ACFA  Pixie Bob Longhair Standard      

General: The goal of the Pixiebob breeding program is to create a domestic cat having a visual similarity to the North American Bobcat.  A requirement for this bobcat-like appearance is a large rectangular frame on long heavy boned limbs; prominent shoulders and hips; a short tail that is carried low; a spotted stand-out coat; deep, wide, cupped ears; and above all, an inverted pear-shaped head that has all it’s features in the lower half of the face.  The heavily-hooded, deep-set eyes and large fleshy chin are it’s most notable trademark characteristics.

This wild bobcat-like appearance does not reflect the true nature of the cat, which is loving, trustworthy, devoted, and fearless.  The Pixiebob comes in the short hair and the longhair varieties.  Females are proportionately smaller than males.  The Pixiebob is fully mature at 4 years of age

HEAD:

*Inverted wide pear shape; in proportion to the body, having gently rounded curves.  *Large rounded forehead. *Profile displays a convex nose and blunt muzzle, with deep chin in line with nose.  Obvious nose break between eyes.  Facial features appear to be set closely together.

 EARS:

Cupped, medium/large in height. As wide as tall, deep at base. Set Midway on head, as much on the side as on the top, with slight outward tilt.  Top of ears rounded.  Light thumb print spot behind each ear.  Black lynx tipping.

 EYES:

The wild looking eyes are the most important trait of the Pixiebob.  Medium sized, soft triangular shaped eyes.  The brushy brow, which is part of the heavily hooded appearance, is the top side of the triangle; the almost straight line downward on the inside corner of the eye is another side of the triangle and the bottom line of the eye, which slants upward toward the base of the ear, is the third side of the triangle.  Deep set, one eye width apart.  The appearance is that of feigning sleep, gazing through partially closed eyes, when relaxed, however, the heavily-hooded eyes will open when cat is alert.  From profile, the eyeballs themselves should be barely visible because they are so deep set.  Gold, brown or light gooseberry green.

 CHIN:

*Deep, very fleshy and in alignment with  the nose. *Chin hair not short and chin has noticeable grooves. *(Part of the 15 point muzzle.)

NOSE:

*Prominent dip or break between eyes accentuated by rounded forehead. *Entire length of nose is wide, with wide gentle convex across the bridge of nose. *Profile also shows nose slightly convex. *Large nose leather, brick in color. *Minimal distance between the bottom of the nose leather and the upper lip. *(Part of the 15 point muzzle)

MUZZLE:

*Equilateral soft diamond, measured from between eyes to chin, and to edge of each whisker pad, making muzzle as deep as it is wide. *Fleshy whisker pads. *Definite whisker break *Brown/black spots or bars on whisker pads. *Must appear to be smiling  **Nose/Muzzle/Chin are essential to the overall look of the Pixiebob and each are equal in the total 15 points allotted.

BODY

TORSO:                                                

*Profile: Due to length of body, the appearance is of a rectangle on long legs. *Prominent shoulder blades produce a rolling gait. *The back is not level, having a dip behind the shoulders and an upward slope toward the hips, which are medium width and quite prominent, being slightly higher than the shoulders. *From the hips follows a downward slope toward the base of the tail, which is carried low.  *Substantial muscling and large boning in both males and females.  Cat is heavier than it appears.  *Great depth and length to body.  The flank is deep and powerful in appearance, the chest is medium width and well-developed.  *Primordial pouch is evident and desirable.

LEGS:

*Long,  with heavy boning

FEET:

*Large, almost round, loosely-held paws, having big knuckles and fleshy toes.

 TAIL:

Articulated tail is desirable, however kinks, knots and curls are acceptable.  Minimum of 2 inches in length (approximate woman’s thumb length), maximum to the hock when the hind leg is fully extended.  Bone of tail determines the length.  When relaxed, the tail should be carried low.

COAT/COLOR/PATTERN

Length (PB LH):

*Medium, under 2 inches. *Semi-dense is softer than the SH, lying somewhat closer to the body. *Must stand up off the body, though not as much as in the short haired variety. *Seasonal coat changes affect color, pattern, length and density in both short and longhair Pixiebobs.  Hot weather reduces all but the ground color, which is intensified in summer season. Winter season brings a frosted appearance to the coat with ticking.    

NOTE: Facial hair is full and brushy in appearance, having a downward growth pattern on the sides of the face.  Heavy brushy brows above eyes adds to the hooded appearance. Coat separates easily and is weather resistant.

 COLOR:

All shades of brown spotted tabby.  The agouti hair must have several bands of color (reversed ticking).  This wild hare appearance has: *A mandatory mouse gray band at the skin; *The next band is the ground color, being any shade of brown.  *The next band is the darker brown to black bands for the spotting. *And finally, a band of silver ticking is found at the tip of each hair, giving the hair  a frosted appearance, more apparent in winter, less so in summer.  *Chin to belly to inner legs should be off white to cream color with mouse gray base underneath.  *Paw pads to the hocks must be dark brown/black.  End of tail should be brown/black.  *Coat color is secondary to type.

PATTERN:

Small to medium brown/black spots, with or without rosettes, random spotting preferred but spots may be aligned in a classic or vertical dripped fashion. Muted by heavy ticking in winter. Light cream or off white belly must be spotted.   *Facial markings must be strong: Mandatory band of cream or off white color encircling the entire eye; mascara must follow the outer corner of the eye downwards to the checks.  Markings on the muzzle are mandatory.  *Pattern is secondary to type.

Allowances:     *Small lockets.  *Rib barring.         PENALIZE:     *Coat too long on longhair, over 2 inches.   *Hips and chest too narrow in proportion.   *Lack of prominent hips.  *Tail carried too high.  *Belly hair too dark, belly tucked up.         WITHHOLD:     *Round eyes.  *Brow lacking. *Chin lacking. *Flat head. *Nose ridge pinched sharply upward,   distorting the soft diamond muzzle.  *Any color/pattern not described in standard.  *Lack of ticking or lack of pattern. *Cat that resembles another recognized breed including and especially the Jungle Cat   (Chausies) and Asian Leopard (Bengals),    Manx and Maine Coon.  *Tail with less than one inch of bone.   *Full length tail.