as there might be some hidden health problems that are related to your Pixie-bob being underweight or obese.
What do Pixie-bobs eat?
Pixie-bobs are known not to be picky eaters and will supposedly eat all of the high-quality wet/dry cat foods you provide them with. Note that a mix of both canned and dry food is very beneficial for a cat’s body. You shouldn’t feed your pet only dry food as it lacks the needed liquids that are present in wet food.
Keep in mind that all cats, including Pixie-bobs, should receive a very low amount of carbohydrates (they should contain only around 2% of their diet). Avoid cat foods that have added sugar, grains, and other unhealthy products. Cats are carnivores and all of their meals (around 70-80% of each portion) should be protein-based.
Additionally, some fat in cat food is also good for suppressing a very high appetite. A little bit of fat in each meal makes the food more fulfilling and leaves the cat satisfied for a longer period of time. Also, don’t forget other important elements such as vitamins and minerals, especially if your Pixie-bob is lacking some of them.
If you are interested in making your own cat food at home, you can try doing it from raw meat. However, make sure that the product is fresh and doesn’t include any bones. Furthermore, you should be aware that there are some human foods that SHOULDN’T be fed to a cat. Here is a list:
- Chocolate. Very sweet and tasty but is poisonous to cats and can cause serious health problems.
- Grains/fruit. The digestive tract of a cat is not built to cope with such edibles. There is a big chance that your pet will have digestive problems after consuming such food.
- Milk. If your Pixie-bob is not used to drinking milk from its young days, you shouldn’t give it any because your cat might get bloated and experience other digestive problems.
Overall, you should try to give your Pixie-bob (and any other cat) only cat food and some raw meat. It is highly advisable to avoid feeding your pet human food to prevent any possible health problems. Also, it is crucial to make sure that your cat stays away from any poisonous products as their consumption might be life-threatening.
How long can a Pixie-bob cat live?
The lifespan of a particular cat depends not only on its genetics and inherited health conditions but also on a healthy lifestyle overall. This means a balanced diet, regular exercise, recommended vaccination, etc. Overall, Pixie-bobs tend to live somewhere around 14 years on average.
Even though breeders are taking all necessary actions to produce a “clean” Pixie-bob breed and these cats are generally healthy creatures, there still were some particular conditions discovered in Pixie-bobs. Learn more about the following diseases and what type of an effect they might have on your cat:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a very popular heart condition that has been spotted in numerous cat breeds, including Pixie-bobs. It forces the walls of the cat’s heart to thicken which can relate to blood flow struggles in the upcoming future.
- Dystocia.
Dystocia is a condition that causes difficulties while newborn delivery in some cat breeds, i.e. the uterus can’t produce contractions that are strong enough (or none at all) and necessary for the kittens to come out of the birth canal.
- Cystic endometrial hyperplasia.
Cystic endometrial hyperplasia is a health condition that can appear in female Pixie-bobs who haven’t been neutered. Due to a hormonal imbalance, the lining on the uterus starts thickening as it would while preparing for pregnancy.
- Cryptorchidism.
Cryptorchidism is a type of condition that mostly affects dogs but also has some tendency to show up in specific cat breeds, including Pixie-bobs. The testicles of a cat that has this condition usually grow somewhere near the animal’s kidneys at a young age (e.g. a couple of months). This health condition describes the overall failure of one/both testicles when they don’t descend into the scrotum.
Can you keep a Pixie-bob together with other pets?
Can you expect a Pixie-bob to become friends with your other pets? The answer is an absolute yes! Due to this cat breed’s tendency to have a friendly and sweet personality, there is a high chance that a Pixie-bob will make a great companion for your other cat or dog.
Even though the expectations for a nice friendship are high, you should not throw out the chance that one (or both) of your pets’ might still encounter some difficulties while trying to get to know its new playmate. Make sure that you perform the introduction process very slowly and give both of your pets enough time to figure things out by themselves.
How much do you have to pay for a Pixie-bob?
Decided to get a Pixie-bob? Have you already calculated all of the expenditures that will be required for taking care of a cat? Note that the price for the animal itself is just a one-time thing to invest in and more payments are definitely awaiting you in the future. However, let’s still begin with the average cost of a Pixie-bob cat.
First of all, you should measure your expectations. Do you want a show quality cat, young kitten, male/female, or you don’t care at all? On average, a regular Pixie-bob costs anywhere between £600 and £1000. However, if you are expecting a more fancy cat to take to shows with you, you might have to pay even up to £3500.
When you get your kitten, a lot of other money-based procedures might be awaiting you. Even though most breeders take care of such things, you should still be aware that your Pixie-bob might not have all of its shots (~£70) or/and lack a microchip (~£15). Nevertheless, if you get a kitten at a younger age, it might not have already been neutered/spayed.
Due to health reasons, every pet doctor recommends performing such an operation on every cat (especially if you are likely to keep one male and one female together). Such a procedure costs somewhere around £40 for males and is usually £10 higher for females.
Additionally, don’t forget to get all of the required equipment ready before your Pixie-bob arrives at its new home. Make sure that you get all of the necessary things such as litter, litter box, bedding, feeding bowls, hairbrushes, nail clippers, high-quality cat food, interactive cat toys, etc.
Wrap up
Since you have learned a lot about the Pixie-bob cat breed (at least we hope that you did), you should be able to make a clearer decision if to get such a pet or not. We are always happy to provide you with the most popular facts about all types of cat breeds.
Also, we believe that every cat is special despite its breed type and every pet deserves to be cherished with love. What type of cat breeds do you own? Maybe you have adopted a friend from a shelter? Let us know by commenting below!