Karelian Bobtail

Also called Karelian Bobtail Shorthair, Karelian Bobtail Longhair

Rare breedShort profile

From Russia, Ladoga Karelia, from cats on the islands of Lake Ladoga; a natural short-tailed breed first documented by felinologists in Saint Petersburg.1 2

At a glance the quick version

Height20 to 30 cm3

Lifespan15 to 18 years3

Sizemedium

friendly and gentle

adapts quickly to new people and places

unique pom-pom tail

2 3

Coat and looks how to spot one

short or long coat with soft undercoat; short kinked tail

A medium, well-balanced cat, neither chunky nor stretched, with hind legs a little longer than the front ones and a triangular head. Its signature is a short tail of about 4 to 13 cm with bends and kinks, covered in longer hair so it looks like a pom-pom. The shorthair has a dense soft undercoat under a firm, glossy top coat; a longhaired version also exists.4 1 3

Coloursall colours and patterns except chocolate, cinnamon, lilac, fawn and the pointed patternany amount of white allowed4 3

Personality what they are like

Easygoing, kind and sociable without being pushy. It warms up quickly to new people and usually gets along with children and other pets.2 3

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Moderate. A playful cat that enjoys games and time with its companions.3

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Low maintenance. Shorthairs need only an occasional brush or a rub with a grooming glove; longhairs benefit from more frequent brushing when shedding.2 3

Company who they like around

Enjoys the company of people and other pets.3

The story where it all began

This natural bobtail developed on its own among cats around Lake Ladoga in Russian Karelia. Felinologists from Saint Petersburg documented it, a Russian standard followed in 1992, and the WCF recognised the breed in 1994.2 1

Fun facts for the dinner table

1
Each cat's kinked tail is said to be as individual as a fingerprint.3
2
The tail hair is longer than the body coat, giving a pom-pom look.4
3
Breed writers note it can spring with all four legs at once.2

Recognised by the official bits

Russian felinology: First registered with an official standard in Russia in 19922
WCF: Recognised in 1994; shorthair standard (KAS) updated 1 January 20102

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Karelian Bobtail. It is our own starting plan, not a vet's advice, and you can change every line in the app.

Brushingevery week
Nail trimevery 3 weeks
Teeth brushingDaily brushing is idealevery 2 days
Litter scoopevery day
Litter changeevery week
PlayDaily playevery day
Flea, tick and worm protectionSchedule as your vet recommendsas your vet recommends
Vet check-upSenior years usually start around age 11every year

Start a free diary

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Where this comes from

Every breed page shows where each fact comes from. If we got something wrong, sorry, we are pet people, not a science magazine. Tell us at [email protected] and we will fix it.

List of cat breeds (Wikipedia) en.wikipedia.orgused for origin, type, coat
TopCat: Karelian Bobtail Shorthair en.top-cat.orgused for history, recognition, temperament, grooming
PetGuide: Karelian Bobtail petguide.comused for weight, height, lifespan, temperament, grooming
WCF breed standard Karelian Bobtail Shorthair (KAS), 2010 wcf.deused for WCF standard: body, tail, coat, colours

Checked 2026-09-30. Text is written in our own words from these sources.