Breeding and Genetics
The short tail is a cat body-type mutation caused by the expression of a Dominant Gene with variable expression. Generally, all kittens born to a litter will have bobtails as well, but progeny of only one bobtailed parent are much less likely to possess the trait. Since Japanese Bobtails are always born born with a full complement of spinal vertabrae, they possess the full length of spinal nerves that control the lower intestine and anal sphincter, making them no more likely to suffer from megacolon or spina bifida than a normally tailed cat. The Bobtail gene only affects the number of tail vertabrae present..
Japanese Bobtails usually have litters of three to six kittens, that are active earlier, and walk earlier than many other breeds.
Read more about this topic: Japanese Bobtail
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