History

In 1985, in the shadows of Washington's Cascade Mountains, Carol Ann Brewer obtained a male polydactyl kitten. The kitten's owners had seen a small Coastal Red bobcat near their female domestic cat, and unlikely as it seems, believed the bobcat to be the sire of her subsequent litter. Carol was intrigued by the kitten's feral appearance, and began to seek out similar cats. She obtained one more cat of the same heritage, and a large cat of unknown background whose size, appearance and tail length convinced her to use him also, to form the basis of a breeding program.

Pixie was a female born from the union of two of these original cats. She was heavily spotted on a fawn coat and had a very wild face, reminiscent of a bobcat. Pixie became the dam for nearly every female in Carol's program and became the namesake of the breed. The Pixie-Bob breed standard is based on the look of Pixie. The Pixiebob comes in the shorthair and longhair varieties

Type and characteristics

Body

The Pixiebob is a medium to large cat in size, of substantial, tall and rangy type, but with great depth to the body. Males can weigh 11-22 pounds, with females much smaller. The shoulders and hip bones are very prominent producing a rolling gait.  A straight, flexible, bobcat length tail is preferred, but tail lengths from two inches to hock length are acceptable. The only accepted color and pattern is Brown Spotted Tabby.

Coat

The semi-longhair coat must be softer than the shorthair, having not a wooly quality, but a silkier texture. Along the top of the back is a swath of longer, black, coarse guard hair for protection from water. The semi-longhair coat should not be longer than 1-1/2 inches, with the exception to this being only the longer side facial hair, the coarse guard hair along the top of the back, the belly hair and the end of the tail. A ruff around the neck is not acceptable.

Color

Lighter shades of brown tabby. Wild mouse color (dark gray) base coat is necessary. Warm tones only for the ground color. Heavy ticking overall is mandatory, muting much of the spotting. White or cream color must encircle the eyes. Mascara markings must accent the face from the outside corner of the eye downward through the side cheeks. Chin to belly to inner legs should be silvery white or cream. Paw pads to the hocks must be black. End of tail tip should be black with white underneath. Coat color is secondary to type.

Small spots with or without rosettes, greatly muted by heavy ticking. Random (muted) spotting preferred; broken mackerel (muted) spotting accepted. Lighter colored belly is heavily spotted. Pattern is more heavily muted in winter due to the heavier ticking in cold weather and more clearly seen in summer due to the lack of ticking in warm weather. Pattern is secondary to type.

Head

The Pixie-Bob should look wild and  is essential to the uniqueness of the cat.
The look is the result of the inverted pear-shaped head; prominent brows, created by heavy boning and brushy hair above the eye. The eyes are medium deep set with a broad and long muzzle with a very large, fleshy and fuzzy chin.

Ears

Large at base, slightly rounded shape. Low and back on the head, quarter turned, so as to add to the wild appearance. Medium furnishings. Lynx tipping is desirable.  Light coloring on back of ears.

Eyes

Heavy boning and brushy hair above the eyes,giving it a hooded appearance.  Flat on top, bottom lid angled slightly upward toward outside of eye, making a soft triangle. Medium in size.  Deep set. Corner of the eye must meet the base of the ear with a horizontal line. Eye color is golden to brown preferred, wild gooseberry green accepted. No domestic copper or blue.A band of cream or white should directly surround the eye.

Tail

The cat has a naturally short tail, no shorter in length than that of the (estimated) measurement from the prominent hip bone to the base of the tail. The tail can extend only to the hock and can be flexible, knotted or kinked

Legs and Feet

The legs are long and heavy-boned, with large feet  and fleshy toes. Polydactyly (extra toes, five to seven toes is accepted) is common in the breed.  The tail in general can be up to 6 inches in length, straight over knotted is desirable.

Temperament

The temperament reflects that of a domestic in reliability, and dog-like attentiveness and affection. The Pixie-Bob is a devoted and respectful cat. They have a striking look with lynx tipped ears, heavy brow and bobbed-tail. They would remind you of the North American Bobcat but smaller in size and domesticated.

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