The Japanese bobtail cat is ceramic, a traditional Japanese symbol of good luck. They are modeled after the famous and favored bobtailed cats of Japan. The Japanese Bobtail breed has certainly existed in Japan for many centuries; it is featured in many ancient prints and paintings. In 1968 the late Elizabeth Freret imported the first three Japanese Bobtails to the United States from Japan. In 1993 the longhair Japanese Bobtail was accepted by CFA for championship competition. Japanese Bobtails are strong and healthy cats. This breed has a low kitten mortality rate and high disease resistance. Kittens are never born tailless, nor are they born with full tails. They are active, intelligent, talkative cats. Masters of the pounce, these cats love to ride on shoulders. The Japanese Bobtail is a natural breed and does indeed come from Japan. All CFA registered cats can be traced back to the original imports. Any color except the Siamese pattern or Abyssinian type agouti is permitted. The most popular colors are the mi-ke and those colors that can be used to create it: white, black, red, black and white, red and white, and tortoiseshell. Vividly contrasting colors and bold dramatic markings are preferred on the bi-colors. The tail is unique not only to the breed, but to each individual cat. Like our finger prints, no two tails are ever alike. The direction in which the tail is carried is not important. The genetic factor which created the Japanese Bobtail is completely different from the Manx, a naturally tailless cat.