Cat Breeds with Black Coats

Most people have heard that when a black cat crosses their path, it is supposed to bring bad luck although north of the border in Scotland, if a black cat turns up on a person's doorstep, it is thought to bring good luck and prosperity to the home. According to the Cat Fanciers' Association, there are twenty-two breeds that boast having black coats amongst others colours, but one of the most recognised breeds with a uniquely solid black coat is the delightful and charming Bombay. Two other breeds that can have sleek black coats are listed below along with the Bombay.

Bombay

The Bombay boasts a sleek, shiny black coat and they first appeared on the scene back in the fifties when a breeder in the United States developed the breed by crossing a sable Burmese with a Black American Shorthair. The breeder wanted to create a black cat that boasted copper coloured eyes which she succeeded in doing by the mid-sixties. She named her breed after a town in India, Bombay.

Affectionate, loving and extremely loyal, the Bombay forms strong ties with their families and therefore they hate being left on their own for any length of time. They adore knowing what is going on in their environment and enjoy being around other pets which includes dogs and other cats. They have earned a great reputation around children too which means they make exceptional family pets. Although not as talkative as many other breeds, the Bombay does have a lovely soft voice especially when they want a little more attention.

British Shorthair

The British Shorthair is a national treasure and although they come in a variety of colours, cats with black coats really do stand out from the crowd thanks to the silver tips on each hair. It's thought that these lovely cats arrived on British shores during the Roman invasion and once here, they mated with native cats. The breed, however, was only really recognised in 1870 and although their numbers fell dangerously low during World War I and II, fortunately breed enthusiasts set about restoring their numbers which they achieved by careful and selective breeding and by introducing other breeds into the mix.

Intelligent, loving, loyal and placid by nature, the British Shorthair is the perfect family pet. They adore being in a home environment and involved in everything that goes on around the home. The lovely thing about these cats is that they remain kitten-like right through to old age. They are also get on well with other animals and pets which includes dogs they have grown up with. The British Shorthair is not known to be a talkative cat, but they form extremely strong bonds with their families which is just one of the reasons why they are such a popular choice in the UK.

Asian

The Asian cat was created quite by accident in the UK during the early nineteen eighties when Baroness Miranda von Kirchberg discovered some delightful kittens in a litter she bred. The breed continued to be carefully developed so cats always retained the lovely and distinct shape of the Burmese. Asian cats have also kept the charming personalities of the Burmese and their glorious, shiny coats with many cats boasting sleek black ones which makes them really stand out from the crowd.

Asians are renowned for their kind temperaments being real extroverts by nature. They adore getting into things and being so intelligent, Asian cats love being involved in everything that goes on in their environment. They make wonderful family pets thanks to the fact they have a gentle side to their natures. With this said, Asian cats are lovely companions too. Like their Burmese cousins, they like the sound of their own voices and will happily hold long and rather loud conversations with their owners. Asian cats are highly adaptable and will happily live as indoor pets although being so smart, they need to be given lots of things to do so that boredom doesn't set in.

Lastly,

The old myth of black cats bringing bad luck goes out of the window after having shared a home with one whether it's an Asian, Bombay, British Shorthair or other breed. In many countries of the world, black cats are bringers of good luck and it would be fair to say they also bring a tremendous amount of pleasure into a home.