Is my new short-tailed tabby kitten an American Bobtail cat breed?

He is so cute! I can't tell you based on pictures alone. A pixie bob usually has a shortened tail and I can't see his in the picture. They also have an orange belly. I suspect if you didn't get him from a breeder he is probably just a domestic short hair. Kisses to Keanu!

Absolutely not! This is a normal genetic variation and just causes them to have a short tail. Most cats with bobtails live normal lives as those without. Of course, I cannot guarantee that your cat will be without problems, but it doesn't have to do with the bobtail. She is REALLY cute BTW!

While there are many reports of bobcats breeding with housecats I don't believe this has been scientifically proven. It is more likely that your kittens have a gene that causes a shorter tail which is not uncommon in domestic cats. I'm not sure that I'd call it normal for a domestic cat to be comfortable around a wild bobcat and vice versa but it certainly seems plausible.

Moly is adorable! Her tail does appear slightly shorter than average and this could have simply been the way that she was born, or related to other trauma. Some kittens experience tail trauma at birth if the umbilical cord is wrapped around the tail, causing part of it to fall off. Other cats can experience broken tails or other injuries that require amputation. Unfortunately, there is no way of determining the cause of Moly's tail condition at this point in time, but I think she's a cutie just the way she is! :-)

WIthout a picture it is hard to say, but it sounds like it could be an American Shorthair. Cat breeds are much more difficult to decipher than dog breeds unless they are very obvious, such as a Sphynx or Siamese. If you are really curious and want to know for sure, there are companies that provide DNA testing. This will give you more information on your cat's lineage.

If you don't have papers on these kittens, they are almost certainly "Domestic Shorthairs" and "Domestic Medium hairs" (that third picture looks like a medium hair). This is the most common breed in the U.S., and the vast majority of cats here are this breed. Hope this helps.

You can post a picture in this forum or on your kitten's profile. Some breeds may be considered"lazier" than others. Long-haired breeds have different grooming requirements than shorthairs while care must be taken with hairless breeds. Each cat will have it's own personality though.