Grooming a Bombay Kitten in India is less about appearance than about catching problems early. Ten minutes with your hands in the coat finds the tick or the hot spot while it is still nothing.
Planning for about 14 years
A Bombay Kitten is with you for about 14 years. Budget and routine both need to survive that, including the last quarter of it when a small cat needs more veterinary attention than it did young.
A breed from Global / Various, living in India
The Bombay Kitten was developed in Global / Various. The part that travels badly is rarely temperament - it is the coat and the tolerance for heat. Plan the year around that and most of the rest follows.
Bathing: less than you think
Over-bathing strips the coat's oils and causes more skin trouble than it prevents. What matters more is drying thoroughly afterwards.
Balancing affectionate against social
Breeds described as both affectionate and social need the two managed together rather than separately. With a small cat that usually means a predictable routine first and training second - the routine is what makes the training stick.
The routine
Twice a week for a small cat, hands through the coat rather than a brush skimmed over the top. You are feeling for mats near the skin, scabs, ticks and damp patches.
What “affectionate” means day to day
The Bombay Kitten is described as affectionate, social, velcro-cat. Of those, affectionate is the one that shapes an ordinary day most. It is easy to read as a selling point and harder to live with than the word suggests, because it does not switch off when you are busy.
The hot months
Coat thinning, hydration and protection from hot ground. A small cat will keep going past the point it should, so the limit has to come from you.
