Your guide to finding and caring for a Bombay in Birmingham
Bombays suit Birmingham's apartment neighborhoods well, especially a cat who wants company. In Highland Park, where historic apartments sit next to newer condominiums, a Bombay can claim a sunny window and a lap in the evening without needing much space. Most are happy playing indoors with a wand toy and following you from room to room. Pedigreed Bombays are uncommon, so many cats listed under the name are sleek black shorthairs with copper eyes.
Open your home to a Bombay
While we don't have enough cats near Birmingham, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
M, 4 y., 628 miles
Bombay, Domestic Short Hair
M, 3 y., 628 miles
Bombay, Domestic Short Hair
F, 3 y., 628 miles
Bombay, Domestic Short Hair
M, 2 y., 628 miles
Bombay, Domestic Short Hair
M, 5 y., 628 miles
Bombay, Domestic Short Hair
M, 5 y., 628 miles
Bombay, Domestic Short Hair
F, 4 y., 628 miles
Bombay
M, 2 y., 628 miles
Bombay, Domestic Short Hair
M, 0-6 mo., 649 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Bombay
M, 0-6 mo., 649 miles
Domestic Short Hair, Bombay
Bombays were developed in the United States starting in the 1950s, when Nikki Horner of Kentucky crossed sable Burmese with black American Shorthairs, aiming for a miniature black panther. The result is a medium, surprisingly solid cat, usually 6 to 12 pounds, with a satiny coat that is black to the roots, black paw pads and round gold to copper eyes.
Many are affectionate, playful and curious, and they often follow their people around the house. Some learn fetch or harness walking. The short coat needs little care in Birmingham's humid climate, but a Bombay's need for company means it does best where someone is home for part of the day. Cats vary, and a black shorthair listed as a Bombay may not share every trait.
Having a Bombay in Birmingham
Bombays pair a low-maintenance coat with a high need for company. In Birmingham, that usually means an indoor cat with window perches and daily play, an appetite to manage, and a household where someone is home part of the day.
Many Bombays are outgoing and attached to their people, greeting visitors and following along in a small apartment or a larger house alike. Some dislike long workdays alone, which matters for commuters. They often accept other cats and calm dogs after slow introductions, though each cat's history and socialization shape how quickly it warms up.
Plan on daily play with wand toys, chase games or fetch, plus food puzzles. Indoors is the safest place for it, since coyotes have been sighted in Birmingham-area neighborhoods. Some Bombays learn harness walks with patient training. Regular play also helps manage weight, because these sturdy, food-motivated cats gain easily.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy has been reported in Bombays, so a veterinarian can listen to the heart at a first exam. Some cats have watery eyes, and many gain weight easily, which raises diabetes and joint risks. Birmingham's long, humid warm season makes steady flea prevention worthwhile, alongside measured meals and dental care.
A Bombay fits Birmingham's rentals and houses alike. Window perches, cat trees and scratching posts matter more than floor space, and a tall tree gives a curious cat a view. A home where someone is around part of the day suits them, and indoor living keeps them safe from traffic and coyotes.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Pet insurance | $30 to $60 per month | $360 to $720 |
| Routine vet care | $150 to $350 per year | $150 to $350 |
| Other* | $450 to $1,150 per year | $450 to $1,150 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,260 to $2,820 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* Litter, flea and tick prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, toys, scratchers and other supplies, and minimal home grooming for the short coat.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below have cats available in and near Birmingham.
Birmingham's shelters and rescues care for many cats, and black shorthairs with the Bombay look often turn up among them. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Birmingham area with cats available for adoption, worth asking whether a Bombay is coming in.
Yes. Birmingham has no known breed rules for cats. You'll need a rabies vaccine by three months, a city license by four months, and your landlord's approval if you rent. Because pedigreed Bombays are uncommon, watch the listings on this page for sleek black cats with copper eyes, and save a search to hear about new ones.
Yes, a Bombay usually does well in an apartment when it gets daily play and company. Window perches, a tall cat tree and scratching posts matter more than square footage. Since many Bombays dislike long stretches alone, think about your work hours, and confirm your lease allows cats and what pet deposit or monthly pet rent applies.
Often, for people who are home part of the day and want an affectionate indoor cat. Birmingham's mild winters and air-conditioned summers suit a short-coated cat, while spring storm season means keeping a carrier ready. A Bombay that dislikes being alone may struggle with long days away, so match the cat's own temperament to your routine.
Yes, as indoor cats. Summers are long and humid, with about 65 days a year reaching 90°F, but a short-coated Bombay does well with air conditioning, shade, fresh water and a cool place to rest. Close blinds on sunny windows, never leave a cat in a parked car, and treat heavy panting or drooling as a reason to cool the cat and call a vet.
Not on MAX buses, which generally don't allow animals other than service animals, and Birmingham has no subway or rail. A Bombay in an airline-approved carrier can use MAX On-Demand shared rides, which cost $1.50 one way. A secure, ventilated carrier that your cat already knows from home makes vet trips and any rides much easier.
Very little. A weekly brushing or a wipe with a soft cloth keeps the short, satiny coat glossy, and shedding is low. Birmingham's humidity doesn't change that much, though wiping watery eyes and regular nail trims help. Grooming costs are minimal and sit within the Other line of the cost table, along with litter, prevention and dental care.
Expect roughly $105 to $235 a month all in for a Bombay: food runs $25 to $50 and insurance $30 to $60 a month, with routine vet care of $150 to $350 a year and other costs of $450 to $1,150 a year. That works out to about $1,260 to $2,820 yearly, before emergencies or illness.
Expand your search to find Bombays available for adoption near Birmingham.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in Birmingham.
