If you guessed that Japanese Bobtail cats are native to the islands of Japan, you’re correct! The first cats to arrive in Japan probably came from China or Korea, sometime around 600 to 700 AD, when Buddhist monks needed help keeping rats out of the rice paper scrolls they used for temple records.
As the bobtail gene became more prevalent, more bobtail cats were seen. During the 1600s, rats plagued Japan’s silk industry and cats were released from the temples and tasked with the important job of rodent abatement. All Japanese Bobtail cats trace their heritage back to these incredibly helpful feline assistants.
The first Japanese Bobtails to make their way to the United States arrived in 1968, with the help of Elizabeth Freret. The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) accepted shorthair Japanese Bobtail cats for championship status in 1976. The longhair Japanese Bobtail cat was granted official recognition much later, in 1993. The International Cat Association (TICA) accepted shorthair Japanese Bobtail cats for competition status in 1979 and the longhair in 1991.
Today, the Japanese Bobtail is recognized by all major registering bodies except the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy.