Your guide to finding and caring for an American Bobtail in Sarasota
American Bobtails suit Sarasota's mix of condos, duplexes and bungalows, because they're content indoors with a window and a person nearby. A Laurel Park duplex or a Rosemary District apartment gives a Bobtail room to climb and stalk toys, and many learn to walk on a harness along tree-lined Bay Shore Road in Indian Beach–Sapphire Shores. They mature slowly, so expect a playful adolescent for two or three years.
Bring home an American Bobtail
While we don't have enough cats near Sarasota, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
The American Bobtail is a medium, muscular cat with a naturally short, expressive tail, usually about a third to half the normal length. The breed traces to Yodie, a short-tailed brown tabby found in Arizona in the late 1960s, and the tail comes from a dominant gene unrelated to the Manx or Japanese Bobtail. Coats come short or medium-long in nearly any color, and most cats shed moderately.
Many Bobtails are sociable, clever and playful without being frantic, and owners often call them dog-like for fetching and following people around. Most adapt to children and calm dogs. In Sarasota, that sociable streak suits condo and bungalow life, though the cat will want company, climbing spots and daily play. Weekly brushing handles most coats, and a veterinarian can check the spine and hips.
Having an American Bobtail in Sarasota
Sturdy, athletic and slow to mature, the American Bobtail does best with daily play, vertical space and steady company. In Sarasota, the main adjustments are keeping the cat cool and indoors through the long, humid summer and planning ahead for hurricane season.
American Bobtails are typically affectionate and people-focused without being clingy, and many greet visitors and invent games. That sociability helps in Sarasota's condos and duplexes, where a cat meets neighbors, deliveries and changing routines. They're fairly quiet, usually chirping or trilling. Cats vary, so watch how a particular Bobtail handles being held and meeting visitors.
Plan on several short play sessions a day: wand toys, balls, fetch and food puzzles, plus a cat tree or window perch for climbing. Confident cats can learn a harness. In Sarasota's summer, walk early in the morning or after sunset, and stay close, since cane toads are active at night and can poison pets.
Bobtails are generally sturdy, but the short-tail gene can occasionally bring spine or hip trouble, so watch for stiffness, tail pain or litter box changes. In Sarasota's warm climate, year-round flea and parasite prevention matters. A veterinarian can advise on dental care, weight and yearly exams.
An American Bobtail adapts well to Sarasota's condos, apartments and houses when it has climbing spots, scratching posts and sunny windows. A tall cat tree makes good use of a small floor plan. Indoor living is safest here, with a harness walk or a screened catio for cats that crave fresh air.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Adoption fee | $100, one time | $100 in year one |
| Food | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Pet insurance | $25 to $50 per month | $300 to $600 |
| Routine vet care | $150 to $350 per year | $150 to $350 |
| Other* | $460 to $1,260 per year | $460 to $1,260 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,210 to $2,810 | |
| First-year total (with adoption fee) | $1,310 to $2,910 | |
Adoption fee is the fee on American Bobtail listings in Sarasota on GetBuddy today. Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* The $10 Sarasota County cat tag for a spayed or neutered cat, litter, flea and parasite prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, toys, a harness and supplies, and home brushing, with more for longhaired cats.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below currently have American Bobtails available.
Sarasota's shelters and rescues care for cats of all ages, and Bobtails or similar mixes may appear here. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Sarasota area where you can find American Bobtails and other cats available for adoption.
2542 17th Street, Sarasota
8451 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota
Sarasota
2331 15th Street, Sarasota
Sarasota
8101 Coash Road, Sarasota
Yes, for most adopters who can keep the cat indoors and cool. An American Bobtail enjoys company, play and climbing, which suits Sarasota's apartments, duplexes and houses. The long, humid summer and hurricane season take some planning, with air conditioning, a carrier and records ready. Expect a slow-maturing, playful cat, though each Bobtail's personality varies.
Yes, as indoor cats. Summer highs reach about 91°F with warm, humid nights, so keep the air conditioning on, put out fresh water in several spots and skip afternoon outings. Longhaired Bobtails may feel the heat more, so regular brushing helps. Never leave a cat in a parked car, since county code has a vehicle-confinement offense.
Yes. Florida law bars breed-specific rules for dangerous dogs, and Sarasota has no known breed rules for cats. Landlords and condo associations can still set their own pet limits, so read your lease or building rules first. The main legal steps are rabies vaccination and the county tag at four months, and cats running at large can be cited.
Yes. A medium cat of 7 to 16 pounds does well in an apartment with a tall cat tree, scratching posts, a window perch and daily play. Buildings set their own pet rules, so look for pet rent or fees in the lease. A screened balcony catio, if the building allows one, adds fresh air.
Yes, but only in a carrier. Breeze buses require pets to ride in small carriers that fit on the rider's lap, and Breeze OnDemand asks for an airline-approved carrier that can be carried on the lap. Most Bobtails weigh 7 to 16 pounds, so choose a roomy soft carrier. Sarasota has no rail system, only buses.
Weekly brushing is enough for most shorthaired Bobtails, while longhaired cats may need two or three sessions a week, especially when shedding picks up in warm months. Sarasota's mild winters mean little seasonal coat change. Home brushing is counted in the Other line of the cost table, so professional grooming is rarely needed.
A bobbed tail is a short tail, either naturally short from birth or, in some dogs, shortened by docking. In cats, natural bobtails come from several different gene mutations found in breeds like the American Bobtail, Japanese Bobtail and Manx. The tail may be straight, curved or kinked and is usually fully mobile and expressive despite its length.
A bobtail cat is any cat with a naturally short tail, from a stub to roughly half normal length. The term covers several breeds, including the American Bobtail, Japanese Bobtail, Kurilian Bobtail and Pixie-Bob, each with its own gene, as well as domestic cats born with short or kinked tails. Shelters often list these cats simply as bobtails.
We have 1 rescue with American Bobtails available: Cat Depot. You can see every rescue with American Bobtails available in the list above these questions, or scroll to the top to see the American Bobtails near Sarasota.
Expect roughly $25–$50 a month for food, $25–$50 a month for accident-and-illness insurance, $150–$350 a year for routine vet care, and about $460–$1,260 a year for everything else, including litter. Together that's roughly $1,200–$2,800 a year, before one-time costs such as adoption and supplies.
Expand your search to find American Bobtails available for adoption near Sarasota.
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