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Posted over 9 years ago
| Updated over 9 years ago
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My basic info
Breed
American Bobtail
Color
Spotted Tabby/Leopard Spotted
Age
Adult
Sex
Female
Pet ID
–
Hair Length
short
My details
Shots current
Spayed / Neutered
My story
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Here's what the humans have to say about me:
KATIE
3-4 year old Female Brown Spotted American Bobtail
I will tell you her story. Her breeder mailed her to her buyers when she was about 8 weeks old. At 4 months they had her declawed. Later that year her parents had a male baby, their first. She slept with this child and was very good with him. She was inside only. Her dad built her a fancy climbing tree and it was put in her space which was in the finished basement of their very large home.
When she was about 2 1/2 a lot of things changed. Their house flooded ( they lived in Ohio) Her refuge in her basement room and her stuff was lost. Then I think within that month February of this year her parents had child number two. First one grandmother and then the other grandmother moved in to help with the new baby. Meanwhile the first son had been growing now at 2+ yrs and was more mobile and stronger and heavier. "He rode on her like a horse and pulled her ears". She tolerated that. Then this toddler started throwing things at her. He was always “pulling her tail” It sounds like with all else that had happened this pushed her over the edge a bit. 5 or 6 times she nipped at the back of her parents' calves. And she would growl. Too much change was happening in her world. Her dad told me that "I had to understand she only nipped when she was provoked." Most provoking to her, he said, was having things thrown at her. I asked them what she absolutely liked the most. They agreed that being with the family was her favorite thing.
They had a vet in Ohio put her on Prozac and Xanax for two months. Didn’t do anything. Then in July the family packed up and moved to California. She did like being in the car on the long trip west. California real estate costing what it does they had to purchase a much smaller home for their two noisy kids. Katie was not happy. Though she is declawed and had never been outside they put her outside thinking maybe it would help the situation. (When I asked if they had worried that she would come to harm her mom said that if that happened it was better than if she were put down which was the other choice for her.) When they found her with her hair standing on end and all mussed up they knew she had been in a fight. She was VERY upset. They stopped taking her outside and kept her often in the garage. One day when she was in the house the baby was in a baby jumper hanging in a doorway and unfortunately the baby bounced just as Katie was going past and the child landed hard on her back. Katie was frightened and angry and growled. Mom was frightened of her and scooped up her baby and left the room. Soon after Katie was taken to a vet for euthanasia. The vet was not willing to put down this healthy, young cat. Fortunately she had heard of me and got my number so she could call to tell me the situation. Once I heard the story, I agreed to take her into foster.
Katie arrived very upset and stressed and remained that way for a couple weeks. We gave her her space. Her deep growl is impressive. Now that she has settled in she has shown herself to be a very loving cat. Just like most cats she loves boxes, feathers, treats, & windows...
My guess is that she is an unusually loving, loyal, family cat. I think she had a hard start and was subjected to way too much stress and change and just couldn’t continue to handle it all.
Though the heritage is a little unclear it sounds like American Bobtails are not related to Bobcats or to any wild breeds.They are domestic cats.Their approximately 4" long tail is likely thought to be a genetic mutation, similar to a Manx’s tail.. They are extra sensitive to humans' feelings and are evidently used often as therapy cats.
You can learn more about this in the Animal Planet CATS 101 video here.
www.animalplanet.com/tv-shows/cats-101/videos/american-bobtail.htm
By the way: Katie’s former dad mentioned to me that Katie is the offspring of the American Bobtail male featured on the cover of the Am. Bobtail issue of Cat Fancy magazine.
What we need for Katie is a stable home with humans who want the deep bond with a cat that Katie needs and offers. I think it would be best that she be an only cat. I am not sure she would be comfortable with dogs either because she has been declawed and knows she is vulnerable. It isn’t known whether she was attacked by a cat or a dog but I doubt she has forgotten that experience. She is doing very well and is demonstrative asking for attention. “Look at me! How cute I am” We are still a little cautious with her but that may just be our memory of how upset she was when she arrived. (I would have been upset too if I were Katie.) I think as she settles into an appropriate loving home she will blossom and outgrow a difficult, stressful beginning.
I am looking for a special family for her. That family will have a treasure and she will have the peaceful loving home she needs.
She eats wet and dry food and is litterbox perfect.
Her foster mom is Harriet in Santa Cruz.
Contact Harriet at (831) 336-2983 or toharrietjane@comcast.net if you have questions, or send an Adoption Application. If you are unable to reach Harriet by phone or email, email us at Info@purebredsplus.org
