Toybob

Also called Skif-Toy-Bob, Scythian Toy Bob, Skif-Thai-Don, Toy Bob

Recognised breedShort profile

From Russia (Rostov and Ural regions), from a spontaneous short-tail mutation in local cats.1 2

At a glance the quick version

Lifespanfrom 15 years3

Sizetiny

pocket-sized

affectionate and good-natured

gets along with other pets

1 2

Coat and looks how to spot one

shorthair (plush, more common) and longhair (semi-long)

A tiny but solid, muscular cat with a naturally short, kinked bobtail made of a few curved vertebrae, typically showing 3-7 cm of tail. It comes in a plush shorthair and a semi-long longhair that does not tangle easily.1 2 3

Coloursseal point (the founding colour)pointed colours most commonother colours and patterns accepted2 3 4

Personality what they are like

Small but spirited: agile, playful and bright, yet gentle, cooperative and very affectionate with its family. It tends to mix easily with other friendly animals.1 2

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Active and agile; enjoys daily play sessions and interactive toys.1 3

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Brush or comb once or twice a week for either coat length; shedding is light but changes with the seasons.3

Home where they are happiest

Fits well in smaller homes; provide toys and low-to-medium climbing spots scaled to its size.1 3

Food basics what goes in the bowl

Needs a complete, balanced cat food built around animal protein, with fresh water always available; portion treats so the cat stays trim.3

Company who they like around

Thrives on being with its people and is not suited to a life of long hours alone.3

The story where it all began

In 1983 Elena Krasnichenko of the Rostov region took in a stray seal-point cat, and her 1988 kitten Kutciy, small with a short kinked tail, became the breed's founder. First called Skif-Thai-Don, the breed later took the name Toybob, reached the USA in 2004 and moved up through TICA's classes from 2008 to 2017.2 4

Fun facts for the dinner table

1
The name joins 'Toy' for its small, playful build and 'Bob' for its short tail.1
2
It is often called the smallest cat breed.4
3
The founding kitten, Kutciy, was born in 1988.2
4
Its visible tail is typically only about 3-7 cm long.2

Recognised by the official bits

TICA: Experimental 2008-2009, Registration status January 2017; now has a breed standard4
TICA: Experimental from 2008 per Messybeast2
CFA: Recognised 2019 (as reported by Wikipedia)4
ACFA / CAA: Standard status4
WCF: Championship status2

The care rhythm Furry Diary remembers it for you

A typical home-care rhythm for a Toybob. 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.

Toybob - TICA tica.orgused for origin, build, temperament
Russian and Ukrainian cat breeds - Messybeast messybeast.comused for history, founder, tail, colours, size
Toybob - Cats.com cats.comused for lifespan, grooming, coat varieties
Toybob - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.orgused for names, recognition

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