The comparative description of the Kurilian Bobtail and Japanese Bobtail | |
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…by Sharon Berg, FogForest Bobtails Cattery WCF/CCA (Canada) Every new breed must demonstrate that it is not the same as, or a mimic of, a previously recognised breed. The main charge against the Kurilian Bobtail has been the suggestion that it is simply a Japanese Bobtail by another name. Many breeders will even insist the Japanese Bobtail is the only true bobtail. In fact, there are several naturally occuring bobtail breeds around the world, but some are only recently gaining recognition. When I was a child, very few North Americans knew of any breed with a 'bobbed' tail other than the Manx. We have since come to adore the Japanese Bobtail, the American Bobtail, the Pixie-Bob, and the Thai Bobtail. Yet the public insists on referring to shorter tailed cats as 'tail-less' and though we recognise that the colourpoint of the Siamese alone does not define that breed and lynx tips adorn more ears than the Main Coon, the idea persists that any bobtailed breed is Manx or a mimic of the few well-known breeds. It is unfortunate that two recently recognised bobtail breeds (the Karelian of east Russia and the Kurilian which originates off the coast of west Russia) were not only discovered in a similar time frame and both developed by Russian breeders, but a similarity in their names has also fanned an confusion about their difference from the Japanese Bobtail. People tend to see only the cats' gross similarity - most specifically their corkscrew 'pom pom' tail. Perhaps, given the visual similarity in tails, it can be understood why the acceptance of either breed has become tangled in the notion that these cats are just the Japanese Bobtail by another name. Yet while the Karelian is slender the Kurilian is a completely distinct breed with a different body type than either the Karelian or the Japanese Bobtail. In fact, the Kurilian Bobtail is a larger cat than the Japanese Bobtail with a compact and strongly muscled body rather than the long lean body of the Japanese. On the other hand, it is known that in the past some breeders employed Kurilians in the founding of the Japanese Bobtail catteries. The Kurilian has been recognised as a distinct breed by WCF and SFF, and will soon be considered by FIFe. A comparison between the standards of the Kurilian Bobtail and the Japananese Bobtail demonstrates why they are not considered the same breed. Please note that I have double-checked these points with my Russian breed mentor, Svetlana Ponomareva. She is president of a Russian breed club & a breeder of Persian, Kurilian & American Curl who has also worked with Scottish Folds & Exotics and WCF Judge Shorthair Group. I have also checked my points with Lisa Rowe, a breeder of Japanese Bobtails in the USA. (Note: JB = Japanese Bobtail while KBT = Kurilian Bobtail) 1. The body of a KBT is heavier in its build than the JB though not massive. It is considered 'compact' & proportionate rather than 'long & lean' as with the JB. In fact, the slender JB body type is penalized in the KBT. 2. As a breed, the KBT is young in terms of domestication (1992). Despite this, it seems domestication has already been tied to the tendancy to develop into a larger animal in the KBT than the JB. 3. The construction of the head is different, the emphasis falling on wide & low-set cheeks in the KBT rather than the high cheeks of the JB. This combines with a chin that is both well developed & wide in the KBT. Also, from the top, the JB head is triangular while the KBT head is a rounded pear-shape.
4. There is a gentle dip from forehead to nose in the KBT but the nose is not so long as the JB & it is straight with no definite break.
5. The eyes are rounded in the KBT rather than oval like the JB, and they also have less of a slant than the JB. 6. The ears do not stand as tall in the KBT as they do in the JB & they are wider at the base. 7. The legs are medium-long rather than long in the KBT. While the hind legs are longer in both breeds, unlike the JB emphasis on a level back, the Kurillian has a higher rump. 8. The coat of the KBT is dense & it should have a noticeable undercoat (with decorative ruff etc. desired) whereas the JB has no noticeable undercoat. 9. The paws are round & sturdy in the KBT rather than the delicate oval shape of the JB. 10. The Kuril Islands are not Japan mainland, & these cats developed in isolation. In appearance the tail has the same characteristics as JB. However, research regards the tail & its genetics is not complete. I am told it is known that the Kurillian cats were removed from the islands for the purpose of joining Japanese Bobtail programs on the mainland. The reverse - Japanese Bobtail outcrosses in the Kurilian breed history - is not the case. In addition to the points of my comparison notes, my Russian breed mentor asks me to add: "speaking of the difference, a general impression...the JB is a light and flexible cat and the KBT is a strong soldier. The Kurilian has a communicative and loyal nature and is not aggressive in spite of the wild origin. The Kurilian is good on the table of experts at shows, even kittens..." |
