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Pixie-bob |
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TranslationFrancis Vandersteen |
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OriginThe Pixie-bob or Pixiebob is a breed of cat native to the great northwestern United States. |
| This cat is characterized by its physical resemblance to the Bobcat. |
A brief historical overview |
| The origins of the Pixie-bob are unclear. One legend has it that male Bobcats mated with female cats living on isolated farms, resulting in kittens with the physique of the father but the character of the domestic cat. Be that as it may, in 1985 Carol Ann Brewer, already a breeder in Washington State, launched the Pixie-bob breeding program. She acquired a cat named Sacha, supposedly descended from the legendary crossbreed (he was, among other things, polydactyl), and married him to a female also supposedly descended from these famous crossbreeds. The result was a female resembling the Red Lynx, which served as the basis for the breeders' work. They named her Pixie and kept her name, along with that of her supposed wild ancestors, to name the breed. Blood tests were carried out to see if there were any traces of hybridization, but all proved negative. It wasn't until 1994 that TICA recognized the breed as a “new breed”. The breed was only able to compete in championships from 1998 onwards. In France, the breed has been recognized by the LOOF since June 2002. |
Behavior / characteristics |
| Despite its wild appearance, the Pixie-bob is said to have a very well-balanced character. A dog in cat's clothing, say the Canadians. He likes to follow his master around, and is happy around children. |
Genetics |
| We recommend not crossing two polydactyl Pixie-bobs to avoid foot deformities. |
Head |
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Cranial region |
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Head |
Its head is characteristic: it is described as resembling a large inverted pear. | |
Facial region |
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Forehead |
In profile, the forehead is rounded, with a large, slightly arched nose. | |
Muzzle |
The muzzle is fleshy, broad and strong. It's an important part of the Pixie-bob's appearance, and special attention is paid to it in competition. | |
Eyes |
The eyes have a distinctive, softened triangle-rectangle shape. They are set wide apart and sometimes weighed down by the eyelid. Make-up around the eyes consists of a light line all around the eye and a black line at the corners, stretching the look a little. Permitted colors range from gold to green to hazel. | |
Ears |
Medium-sized, slightly tilted towards the outer sides of the head. Plumes are often sought on the rounded tips of the ears. | |
Body |
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Generality |
The Pixie-bob resembles an American Lynx: the Red Lynx. Its body is powerful and muscular, long with prominent shoulders. When on the move, its gait is the same as that of its wild ancestors: swaying. A belly pouch is desirable. | |
Tail |
| For a Pixie-bob to be a show cat, its tail must be short, at least 5 cm long and no longer than the animal's hock, although many specimens do in fact have a long tail. |
Limbs |
| Legs are long, thick-boned and well muscled. | ||
Forequarters |
Hindquarters |
Feet |
| The feet are almost round, large and wide. Some dogs have polydactyly. Since 2002, this characteristic has been recognized by LOOF and TICA, but they must not have more than seven toes. |
Coat |
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Coat and texture |
The coat can be short or medium-length. Short coats are soft and woolly. A mouse-gray undercoat is essential. In the case of medium-length coats, the length should not exceed 5 cm. In both cases, there are seasonal variations. Brown spotted tabby is the only color permitted for show. |
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English (United Kingdom)