The Bombay is a medium-sized, solid black short-haired cat. The breed was developed in 1958 as a crossbreed between an American Shorthair and a Burmese.

Kentucky breeder Nikki Horner set out in 1953 to produce a domestic look-alike to the wild panther, or as she called it, a "Parlor Panther." In time, she achieved what she'd envisioned, by mating a black purebred American Shorthair with an award-winning Burmese. The resulting short-muzzled, lustrous black cat wasn't officially recognized as a breed by the Cat Fanciers' Association until 1976.Traditional Cats: The Traditional Bombay

• Note: The Bombay has no specific health care problems and can live well into its teens with regular veterinary exams.

• Pet Care Tips: Special Nutritional Needs for the Bombay Cat

• Catwebsite: Bombay Food and Illness

• Petmedsonline: Bombay And Common Health Issues