Urban legends have it that pixiebobs are the result of wild bobcats breeding with domestic cats, Bowers said. But DNA tests have proved those rumors untrue, as wild bobcat markers were not found in the breed. Most Pixie-bobs have black fur and skin on the bottom of their paws, tipped ears, heavy ear hair, black lips, and white fur around the eyes but with black eye skin. Their muzzle is large with round whisker pads and a red nose leather.
However, DNA testing has failed to detect bobcat marker genes, and Pixie-bobs are considered wholly domestic for the purposes of ownership, cat fancy registration, and import and export. They were, however, selected and bred to look like American bobcats. Pixie-bobs can be large but on average reach around 11 lb , similar to good sized domestic cats, with only very few breeders producing consistently large cats. They are usually large-boned, muscular and massive. Pixie-bobs grow up to for 4 years instead of 1 year like most domestic cats. As the breed is frequently outcrossed to “legend cats”, Pixie-bobs are genetically diverse and are not prone to problems caused by inbreeding.
Their chins have white fur, but often have black skin under the white fur. Some of their whiskers change from black (root – about 25%) to white (to the tip – about 75% of the whisker). Their bobcat-like fur pattern often has reddish tones mixed in. Most are short-haired, but some are long-haired. The brow should be heavy and the eyes should have a triangular shape.
While this cat was starving, it still weighed 17 pounds, and was so tall it reached up to Brewer’s knees. Shortly after she had acquired this large male, it mated with a next door neighbor’s brown spotted female cat. In April 1986, a litter was born from this mating. Brewer eventually kept one of the female kittens, named “Pixie”, and after a year started a breeding program with Pixie as the foundation cat.
I, Mitchel Omeara, am a retired American zookeeper and a former director emeritus of the Zoo and Aquarium. I have dedicated my life to the care and well-being of animals. I am 56 years old, and I have worked in zoos for over 35 years. I have been married for 32 years, and I have two children.