25.08.2022

Do you have a fat Bombay cat, or are they supposed to be huge?

Bombay cats, with their lustrous dark coats and striking yellow eyes, are royalty among black cats. These kitties are persuasive charmers that effortlessly put their humans under a spell.

Since they are relatively rare in the UK, you may struggle to find accurate size standards and determine whether you have a fat Bombay cat. If you suspect that your furry friend is heavier than they should be, join us in tackling the following questions:

• What’s the standard size, weight, and body type of Bombay cats?
• How to tell if your cat is fat
• How to help an overweight cat of this breed get fit

We’ll also introduce you to the nutrient-dense cat food products that can help Bombay kitties stay in excellent shape for life.

Standard Bombay cat size, weight, and body type

Bombay cats aren’t your average black cats. Their coat is the deepest, glossiest shade of black. Even their noses and paw pads are the blackest black, giving them a dramatic mystical look! Bombays should be small and athletic, and you can refer to the following table to understand their distinguishing physical traits:

You can effortlessly notice the shapely outline of a healthy Bombay cat when they sit or stand. If that’s not the case with your kitty, they may either be fat or belong to a different breed like the Himalayan or Norwegian Forest.

By all standards, I’m a petite, heavy-boned lil’ panther.

Source: apredhomme

How to determine if a Bombay cat is fat

You can visually and physically assess if your Bombay cat is fat, fit, or anorexic. Check out the table below to learn how:

You’re looking at a lean, mean predator, hooman. Thinking about rationing my treats? Don’t.

Source: waynenapo.chiquitere

Are Bombay cats prone to obesity?

Since Bombay cats are bred from Burmese cats, they have a high genetic propensity to develop obesity and type 2 feline diabetes. The following factors further contribute to unhealthy weight gain in this breed:

1. Sedentary lifestyle—Bombay cats, like Bengals and Siamese, are playful, sociable, and athletic kitties who need to release their energy through physical and mental activities. An inactive lifestyle leads to muscle atrophy and increases the body fat percentage
2. Overeating—Bombay cats should eat in controlled portions, about 40–45 calories daily per kilo of their body weight. They can gain extra pounds by:
1. Gorging on dry food (which is usually high in fats and carbs)
2. Snacking frequently on harmful high-calorie products like:
1. Eggs
2. Dairy (milk, cheese, ice cream, etc.)
3. Pasta
4. Crisps
5. Pork
6. Bacon
3. Poor diet—Bombay cats are hardcore carnivores who stay muscular on a natural diet of whole meat with more than 50% protein. Many cat food products are not transparent about the quality or quantity of meat used, causing your kitty to gain weight because they’re getting inadequate proteins and unnecessary fats, carbs, or fillers

How to get a Bombay cat to lose weight

If your Bombay kitty is overweight, you should get them back in shape gradually, as crash diets are life-threatening for felines. Here’s what you should focus on:

1. Increasing your Bombay cat’s daily activities
2. Creating a calorie-deficit diet

How to make your Bombay cat more active

Your cat should exercise 20–45 minutes each day, depending on their target weight goal and current health status. Bombay cats love climbing and jumping, so they naturally gravitate towards toys like cat towers and fish poles. They also love:

• Stimulating catnip-scented toys
• Interactive toys (electronic mice, lasers, etc.)

If your kitty is up for it, play fetch with them in your garden or take them for a walk in a spacious park.

More exercise, less treats? I’m getting cold feet already.

Source: the.dark.chicken

Dieting plan for a Bombay cat

There are three aspects of a calorie-deficit diet for an overweight Bombay cat:

1. Amount of calories fed—Feed your kitty 75%–80% of their regular portions, which should amount to 120–150 calories for a 4-kilo Bombay cat. Here’s an estimate of the calories offered by different cat food products per 100 grams:
1. Biscuits—350–400 calories
2. Wet food—70–100 calories
3. Semi-moist food—250–300 calories
2. Meal intervals—Your cat’s calorie consumption should be distributed between two meals at an interval of 8–12 hours, but many studies have also found that the OMAD (one meal a day) diet is suitable for weight loss in felines
3. Nutrients in cat food—Dieting felines are at a higher risk of developing nutritional deficiencies. Ensure your kitty has more than 50% animal protein (with amino acids like taurine and arginine) to build lean muscle mass and up to 20% healthy fats to regulate organ function. They shouldn’t consume more than 3% carbs, or the entire weight loss regime would be ineffective

Once your kitty sheds those extra pounds, you can tweak their calorie consumption and meal schedule according to their lifestyle, but the nutrient ratio in cat food should remain the same.

Dieting is fun when cat food has more taste and more meat—win your kitty over with Untamed!

Image (c) Untamed

Let Untamed take care of your Bombay cat’s waistline

If you want vet-designed formulas to manage your Bombay cat’s weight loss or improve their regular diet, try Untamed. Our wet food is ideal for everyday consumption because it’s made with whole meat and has all amino acids, vitamins, and minerals in the correct ratios.

Untamed gravy and jelly dishes contain more than 60% protein, which is twice more than what average products offer. Our grain-free and high-protein recipes are designed to help felines build and maintain lean muscles and robust bones.

We use human-grade whole meat as our protein source and avoid low-quality fillers like meat derivatives, bone meals, and vegan proteins. Our food is also free from iffy ingredients like corn, sugar and starch, dairy, vegetables, and fruits. Untamed meals are:

1. Highly digestible—We steam our food to retain the nutrients and natural aroma. The process also makes meat soft and easily digestible, preventing retching, regurgitating, vomiting, diarrhoea, and constipation
2. Allergen-free—Untamed is ideal for kitties with food allergies or tummy sensitivities because we don’t add known feline allergens, harsh preservatives, or artificial flavour enhancers to our food
3. Yummy—Even the fussiest kitty divas won’t reject our food because it's not only healthy but delicious as well

Overweight Bombay cats can acquire their signature lean physique within months of starting the Untamed diet, combined with a suitable exercise regime. Our menu offers chicken, liver, duck, tuna, mackerel, salmon, shrimp, ham, and sardines. Take our TRY NOW quiz to create a customised trial meal box for your kitty!

Staying lean with a smile—with Untamed, every day is a banquet!

Image (c) Untamed

Whatever stage in life your Bombay is at, keep Untamed on the menu

Untamed works fabulously for all cat breeds at every life stage. Use our food for:

• A weight-gain diet for growing kittens
• Blood sugar management for diabetic cats
• Alleviation of gastrointestinal issues or poor appetite in older cats

Our food can also help prevent many feline diseases like diabetes, UTIs, bladder stones, and IBS. Here’s what our subscribers have shared about the gradual benefits of switching to our meals:

Delish food for my long-term health—mummy knows best!

Image (c) Untamed

Order Untamed trial box online

Visit our online cat food store to order a trial box for your Bombay cat. The process is simple:

1. Take our TRY NOW quiz
2. Select the products
3. Place your order

We’ll deliver your order in a day with free shipping. You can get regular monthly supplies with our tailored cat food subscription, which allows you to modify, cancel, or postpone a delivery anytime.

At Untamed, we keep our operations eco-conscious—our packaging is fully recyclable, and we buy raw ingredients from ethical meat suppliers.

Why are Bombay cats rare? A brief history

Bombay cats were created for the same reason as Bengal and Savannah cats—the desire to have house felines with stunning wild-like features. The Bombay cat was first developed in the 1950s by an American breeder named Nikki Horner. She wanted a kitty who resembled a miniature Bagheera, the black panther/leopard character from Mowgli. The first Bombay was born when Nikki bred a sable female Burmese cat with a black-coated male American Shorthair.

As the breed gained popularity, breeders across the pond developed the British Bombay cat in the 1960s by breeding a Burmese cat with a British Shorthair. American and British Bombays look alike, but their eye colours can vary. American variants have golden- to copper-tinged eyes, but their British counterparts can also have green eyes.

Bombay cats are a rare breed because they are lesser known and not as easily available as popular breeds like Persian and Siamese cats. Only a few breeders in the UK have purebred Bombays. Potential adopters also get confused about the distinctive physical features of this breed, often mistaking black Maine Coons, Siberians, and Scottish Folds for Bombay cats.