Though they may look like something you’d see on Safari or reigning over mountainous regions, the Pixie-bob is a gentle giant with a big heart. The Pixie-bob has been a great source of fascination amongst cat fanciers and cat lovers due in no small part to the breed’s mysterious origins. Though initially believed to have descended from American bobcats, DNA testing has found no trace of bobcat genes in the Pixie-bob.
Breed Overview
Height:
12–13 inches
Weight:
8–17 pounds
Lifespan:
13–15 years
Colors:
Varying shades of black and brown
Suitable for:
Any loving home, including those with children and other pets
In the 1990s, the Pixie-bob was classified as a “native new breed”, which means that a natural genetic mutation was responsible for the Pixie-bob’s unique appearance. Today, as a fully established breed, the Pixie-bob is a popular family pet and companion. In this post, we’ll explore what makes the Pixie-bob such a special cat.
Pixie-Bob Characteristics
Energy
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A high-energy cat needs a lot of physical and mental stimulation to keep healthy and happy, while a low-energy cat needs minimal physical activity, but still needs mental stimulation. When choosing a cat, It’s important to ensure their energy levels match your lifestyle.
Trainability
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Cats that are easy-to-train are more willing and skilled at quickly learning prompts and actions with minimal training. Harder-to-train cats are usually more stubborn or aloof and require a bit more patience and practice.
Health
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Certain cat breeds are more prone to various genetic health problems, and some more than others. This doesn’t mean that every cat in those breeds will have these issues, but they do have an increased risk, so it’s important to understand and prepare for any additional needs they may require.
Lifespan
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Due to their size or potential genetic health issues of a specific breed, some cats have shorter lifespans than others. Proper nutrition, exercise, mental stimulation, and hygiene also play an important role in your cat’s lifespan and quality of life.
Sociability
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Some cat breeds are more social than others, both towards humans and other cats and animals. Cats that are more social have a tendency to rub up on strangers for scratches or jump on laps for cuddles, while cats that are less social shy away, hide, are more cautious, and even potentially aggressive. No matter the breed or gender, it’s important to socialize your cat and expose them to many different situations.
Buying a Pixie-bob from a breeder will vary in price, but the most expensive Pixie-bobs are of show quality. Show cats can be very expensive! An alternative to spending all this money is to adopt a Pixie-bob from a shelter, adoption agency, or someone who needs to rehome their Pixie-bob.
Shelters and adoption agencies may ask for a donation to cover the costs of any medical care or treatments or contribute to keeping their services going..
If you’ve decided that you definitely want to adopt a Pixie-bob, you’ll need to move fast if you see one available for adoption. They’re not the easiest to find in shelters and get snapped up quickly because of their rarity. Another idea is to join social media groups for cat adoption or rehoming and keep an eye out for Pixie-bobs.
Temperament & Intelligence of the Pixie-bob
Pixie-bobs are known for having fantastic personalities and for being great companions to anyone ready to show them plenty of love and attention. They’re a very extroverted breed and love to be around their people, often following them around the house and chatting away with them as they complete their daily tasks. Pixie-bobs form strong attachments to their families and expect lots of love in return.
As a highly intelligent breed, the Pixie-bob loves to be mentally stimulated with fun, interactive toys and simple games that allow them to release pent-up energy. Pixie-bobs aren’t usually destructive by nature, but they need exercise and entertainment to prevent boredom.
Are These Cats Good for Families? 👪
Pixie-bobs love to be around people. As long as children are taught how to interact gently with them, they’ll have a great time playing a Pixie-bob. Many Pixie-bobs enjoy cuddles and are gentle, which makes them the perfect companions for sensible kids who will treat them with respect.
In short, Pixie-bobs do well in any loving family, whether a single person, couple, or large family. If you decide to invite one into your home, be prepared for your Pixie-bob to involve themself in pretty much every aspect of family life!
Pixie-bobs generally get along well with other pets, including dogs. As long as they are paired with an easygoing dog that won’t intimidate them (or the other way around, in some cases!), there shouldn’t be an issue.
As calm as Pixie-bobs are, they’re still cats. It may not be the best idea to let your smaller pets, like rats or hamsters, loose around your Pixie-bob. Some cats cohabit perfectly well with rodents and even befriend them, especially if they’ve grown up alongside each other, but there’s no guarantee your Pixie-bob will do the same.
Things to Know When Owning a Pixie-bob:
Food & Diet Requirements
The dietary requirements of Pixie-bobs don’t differ from those of other cat breeds. Pixie-bobs are obligate carnivores, so they need nutrients derived from meat and a low-carbohydrate, high protein diet. Whether you feed dry food, wet food, or a combination of the two is completely up to you unless your vet has advised a special diet for your Pixie-bob.
All you need to do is choose a high-quality commercial cat food with all of the appropriate nutrients your Pixie-bob needs to thrive and provide clean drinking water. It’s important to monitor your Pixie-bobs eating habits, as with any cat breed, to make sure they don’t become obese.
Exercise 🐈
Though not the most hyperactive breed, Pixie-bobs need exercise to keep their weight down and release pent-up energy. Setting aside around 20 minutes per day to play with your Pixie-bob is a good rule of thumb, as is providing toys they can entertain themselves with if you’re not around.
Though they stay in one place, cat trees are a great way to keep your Pixie-bob exercising. They need to climb up several tiers to reach the top, and most cats love being up high. Many cat trees have toys and scratching posts attached to make things a bit more interesting.
As another option, if you're looking to give your cat something exciting, we know of an awesome scratcher that both encourages play and doubles as a stylish modern furniture piece. The Hepper Hi-Lo Cat Scratcher is designed with a curved shape for dynamic movement, is built to last with safe and sturdy birch plywood and thick cardboard, and offers three height options to ensure your cat enjoys the exercise, elevation, and excitement they crave ... and, it's affordable!
Premium Materials - Hepper's cardboard scratcher is made with dense, B-flute cardboard, and a metal...
High, Low and Lower - A single cat scratch pad won't keep your cat engaged. 3 unique positions keeps...
Activates Muscles - The Hi Lo isn't just a cat nail file to stop the chief cat couch scratcher. The...
At PangoVet, we've admired Hepper for many years, and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company!
Training 🧶
The whip-smart Pixiebob shouldn’t present too many problems training-wise. This breed is known for being quick to learn, easy to litter-train, and can even be trained to walk on a leash if necessary.
If your Pixie-bob makes mistakes like using the bathroom outside the litterbox, avoid punishing them. This can damage your Pixie-bob’s special bond with you. Though they’re famed for being easy to train, some may just need a little more time than others. For the Pixie-bob, training is just another excuse to spend time with you, so they’re unlikely to protest!
Grooming ✂️
Pixie-bobs have thick double coats that come in two varieties—long and short. For short-haired Pixie-bobs, weekly brushing should suffice to keep shedding under control and keep their coats in tip-top condition. Long-haired Pixie-bobs are a little more prone to matting and tangles, so it may be a good idea to brush them daily.
In addition to brushing, all cats need to have their claws trimmed regularly to prevent them from becoming overgrown. Providing scratching posts can also keep your cat’s claws healthy.
Due to outcrossing in breeding, Pixie-bobs tend to avoid health conditions caused by inbreeding. However, a few conditions have been linked to Pixie-bobs that you should keep an eye out for.
Minor Conditions
Vaccine-sensitivity
Serious Conditions
Dystocia
Feline Cardiomyopathy
Cryptorchidism
Minor Conditions
Vaccine sensitivity: Pixie-bobs can be sensitive to certain vaccines. Talk to your vet when it comes time for your Pixie-bob’s vaccinations to learn more about the safety concerns.
Serious Conditions
Dystocia: This condition refers to the birthing issues experienced by some Pixie-bob females and other cat breeds.
Feline Cardiomyopathy: This is a condition that causes the heart to function abnormally. It can be fatal if left untreated.
Cryptorchidism: This occurs when a male cat’s testicles fail to descend into the scrotum as expected. Luckily, the prognosis is positive, and most cats live normal lives after surgery for this condition. However, complications can occur if the condition is left untreated.
Male vs Female
Pixie-bobs are pretty large cats in general, but males are bigger than females. Even though the average size of a male Pixie-bob is approximately 11–15 lbs, they can weigh as much as 25 lbs in some cases! Females are a little lighter at around 8–12 lbs on average. Unneutered or unspayed males and females behave differently, too, but this is normal in all cat breeds, not just Pixie-bobs.
Unneutered males have a tendency to mark their territory by spraying and sometimes become more aggressive than usual. Conversely, females in heat are more likely to become clingy, extra vocal, and will rub up against objects to deposit their scent. However, these behaviors are less prevalent after your cat has been spayed or neutered.
There isn’t a difference in the personalities of male and female Pixie-bobs. It’s impossible to guess what an individual cat’s temperament may be like based on gender—they’re all unique! Both males and females have the potential to be excellent companions for the right humans.
3 Little-Known Facts About the Pixie-Bob
1. Some Pixie-bobs Are Polydactyls.
Some Pixie-bobs have more than five toes on each foot, with the maximum allowed by the breed standard being seven on each foot. This varies, but some Pixie-bobs have more toes on one foot than another, and others have a whopping total of 28 toes!
2. The First Pixie-bob Was Called “Pixie”.
Carol Ann Brewer founded the Pixie-bob breed. In the 1980s, Brewer adopted a huge male cat with a bobcat-like appearance, who she named “Keba”. Keba was then mated with a neighbor’s cat and Brewer adopted one of the litter—a female she named “Pixie”, who is largely accepted to have been the first Pixie-bob. Today’s Pixie-bobs are descendants of Pixie.
3. Pixie-bobs Have a Unique Method of Communication.
Pixie-bobs are famous for the cute “chirping” vocalizations they make. You’ll often hear a Pixie-bob chirping, chirruping, and chattering away rather than meowing.
Image Credit: COULANGES, Shutterstock
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for a mellow furry friend that never tires of your company yet looks like they should be prowling forests or mountains, the Pixie-bob could be for you! Enthusiasts of this bob-tailed delight have even likened Pixie-bobs to dogs because of their loyalty and devotion to their people. Dog-like or not, it seems clear that Pixie-bobs are a joy in their own right!
Kit Copson is a freelance writer and dedicated animal lover with a strong interest in animal welfare. She has parented numerous furry creatures over the years and is currently a proud cat mom of two—one very chilled (unless hungry) Siamese and a skittish but adorable Domestic Shorthair—and dog mom of one—an adopted Bichon Poodle cross. When not writing about or spending time with animals, Kit can be found doodling in her sketchpad, reading, or more often than not, drinking tea.
