The Pixiebob is a breed that has been loved by many cat lovers. People happily take into their homes a charming home version of the lynx. And since the fluffy beauty, despite the appearance similar to the wild relative, has a light and sweet disposition - she becomes a member of the family and a faithful friend. But before purchasing such an exotic breed, you need to have a clear idea about it and its content.
Pixie Bob traits - character and behavior
Cats of this breed are distinguished by their quivering character, although they resemble a wild lynx in appearance. They are delicate and patient. They are extremely calm most of the time, but at any time they are ready to start games if the owner offers. At the same time, pixies are friendly, they will not start a conflict first, and even if it occurs, they would rather prefer to hide than show aggression.
The pixie bob has a dog-like temperament. They are trainable, they are able to remember many commands, they like to walk along the street on a leash, they adore games in which you need to follow commands or run after toys. Moreover, such cats are silent, and therefore will not bother with constant meowing.
Description of the breed - what a pixie bobcat looks like
It is imperative for professional breeders to know the Pixie-Bob breed standard in order to see how well the kittens match. For those who take an animal as a pet, an understanding of the appearance is necessary to determine the purity of the breed and purchase a representative of the desired class.
Appearance
The shape of the head resembles an inverted pear, the size can be medium or slightly large, but the head is in proportion to the body. At the crown, roundness is determined by an insignificant size. The forehead is rounded. Ears, widened towards the base, softly rounded at the sharp tips, large. Set fairly low, at the back of the head, turned outward. The presence of lynx tassels on the ears is desirable but not required for short-haired breeds.
The eyes resemble a closed soft triangle, medium in size. The eyes have a deep set, they are widely spaced relative to each other. The color varies between shades of gold to various varieties of brown, sometimes green. Above the eyes, you can see strands of short, thick hair.
The chin is covered with soft, coarse hair. When looking at the profile of the pet, a straight line can be drawn along the chin and nose. The muzzle itself is wide. Sideburns are clearly defined behind the cheekbones. The nose is wide and slightly arched. When looking directly at the cat's face, you can see that it resembles a diamond in its shape. The jaws are massive, with a pincer bite.
The neck is relatively short but muscled that can be felt. The body is massive, with long legs. The back is not completely straight, behind the shoulders there is a smooth slight descent, which rises and levels out to the hips again. The shoulder blades are protruding. The chest is deep and broad. The belly pouch is well defined, the groin line is deep. The thighs are medium in width, just above the level of the shoulders and slightly sloping back. The tail itself is short, no more than 5 cm, mobile.
The limbs are long, the hind legs are slightly higher than the front. Paws are moderately wide, rounded. They are large, fingers, in addition to rudimentary, are in close contact with the floor and are directed forward.
The size
The average pixie body length is in the region of 50-60 cm.
The weight
The normal weight for a female is 4-6 kg, males are heavier and can weigh 7-10 kg.
Wool
Classically pixie bob shorthaired. The hair is short, on the belly it may be slightly longer, but there is also a long-haired subspecies. The wool itself is soft in texture, very elastic, and fluffy. The density of the cover is medium, the undercoat is moderately expressed.
Colors
The coat color of this breed can be any shade of brown and gray. There are also individuals with an inverted tick - this is a phenomenon in which the ends of the hair of a cat are light, with a dark base. There are also cats with light or cream hair in the throat and chest area. The only acceptable pattern on the coat is a spotted tabby. The bases of the feet should be dark brown or black in any case. A stripe of light coat should be present around the eyes.
Life expectancy - how long do pixie bobs live?
With proper care, attention to the mental and physical health of a pet, it can live from 12 to 15 years.
Are pixie bob cats hypoallergenic or not? How often do they shed?
This is not a hypoallergenic breed. Molting in this breed is easy, seasonally. To care for the coat, it is enough to comb it out every week.
Is the Pixiebob a friendly breed?
The short-tailed pixie can be safely called quite friendly. Even the appearance of strangers in the house will not cause them negative emotions, the pet will remain calm and can gradually make contact with the guest.
Attitude towards children
Affectionate disposition allows the breed to interact well with children. The pixie will treat the baby with reverence, protect and play carefully. With an adult child, the cat will also be attentive and caring. But do not forget that even with all his love, if a child accidentally offends a pet, he can get hit with a paw or a bite. Therefore, the interaction of a furry pet with younger family members is better controlled.
Relationship to other animals
Pixiebob gets along well and easily finds rapport with other pets in the house. It does not matter if another animal appeared before or after the cat was taken into the family. The only exceptions are rodents and birds. Any interaction with them is better to be strictly limited, as wild instinct can quickly take over.
Playfulness
The high activity makes these cats very playful. They will happily run after a laser, a ball, or a fluffy stick. They will also like various game complexes and toys that do not require the active participation of the owner.
How does loneliness endure
When purchasing such a pet, you need to remember that the breed is a companionable one. Pixies are deeply attached to the family and, in particular, to the person who is chosen as the master. Therefore, the frequent absence of people in the house will become severe stress for the pet and lead to health problems.
Potential health problems
Pixies are distinguished by good health, which even surprises the owners of the breed. But some diseases appear in them relatively often due to a genetic predisposition:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
- Inflammatory and other pathologies of the genitourinary system.
- Cryptorchidism.
Kittens cost
The breed is exotic, and therefore the prices for it are appropriate:
- Pet class - from 30 to 70 thousand rubles.
- Breed class - from 100 to 200 thousand rubles.
- Show class - from 200 to 300 thousand rubles.
Pixiebob nurseries
Here is a list of some of the Pixiebob breeders in Russia:
- ALmonDilaem
- FairyBerendey
- Russpixi
- Pixie house
- WildCatofMoscow
Need for care
Despite the fact that pixies are easy to care for, there are important points. And the first one is the obligatory long walks. These cats need to channel their energy into movement and breathe fresh air. At the same time, walking for 10 minutes will not be enough. On the street you need to spend at least half an hour, and preferably more.
The next nuance is the rather rapid growth of claws. Their condition must be monitored and examined 2 times a month. Cutting your nails is often enough once a month. Brushing your pet's teeth and ears, as well as bathing it completely, is also necessary once a month. But combing such a cat is better weekly. This is important not only for the neat appearance of the pet but also so that its digestive system is not clogged with hair from licking.
Maintenance cost
Determining the exact number that the owner of the pixie bob will need to invest in the pet's content is difficult. But you can get a rough idea of the future costs.
Nutrition
Feeding pixies should be strictly rationed and premium dry and wet food is best suited for this. The purchase of food for a month can cost the owner of such a cat in the amount of 3 to 7 thousand rubles, depending on the manufacturer of the food and the volume of purchase.
Eating natural products is allowed, but the cost of the diet depends only on the choice of the owner.
Veterinary
The usual calendar pixie vaccination will cost from 1 to 3 thousand rubles. Treatment from parasites and the use of anthelmintic agents for one period may require the owner of investments in the region of 1-4 thousand rubles, depending on the manufacturers of the drugs and the duration of their action. Other manipulations and the price are determined solely by the veterinarian as needed.
Exhibitions
To participate in the pixie exhibitions available to the owner, you will need to spend an amount from 3 to 20 thousand rubles. The cost depends on the level of the event and the possible title. But these figures do not include travel, food, and accommodation costs for owners and pets.
Pros and cons of the breed
The positive qualities of Pixie Bob include:
- Equilibrium.
- Developed intelligence.
- Ease of training.
- Peacefulness.
- Devotion.
- Uncomplicated care.
- Love for water treatments and walks.
- Exotic appearance.
The disadvantages of the breed, in turn, are represented by the following qualities:
- Poor tolerance to change of any scale.
- A high degree of affection for the owner.
- High cost.
- The tendency to gain excess weight.
History of the breed
Many breeders have tried to breed a cat that visually resembles a lynx. For this, pets were crossed with wild representatives of the feline species, which have a short tail and live in forests in the USA and Canada. But for a long time, the attempts were unsuccessful.
Only in the 80s of the 20th century, Carol Brever was able to achieve the appearance of offspring in pets, where there was a kitten resembling a lynx. This was the first representative of the future breed, which became the basis for further breeding. The cat itself was nicknamed Pixie, which translates as "elf", on behalf of the first successful result of crossing, and the first part of the name of the future breed appeared. And she got the prefix "bob" due to the short tail.
As a separate breed, the Pixie-Bob was registered only in 1995. It is recognized by a large number of teleological systems, as well as by the world cat federation. But not recognized by the International Cat Federation.
Interesting facts about pixie bobcats
It is useful for future owners to find out something interesting about the representatives of the short-tailed breed:
Squeaks are unusual cats, in which such a feature as polydactyly is considered the norm - they may have from 5 to 7 fingers on one or all of their paws.
These are conservative cats that can openly show dissatisfaction not only with the rearrangement in the house, but also with the change in the owner's hair color.
While most cats only grow up to a year old, pixies grow up to 4 years old.
In newborn kittens, the shade of the eyes is bright blue, and only by the age of 7 months, it changes to the classic color.
Many people confidently compare pixies with magpies, because when they see something they like, they will immediately try to drag it away and hide it away. It is difficult to find such a cache of a pet, but many surprises will definitely await the owner in it.
The history of the appearance of pixies is not fully known and the main theory is associated with targeted selection. But there is also a legend that the first representative of the breed appeared by chance, as a result of the appearance of a hybrid litter of a gene mutation in one of the kittens.
Owner reviews
Piskie bob breeders characterize pets as curious and active babies. They appreciate the dedication and impressive affection of furry friends. An important part of the characteristics that can be heard from the owners is the similarity of the pet with the dogs and the possibility of walking, which makes the content more interesting. Also, a separate plus for most owners is that pixies are not intrusive. Fluffy beauties feel the mood of the owner and adapt to it by behavior.