The more I am into cat breeding, the more I can figure out the ideal type for Bombay cats.
Its head must be perfectly round (like an apple) with a strong stop, but its nose must not be as short as that of a Persian. Its ears are rather small, rounded at the tips and well spaced. The eyes are very important, for they are the first thing one notices in a Bombay. They are big, round and their color is deep copper. A Bombay's head must convey a general impression of softness. The body must not be too long. The standard says that the type of the body is "semi-cobby", but I prefer it cobby, like that of a Burmese. Larry Paul, late TICA's Chairman, wished there would be q single standard for those two breeds. I totally agree with this idea. I think that the Bombay is a black Burmese, and that it must possess the same morphology than a Burmese. However, not all Bombay breeders agree on that point, mostly in the USA, where breeders are divided into two sides, i.e. those working on then traditional type, and those working on the contemporary type.
Generally speaking, people start by breeding the traditional type, and then turn to the contemporary one. The opposite is quite rare. Sometimes, crossing the two types produces a good result. This is how I obtained Anawratha's Molière, the first french Bombay to win the title of Supreme Grand Champion. On the other hand, I do not recommend the introduction of a European type Bombay in Bombay breeding. The kittens' type will be very different from what one expects. Instead of a head the shape of an apple, it will be the shape of a peer. That is exactly what I did ten years ago when I started breeding. I crossed European type Bombay female with Bagheera, the first Bombay male, which arrived in France. This was simply an experiment, and I immediately understood that the Bombay and the European Burmese were no good match. Today, we have very beautiful cats in France, which are often winners. In order to preserve the type which makes the Bombay a unique cat, it is strongly advised to cross it with American Type cats.
Kiki, Bombay Club de France Secretary
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