Bombay Cat Info
Bombay Cat Info: History
Nikki Horner started to develop the Bombay cat breed in 1953 from combining black American Shorthairs with Burmese cats. She wanted a cat breed with a dark black coat and bright copper penny eyes.
Early efforts were unsuccessful and in 1965 she finally found a winning breed combination. In 1970 when the breed was accepted for championship competitions, Nikki Horner stopped breeding cats, but other breeders worked to keep the breed alive.
Female Bombay Cat aged 7 - wikimedia user Pititebilette
Herb and Suzanne Zwecker were two people who had a major influence on the Bombay cat breed’s development and progression. They developed new lines and in 1979, TICA accepted the Bombay for championship competitions.
Bombay Cat Info: Description
To get an idea of the look of the Bombay, just think of a small version of the Black Panther. The Bombay cat comes in one color only – black. Imagine the deepest, darkest, midnight black you can and you will have an idea of the color of this cat’s coat.
The tight, short coat has a shiny, glossy sheen to it that makes grooming easy. A brushing once a week to remove loose hair is all that is needed to keep the coat in top condition.
This cat breed is medium sized and well muscled. The ears are medium sized and set well apart. The head is rounded with large wide-set eyes. The Bombay cat’s eyes can be rich gold or copper colored and makes for a stunning contrast to the black coat.
The Bombay breed standards call for brilliant copper eyes but as this is a very hard color to achieve, gold is accepted as well.
Bombay Cat Info: Personality & Temperament
The Bombay is an easy-going, inquisitive and loving cat that loves to play and play some more. They are very people-orientated and will greet you and any visitors at the door.
Bombay cat (photo by Dave, July 2005)
This cat breed simply loves to be around people and does not do well on its own. You should consider getting a companion cat if you are going to be leaving your Bombay alone for long periods of time.
If properly integrated, the Bombay cat gets along well with other pets such as dogs and because of its loving nature, is the perfect cat to have with children.
Health Issues
The Bombay cat and the Burmese are closely related and share the same health and genetic problems. These two cat breeds have the same head and body type.
Some of the main health issues of the Bombay cat include cranial deformities, breathing problems and excessive eye tearing due to the foreshortened nose.
Return to Different Cat Breeds from Bombay Cat Info
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What other visitors have said
Click below to see contributions from other cat lovers to this page...
Best cat ever! 
My Bombay's name is Luna and she is the sweetest most loving cat ever. We rescued her from a cat sanctuary. She sleeps with my husband and I every night, …...
Patti Lemaire Not rated yet
My little rescued Bombay is perfect. She is 10 yrs old now and still the size of a kitten, maybe 4-5 lbs but tough as nails. Her best friend is our standard …...
Lady J Not rated yet
I think my cat is a bombay. Lady J is the sweetest cat. Although makes a lot of noise when she needs attention. She plays well with my puppy. A toy yorkshire …...
rescue Not rated yet
my Bombay is named Boomer. One day my husband was standing at his brother drive way when someone threw a kitten out the window. He picked him up and brought …...
