Kurilian Bobtail Longhair

The Kurilian Bobtail comes from the Kuril Islands and the neighbouring coast of Russia, and its defining feature is a short, pompom-like tail that is different on every cat. This longhair variety has a semi-long, slightly fluffy double coat with a fuller ruff and tail, so it needs brushing more often than its shorthaired relative. Adults typically weigh around 3 to 5.5 kilograms, on a medium, sturdy frame. The breed is often described as intelligent, active and a capable hunter, yet also attached to its family. Life expectancy is typically around 12 to 15 years.

Kurilian Bobtail Longhair: how old in human years?

3–5.5 kgWeight
12–15 yrsLife expectancy

Sokoke

FIFe category: Category III — Shorthair
Recognition: Recognised
FIFe: KBL
Country of origin: Russia

Energy level

4/5
Playfulness

4/5
Family friendly

4/5
Grooming need

2/5

At a glance

Weight

Males 3.5–5.5 kg

Females 3–4 kg

Life expectancy

12–15 yrs

Coat

double-layered (medium-length)

Temperament & Family Life

Kurilian Bobtail Longhair: average score for sociability and trainability is high.

Family friendly 4/5
Good with children 4/5
Good with dogs 4/5
Friendly with strangers 3/5
Intelligence 4/5
Trainability 4/5

Activity & Living Space

Kurilian Bobtail Longhair: average score for activity and living space is high.

Energy level 4/5
Playfulness 4/5
Hunting instinct 5/5
Apartment friendly 3/5

Personality & Communication

Kurilian Bobtail Longhair: average score for personality and communication is moderate.

Affection 4/5
Independence 3/5
Vocality 2/5

Grooming & Shedding

Kurilian Bobtail Longhair: grooming and shedding demands are moderate.

Shedding 3/5
Grooming need 2/5

The 1–5 trait scores are editorial estimates, not measurements. Every cat is an individual, so treat them as a general guide.

Living with the Kurilian Bobtail Longhair

In your home a Kurilian Bobtail Longhair is seen more than heard. It does not demand attention loudly; it simply turns up wherever you are: on the chair beside your desk, outside the bathroom door, on the windowsill while you water the plants. It has plenty of energy but spends it wisely: a burst of hard play, then a long rest with one eye open.

There is a hunter inside, so the best toys are the ones that move like prey, and rotating them keeps boredom away. Clever and trainable, it learns the house rules and takes happily to new games. It gets on well with children, other cats and friendly dogs, and warms to new people in its own time.

It needs things to climb: a tall cat tree or shelves in a corner mean as much to it as a garden does to another cat. It manages alone if there is something to occupy it, and its fresh air is best taken in an enclosed yard or a netted balcony, because outdoors its hunting drive can carry it a long way.

Grooming and coat

The Kurilian Bobtail Longhair looks fluffier than its care demands. Its semi-long coat is double, with a soft undercoat, and sheds moderately, more in spring and autumn. Go over it with a wide-and-fine-toothed comb once or twice a week, and every other day during the moult, so the undercoat ends up in the comb rather than on the sofa.

Tangles form most readily behind the ears, on the belly and along the inner legs, and the longer hair turns the short pom-pom tail into a proper bobble that is worth teasing through now and then. While you comb, check the skin, ears and eyes, trim the nails, and leave the teeth to a vet at the yearly check-up.

How to do it:

By age:

Health and possible conditions

We don't have reliable health information specific to this breed, so we don't list conditions here. Keep up regular vet check-ups, and if you are getting a kitten, ask the breeder about the parents' health testing.

This is general information, not veterinary advice. For your own cat's health, tests and treatment, see a vet.

Cheapest cat food per kg

This list is the same on every cat breed page. Shops do not label cat food by breed, so it simply shows the cheapest cat food we track per kilogram. Check the label for your cat's age and health needs. Prices are updated daily.

≈ 62 g of dry food a day, from €3,55 a month For a neutered, normally active 4 kg cat. Calculate for your cat