How to Take Care of a Japanese Bobtail

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1Ensuring Health and Safety

2Feeding Your Cat

3Placing and Maintaining Litterboxes

4Grooming Your Cat

5Caring for Nails, Teeth, and Ears

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Article Summary

Caring for a Japanese Bobtail is not unlike caring for most other cat breeds. Groom your cat to prevent shedding and hairballs. Brush your cat’s teeth regularly (at least once weekly). Take your cat to the vet for regular checkups. Keep your cat clean by scooping its litterbox out every day and changing the litter at least once each week.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Ensuring Health and Safety

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   Take your cat to the vet. When you first get your cat, take it to the vet, especially if it’s a kitten. Bring any medical information and documentation provided by the breeder or previous owner. Your vet will evaluate your cat’s health and arrange a schedule with you to ensure it receives regular checkups.

   • Kittens should receive vaccinations at 6, 8, 12, and 16 weeks of age. Booster shots may be needed every year for adult cats.
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   Keep your cat indoors. Limit the amount of time your Japanese Bobtail spends outside. This will protect it from being struck by a vehicle, contracting an illness, or becoming the victim of other cats or animals who might hurt it.
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   Interact with your cat. Japanese Bobtails are generally self-sufficient, but they do need attention and opportunities to play. Spend time each day rolling a ping-pong or tennis ball across the floor near your cat. It will have fun chasing the ball. Wave a teaser toy – a stick with a string on the end connected to a stuffed mouse or similar toy – near your cat, then lift it just out of reach when your cat goes to swing at it. Your cat will derive great amusement from this activity.

   • Make sure your cat has a scratching post to prevent them from scratching up your furniture.
   • Cats often enjoy chasing laser pointers. Point the laser at a wall, and move it around as your cat chases the light. Do not shine the laser in your cat's eyes or human eyes.
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   Look for obesity. Japanese Bobtails are generally free of any health issues. However, like most house cats, they are at risk for obesity once they ease into domestic life. Manage your cat’s diet and food portions to ensure it stays lean. If your cat starts getting a bit pudgier, talk to your vet about developing a fitness plan.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Feeding Your Cat

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   Feed your cat an appropriate amount of food. Japanese Bobtails require about 80 calories of food per kilogram (two pounds three ounces) of bodyweight per day. In other words, if your cat weighs three kilos (6.6 pounds), it will require around 240 calories of food daily.

   • Japanese Bobtails are known to overeat, so manage your cat’s caloric intake carefully.
   • Feed your cat once or twice each day. This will make sure your cat has the right amount of food when they are hungry without over or underfeeding them.
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   Provide your cat with a variety of food. Like people, different cats have different tastes. Some will enjoy tuna flavored food, while others will like chicken flavored food. Some will enjoy dry food, while others enjoy wet food. By providing your cat with a variety of dining options, you’ll be able to ensure it gets to experience a range of different textures and flavors. Giving your cat a variety of food will also ensure that it is less likely to be a finicky eater.

   • Offer your cat a variety of foods and observe it while it eats. When you’ve found a food that your cat consumes with gusto, buy it frequently.
   • There are three main types of food: dry food, semi-moist food, and wet (canned) food. Any of these could be acceptable as long as it is nutritionally balanced.
   • Japanese Bobtails don’t have any specific dietary needs, but they do prefer fish. Try a food that contains fish to keep your cat happy at mealtime.
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   Choose a high-quality food. To identify a high-quality cat food, check the ingredients label. The best foods will have meat, meat byproducts, or seafood listed among their main ingredients. High-quality foods should also bear a seal of approval from an organization like the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).

   • While you may want to attempt to make your own cat food at home, it is best to buy commercial food. Commercial cat food is specially balanced to provide all of the correct vitamins, minerals, and amino acids that cats need to survive. If you make food at home without the guidance of an animal nutritionist, your cat may suffer from health problems and deficiencies.
   • Cats are obligate carnivores. This means that they must eat meat to get all of their nutrients.
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   Change your cat’s water regularly. Each day, empty your cat’s water dish and fill it with new water. This will help with digestion, circulation of the blood, and general good health.

   • Use ceramic, glass, or stainless steel bowls. These are heavier and prevent spillage, and they also prevent the water from absorbing chemicals that may have been used to treat plastic water dishes.
   • Wash the cat's dish every now and then to prevent the build-up of bacteria in the bowl.
   • Do not give your cat milk instead of water.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Placing and Maintaining Litterboxes

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   Place the litterbox somewhere your cat will want to use it. Japanese Bobtail cats will be disinclined to use a litterbox that is next to a noisy appliance like a washer, dryer, or furnace. Likewise, your cat will not want to use a litterbox near its food and water bowls. Finally, don’t place a litterbox in a corner of the room, where your Japanese Bobtail cat might feel trapped and vulnerable while voiding.
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   Empty the litterbox. Your Japanese Bobtail’s litterbox should be cleaned at least once each day. Use a litterbox scoop to remove the feces and place it in a plastic bag. Tie the bag off and throw it away.
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   Clean the litterbox. Your Japanese Bobtail’s litterbox should be cleaned at least once each week, or whenever you notice the litter is damp or stinky. Dump the old litter into a trash can. Use a sponge dipped in warm water and nontoxic dish soap to wipe the inside of the litterbox out. Rinse the box out and let it air dry. Add new litter to the box and replace it when it is dry.

   • You might find it most convenient to wash the litterbox outside.
   • Put on a pair of rubber gloves and a facemask before cleaning the litterbox.
   • Don’t add too much litter. Most cats don’t like using litter that is more than two inches deep.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Grooming Your Cat

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   Choose the right time to groom your cat. Your cat will be more willing to accept a grooming session when it is relaxed and happy. You might choose, for instance, to groom your cat right after you’ve finished playing with it.
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   Check your cat’s skin and coat. Before you start brushing, conduct a visual inspection of your cat’s skin and coat. If you notice any wounds, bald patches, redness, lumps, masses, or other signs of irritation, contact your vet.
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   Start with the flea comb. The flea comb is a fine-toothed comb that helps you locate flea excreta – tiny comma-shaped black flecks that will turn red when mixed with a drop of water. If you find flea excreta using the flea comb, contact your vet so they can recommend a flea control program for you and your Japanese Bobtail.

   • Use the flea comb once each week.
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   Loosen tangles. If you see any knots or tangles in your cat’s fur, rake your fingers carefully through the fur to loosen them. Push your fingers along the cat’s fur toward its head to better detect and loosen any tangles or loose fur.
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   Comb your cat. Use a metal comb to brush your cat from its head to its tail. Use short strokes, focusing on one area at a time. Combing will prevent tangled fur and limit the amount of fur the cat sheds around your home.

   • Generally, you should brush your Japanese Bobtail once each week. Brush it more often during the spring and fall, when it sheds more often.
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Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Caring for Nails, Teeth, and Ears

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   Choose the right time and place to trim nails. When trying to trim your Japanese Bobtail’s nails, it will be more cooperative if you choose a relaxing environment. Find a well-lit, quiet room where you and your cat can both be at ease. Additionally, trim your cat’s nails when it is relaxed. Select a time close to your cat’s bedtime to trim its nails.
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   Massage your cat’s paws. With your cat in your lap, take one of its paws and give it a gentle squeeze. If the cat pulls its paw away, don’t let go. Follow the cat’s motion, but allow your cat to move the paw back and forth. Give one toe a slight squeeze when your cat is still. When your Japanese Bobtail extends it nail, give it a treat.

   • Repeat daily until you’ve seen all ten of your cat’s nails.
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   Familiarize your cat with the sound of the clippers. Sit near your cat with the clippers and a piece of uncooked spaghetti. Massage your Japanese Bobtail’s toe until a nail extends. Continue holding the paw with one hand, and clip the uncooked spaghetti with the clippers in your other hand. Give your cat a treat.

   • Repeat with all toes.
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   Be careful not to cut the quick. The quick is the pink part of your cat’s nails. It contains a delicate network of blood vessels. Only cut the white portion of your Japanese Bobtail’s nails.

   • If you cut your cat’s quick, apply light pressure to the tip of the claw. Dip it in cornstarch or styptic powder as soon as possible. Do not squeeze the whole paw, as this will only increase blood loss.
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   Clip the cat’s toes. Sit your Japanese Bobtail in your lap facing away from you. Use the clippers to clip the sharp white part of the nail. Give your pet a treat as soon as you clip the nail.

   • Clip your cat’s nails two to four times monthly.
   • Don’t trim all your cat’s nails at once. Work on one or two paws per session.
   • Don’t try to rush the process. If your cat is agitated, cut the session short or give it a treat.
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   Brush your cat’s teeth. Use a soft infant toothbrush, a short-bristled finger brush designed for pet teeth, or even a soft cloth wrapped around your finger to clean your cat’s teeth. When first introducing your cat to the toothbrush, just dip it in a bit of chicken broth and rub the cat’s teeth for a short time. When your cat has grown accustomed to this process, add toothpaste to the brush and brush the outer faces of your cat’s teeth using gentle circular motions.

   • Ideally, you will brush your Japanese Bobtail’s teeth daily. Less frequent brushing is also acceptable but not preferred.
   • Do not use human toothpaste to brush your cat’s teeth. Instead, use a specially formulated feline toothpaste in a flavor that your cat seems to prefer.
   • Ask your vet to demonstrate how to properly brush your cat’s teeth before trying it yourself.
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   Check the cat’s ears. Japanese Bobtail cats don’t need their ears cleaned regularly, but you should check them from time to time. If the ears look dirty, wipe them with a cotton ball or a soft cloth dampened with a mixture of half water and half cider vinegar. Do not use cotton swabs on your cat’s ears, as you could hurt it.
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