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Bombay Cat vs. Black Cat

Bombay Cat
Bombay Cat

Welcome to Bombay Cat vs. Black Cat.

Maybe you want a Bombay cat and must be sure it is what you’re getting. Or perhaps you already have a black cat roaming about your home and wonder if it’s a Bombay Cat.

Alternatively, you’re cat-crazed and want to know all there is to know about them. In either case, this article will be your only guide as we’ll compare Bombay Cat vs Black Cat. File:Black cat on red leaves.jpg

It’s a fact that dogs remain man’s best friend forever. However, people are becoming more and more drawn to cats. That is because the world now understands how social cats can be – many cat owners will tell you what a strong bond they have with their little fur balls, despite them being so much more independent than dogs.

There’s a long list of perks of keeping cats as pets: they can be alone for long periods, are highly independent, you don’t have to take them on walks, and are suitable for city living.

With all of these perks, combined with the world’s recent cat fever, you may feel inclined to adopt a beautiful cat. There is a vast array of beautiful and exquisite-looking cats to choose from. This article will discuss the Bombay cat and how it differs from other black cats.

Read the entire article or jump to any section below.

Is Your Cat a Bombay Cat or Just Another Black Cat?

Black Cat vs Bombay Cat
Black Cat

First and foremost, there’s no cat breed named “black.” “Black cat” refers to the color its coat. This implies that several cat breeds can be black; it’s only a question of genetics. The Bombay Cat is the most prominent of the many black cat breeds.

A Bombay cat is the most prominent black cat breed because it is always black. You can get other cat breeds in different colors, but a Bombay Cat will invariably be black. Therefore, while a Bombay Cat is a black cat, not all black cats are Bombay Cats.

If you’re looking at genetics, it’ll be easy to tell a Bombay Cat from another black cat. However, you wouldn’t go to a cat market with a DNA-sequencing machine, would you? Even if you would, the seller won’t let you do lab tests in the shop. Therefore, you would have to rely on the visual aspects of both cats to tell the difference.

Identifying a Bombay cat from an average black cat can be daunting. That is because both cats share a similar physical appearance at first glance.

To tell them apart, you would have to identify particular characteristics. Before we get into that, let’s look at how the Bombay cat came into existence because the Bombay cat has a fascinating history.

The Birth of the Bombay

Bombay Cat
Bombay Cat

A lovely woman, Nikki Horner, who lived in Louisville, Kentucky, was obsessed with cats. She loved fluffy felines so much that she decided to create new breeds of cats. 

She probably watched a movie with an Indian black panther and loved its regal appearance. To recreate that look, she crossed a black American Shorthair with a Sable Burmese female in 1953. 

The prominent trait of the resulting breed was a cat with copper-colored eyes, a shiny black coat, and a sturdy-yet-elegant frame. The cat later became known as the Bombay cat. However, the Cat Fanciers Association only accepted the breed in 1970.

Quite a fascinating history. Now let’s look at visual features you can assess to confirm which cat you are dealing with.

8 Ways To Differentiate A Bombay From A Black Cat

#1 Bombay Cat vs. Black Cat: Coat

Black Cat
Black Cat

While a black cat can be short-haired or long-haired, a Bombay cat is always short-haired. You can tick the first checkbox if your black cat’s fur is short.

Furthermore, a black cat’s coat may be plain or patterned. On the other hand, a Bombay cat has a completely black coat and no patterns. Lastly, a Bombay cat’s coat has a shiny, silky, and smooth texture. On the other hand, a black cat’s coat tends to be dull, coarse, and woolly.

#2 Bombay Cat vs. Black Cat: Eye Color & Shape

Bombay Cat
Bombay Cat

A cat’s eye color is essential in telling its breed. The color of a black cat’s eyes can range from red, blue, and green to copper and hazel. Meanwhile, a Bombay cat’s eye color is either deep yellow to copper or golden to green.

The American Bombays are notorious for the former, and the English Bombays are for the latter. Furthermore, Bombay cats have significantly larger eyes than the average black cats. They are consistently round, unlike black cats that can have round, oval, or narrow eyes.

#3 Bombay Cat vs. Black Cat: Ears

Black Cat
Black Cat

Depending on their parents, black cats’ ears can be folded, upright, or curled.

On the contrary, a Bombay cat’s ears can never be folded or curled. Instead, they’ll be upright or slightly angular, wide-set, medium-sized, and with rounded tips.

#4 Bombay Cat vs. Black Cat: Paws

Cat paws

Bombay cats always have a completely black appearance down to their paw pads. Alternatively, a black cat can have a variety of paw colors. In addition, a Bombay cat’s paws are rounded, with no peaks.

That contrasts with the tapered or heart-shaped and peak-bearing paws of black cats.

#5 Bombay Cat vs Black Cat: Body Shape

Bombay Cat
Bombay Cat

Remember in the history above when a panther inspired the lovely woman?

That’s why Bombay cats have compact and muscular bodies like black Panthers. Other black cats have longer and leaner statures.

#6 Bombay Cat vs. Black Cat: Temperament

Black Cat
Black Cat

We’re bringing this section to a close with the cats’ temperament. Bombay cats are highly energetic; they are active climbers and interactive gamers.

They love to use their brains a lot, thinking or assessing their surroundings. Also, Bombay cats are affectionate, unlike other aloof black cats. Bombay cats are also more social and louder. Lastly, when they move, Bombay cats sway with a divine swagger that other black cats lack.

Conclusion on Bombay Cat vs Black Cat

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Hopefully, you can now tell a Bombay cat from a generic black cat. Bombay cats are quite exquisite, but so are several other black cats. You don’t have to get a Bombay cat to experience the companionship you want with a pet – you will receive your cuddle fix either way.

However, a Bombay Cat is an excellent choice if you consider getting one. Nevertheless, the number of Bombay cats today remains relatively small. Are they endangered? Will they get extinct? It’s too early to tell, but nobody knows for sure. 

Bombay Cat
Bombay Cat

Regardless, if you’d love to know more about endangered animals, check out American Staffordshire Terrier vs. Pitbull or Brown Bear Vs. Grizzly Bear.

If you loved this read, you’d love that one even more!