A black Bombay Cat with bright yellow eyes

Bombay Cat Insurance, Care and Health Advice

The Bombay cat breed was created in the 1950s in Kentucky, USA by the breeder Nicki Horner. Descended from black American Shorthair cat and sable Burmese cats, the breed was named after the Indian black panther. They’re also known as the Asian Self or Black Burmese.

This hybrid breed was recognised by the Cat Fanciers’ Association in 1970 and The International Cat Association in 1979. British Bombays, a cross between Burmese and British Shorthair cats, and if you want to find out more about this sleek-looking breed, this guide is for you.

Bombay Cat Facts

Cat breed type icon
Type
Domestic
Cat breed lifespan icon
Lifespan
12 - 16 years
Cat breed size icon
Size
Medium
Cat breed weight icon
Weight
3.6 - 6.8 kg
Cat breed height icon
Height
23 - 33 cm
Cat breed temperament icon
Temperament
Intelligent, playful, attention-seeking
Cat breed exercise icon
Exercise
20 - 60 mins per day
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Grooming
Low maintenance

Is a Bombay Right for Me?

Bombays will fit in with busy households and are great for families with children, and cat-friendly dogs. But they might like to be the dominant cat, so if there are other cats in the household introduce them slowly to be sure they accept each other. This will help avoid any potential disputes.

Bombays love to play and prefer not to be left alone for too long. If you can give the attention they crave, they’ll be the perfect addition to your household.

A fluffy black Bombay Kitten

What are Bombay Kittens Like?

Bombay kittens reach sexual maturity at around 5 months, reaching physical maturity when they’re around 2 years old. Like all kittens, they love to play and interact and should be well-socialised so they learn to cope with anything new.

They like to form strong bonds often with one particular member of the family. They’ll follow their owner around the house and will want to be involved in whatever they’re doing. Bombays are quite vocal and have a loud distinctive purr.

A Bombay Cat lying on a bed

Life with a Bombay Cat

Bombays combine the personalities of their easy-going American Shorthair and curious, sociable Burmese ancestors. It has been said that if you want to combine the characters of a cat, dog and monkey, you’ll end up with a Bombay. They love attention so can get lonely if everyone's out at work all day.

Bombays are happy to be kept as indoor cats and are definitely lap cats. They'll seek out any heat source, so you’ll often find them in the warmest spot of the house. Bombays are not known to have high prey drives so don’t expect them to be reliable mousers.

Caring for Your Bombay Cat

Always feed your Bombay kitten or adult cat a balanced, high-quality diet. Kittens should follow the same feeding schedule they were fed by their breeder and fed the same food at the same time every day. If you want to change their diet, do it gradually as this will help avoid any tummy upsets. You can find guidelines on portion size on the side of the food packaging.

If you’re unsure, you can also ask your vet which cat food they recommend to best fit the needs of your Bombay, and how much to feed. Keeping your Bombay at a healthy weight by not overfeeding will reduce the likelihood of diabetes, arthritis and other problems later on in life.

Bombays have short coats that are sleek, glossy and jet-black in colour. They’re low shedders and a weekly brushing with a grooming glove or rubber brush to remove any dead hair is all that’s needed.

Bombays are smart and will quickly pick up litter training (always provide at least one litterbox per cat in the house and make sure they’re always kept clean). They’ll enjoy being taught new tricks such as fetch or walking on a leash.

As these are lively social cats, interactive or puzzle toys will help to keep them from getting bored. You may find they’ll scratch the furniture if they don’t have anything to play with!

Make sure they have a scratching post or two so they can scratch away! They’ll also like a cat tree or perch as they love to climb and jump. A perch also provides them somewhere high to sit and view the world below.

Bombays are medium-sized, muscular cats. Their solid body type means they’re often heavier than they appear.

Bombay Cat Insurance

With their sleek black short-haired coat and striking eyes, a Bombay certainly knows how to leave an impression. If you're welcoming a Bombay into your home, understanding the best ways to care for them is one thing, it's also good to think about protecting those paws with Cat Insurance.

Everypaw's Cat Insurance is available from 8 weeks of age, and new policies can be taken out up to your Bombay's 10th birthday. But once you've got Bombay cat insurance coverage, and you renew every year, we'll continue to look after them well into their senior cat years.

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Common Bombay Cat Health Problems by Vetstream

The Bombay breed is generally healthy but there are a couple of health problems they can suffer from. We've got together with veterinary experts Vetstream to give you an idea of what to keep an eye out for in your Bombay.

Due to their Burmese ancestry, Bombays can be affected by a craniofacial defect, also known as Burmese Head Defect. Affected kittens are born with a severe malformation of the head and face and sadly have to be put to sleep.

Unfortunately, there’s no treatment, but a genetic test is available to identify carriers of the gene responsible for the condition. Breeders should make sure they don’t breed from cats that carry the gene.

Hypokalaemic Myopathy is another inherited condition that can be seen in some Bombays. Affected cats will have muscle weakness and ventroflexion of the head and neck where their chin tucks down to their chest. The condition can be treated with potassium supplementation.

A genetic test is available and responsible breeders should have their cats tested for the gene mutation. Only cats negative for the gene should be used for breeding.

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a serious heart condition that can affect many breeds of cats including the Burmese. The heart muscle becomes abnormally thick, and the heart is unable to work properly, leading to heart failure. There isn’t a cure for HCM, but long-term medication can slow the disease down.

Bombays have short muzzles and can be prone to respiratory problems such as sneezing, coughing, nose and eye discharge, rhinitis, sinusitis, and breathing difficulties. Most cases clear up within 10 days or so, but antibiotics may be needed to treat any bacterial infection.

Quick Bombay Cat Q&A

No, not all black cats are Bombays, but all Bombays are black! They even have black paw pads and a black nose. British Bombays have eyes that are a brilliant copper or green. American Bombays have gold or copper eyes.

Bombays are medium sized cats and grow up to 33cm in height. They have a solid, muscular build and are often heavier than they look, weighing between 3.6 and 6.8kg.

Bombays are identified by their glossy, jet-black coats, bright copper, gold or green eyes and black paw pads. They have round heads with short noses and walk with a distinctive panther-like sway. If you’re wondering if your solid black cat is Bombay, it’s unlikely.

No, Bombays aren’t hypoallergenic. They still produce the Fel d 1 protein in their saliva and sebaceous glands that’s spread over their fur. It’s this protein that’s responsible for cat allergies. But with their close, short coat, they do shed less than some other breeds.

The common lifespan of a Bombay cat is typically between 12 to 16 years. With proper care, some Bombay cats may live even longer.

That’s All You Need to Know About Bombays

Bombays can make the purr-fect feline friend, especially if you're a cat owner looking for a faithful, social and loving cat. With a Bombay, you won't be short of someone looking to help you out around the house or cuddles. Definitely more suited to be an indoor cat, if this ticks all your boxes, a Bombay could be the cat for you.

Content provided from Vetstream's Vetlexicon Felis.

Vetlexicon is the world’s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world’s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

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