Mekong Bobtail

In the nineteenth century, Mekong Bobtails were part of the royal cats offered to Russian Emperor Nicholas II by Somdetch Phra Paramindr Maha Chulalongkorn, King of Siam. The majority of the 200 royal cats offered by Chulalongkorn had crooked tails resembling those of the modern Mekong Bobtail. Other bobtail cats from Southeast Asia were also imported to Russia. The breed is considered to have been bred mainly in this country, which enabled its development, and was developed experimentally there. Mekong Bobtails grew up surrounded by other bobtails and perhaps also by Siamese. With the communist revolution, the bobtails fell into oblivion but, in the 1980s the breed emerged from the shadows and, in December 1994, a breed standard was established by the Russian Olga Mironova. This cat was first presented at an international cat exhibition in November 2003, at the 'Grand Prix Royal Canin' held in Moscow. The breed was recognized by the World Cat Federation in August 2004, and at that time its name was changed from 'Thai Bobtail' to 'Mekong Bobtail'.

The Mekong Bobtail appreciates the company of humans and other animals: it is an affectionate cat, of a sociable nature, which needs a lot of attention. It is very loyal to its owner and constantly seeks his company; it tolerates loneliness very poorly. It is an intelligent cat, curious, playful, lively-spirited that adapts easily to a new environment and to travel in various means of transport. It is very energetic and remains very active during the day; it needs regular activity as, like the Siamese, it is a very expressive cat that can meow excessively when it is bored.

The Mekong Bobtail is a solid cat breed that does not present a known genetic predisposition to diseases. It can, however, be prone to several infections common to all cats such as feline idiopathic cystitis, a common bladder infection in cats that can have serious consequences if not treated; various eye problems, gastrointestinal problems... The fact that the Mekong Bobtail has a small pompom-shaped tail can also cause health problems: cats need their tail to maintain balance. It is also, like any other breed, necessary to watch out for any overweight.