When we were first adopting Gizmo, all I could think was "OMG, Bombay, Burmese, something along those lines." I did some research and was almost kind of hoping I was wrong because I read about how they're so vocal and attention-seeking. Last night our friend, Michael, came over for dinner and sees the little bugger. He goes, "Bombay?" I'm like, "That's what I thought!"
So, I took a good long look at him this morning and began writing these things I've noted about him.
- We call him Puma Cat because he lays in positions that resemble the Puma logos on clothing. (However, he really doesn't look anything like a Puma, which is heavy and brown. He really looks more like a tiny panther.)
- We also call him "Fuzz Nut" because he's a fuzzy crazy thing that would bounce off the walls of a padded room.
- He plays fetch. Yep, with an aluminum foil ball.
- We chase each other around the house.
- He is highly intelligent.
- He has to be everywhere I am, all the time.
- He has a funny purr. Most of the time it sounds like Kitty's, but sometimes this weird vocalization appears in it, like a soft vibrating trill. Dale and I always look at each other in alarm, then like, "Good, you heard that, too, right?" It's kind of freaky.
- He grunts. A lot. And snores. Most of his grunts are when he doesn't want to be picked up, like when he's in the middle of thinking "Let's go pick on Sincla-- WHAT THE, NO MOMMA PUT ME DOWN!!" (look look look crouching :: snatch :: grunt grunt whine)
- He doesn't spook easily. As a kitten I got him a couple of times by letting him start inspecting a mat before sliding it towards him suddenly. After that, it's been the occasional grab-the-rump-when-he-least-expects-it sort of thing. That only gets me about an inch or two, though. :: sigh ::
- He will follow me into the bathroom if I let him. I used to think it was cute until he began jumping up on my lap in there… yeah, about that. Now he sneaks in and I have to push his lithe, muscular little body out the door, squirming as it goes. Then he'll sit out there and wait for me to come out.
- He also follows me into the shower. He doesn't like water, though, so then he'll sit on the edge of the tub looking at me with big round eyes. He'll look at the water in the tub, then up at me, and cry nervously like, "Momma! It's wet in there! Get out!" Then when I reassure him, he'll get this look on his face like wtf is wrong with her and he'll jump down, crying and scratching at the shower curtain until I get out.
- Sometimes I find him sucking on the bath mat.
- He's gotta be in the sink when the water's on. He mostly just sniffs and licks the water coming out of the faucet, but occasionally steps in it or cuffs at it, too. It's usually cute although can be a big pain in the butt when I'm trying to brush my teeth. I usually brush my teeth in the shower, though.
- He hides his toys in the tub and until Dale caulked it just right, kept pulling the drain strainer out. Sometimes it would be lost in some weird places. Most of the time it would be in the tub, on the bathroom floor, or in my den. I often heard him playing with it in the kitchen but somehow it always ended up back in one of the three aforementioned places. See the comment about hiding his toys in the tub.
- He LOVES to cuddle.
- He has some very obvious expressions, as if he's a mini human. Like the time he jumped in the toilet bowl while Dale was cleaning and I gave him a bath. He was very glad for the towel I wrapped him in and seemed to know I'd done right by him by bathing him just in case of chemicals. However, he didn't like getting wet. The look on his face when he shook his wet paw at me and splatted me was definitely not one of "Whups, too bad." It was, "Ha!" /: |
Oh, and incidentally, "Gizmo" was and still is the right name for him, as hard as it was to go with it at first. He really is my little gremlin. His expressions have remained (which reminded me of Gizmo from The Gremlins in the first place) and now with the addition of the trilling in the purr, it really fits.
Now that I know the little guy so well, I figured I'd read up on Bombays again and see if the personality traits match up. I've bolded those items I feel do. I'm not really sure on his eyes, though… they go back and forth from a weird gold-brown colour to the coppery colour mentioned, and there's a ring of green around his pupils. But, the personality traits all seem spot-on. Then again, a lot of these are in many cats. LOL.
From Wikipedia:
The American cat breed, named Bombay, was bred in 1958 in Louisville, Kentucky, when Nikki Horner of Shawnee Cattery deliberately bred an American Shorthair with a Burmese for the purpose of creating a domesticated cat that resembled a "miniature black panther".[3] This earned the Bombay the nickname "parlor panther". American Bombays have copper or golden eyes, and a jet-black coat. Occasionally, a Bombay kitten may be born sable colored or have a few spots of white on chest, ears, or, tail, because of its relation to the Burmese.
Personality characteristics - As cited above, Bombay cats love to eat. It is a part of nature. To reduce the risk of diabetes, it is important to feed them at certain times of the day. This will prevent the gaining of unnecessary weight. Do not fall for the scratching of the food bag or the desperate cries for food. These tactics are used to try to pry out some food from you. It is a very unhealthy habit that can never be broken.
Bombays tend to be attached to their families and crave attention, and for this reason this breed is highly suitable for children.[4]
Bombay cats are not independent. They seek attention from their owners and people around them often and dislike being left alone for extended periods of time.[5]
Although they like to be around people generally, Bombay Cats also tend to have a certain person whom they pay special attention to in their lives.[5]
Overall, the Bombay breed is intelligent, playful, and attention seeking.[5] They tend to get along well with other cats, as they have an established pecking order in the household. They have a very distinctive purr and love to snuggle. On cold days they can be found next to any source of heat they can find.[citation needed]
Burmese description from wiki:
The accepted eye colour for the breed is gold or yellow. The coat is known for being glossy, with a satin-like finish. As with most short-hairs, it requires no additional grooming. The shape of the British breed is more moderate but must not be Oriental,[2] while the American breed is sturdier in build. Longer lived than most pedigree cats, they often reach 16 to 18 years of age.[3] Burmese are a small to medium size breed and tend to be about 4–6 kg in weight.[4]
Burmese are vocal like the Siamese but have softer, sweeter meows. They are very affectionate and enjoy company, being a people-oriented breed who form strong bonds with their owners and gravitate toward human activity. Burmese need a reasonable amount of human attention, are not as independent as other breeds and are not suited to being left alone for extended periods of time. The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) breed information on the Burmese implies that all survival instinct of flight or fight seems to have been bred out of them.[5] However, other sources[6] note that, while rarely aggressive with humans, Burmese cats can defend themselves quite well against other cats, even those larger than themselves.
Burmese maintain kitten-like interests and energy throughout their adulthood. They have a number of dog-like characteristics, often learning to play fetch and tag.[5] Burmese are good with children and dogs. They are suitable as an indoor breed of cat, will usually stay more affectionate if kept indoors and are comfortable travelling in cars.
