A. The most common type of cat in Japan is the Japanese Bobtail. The tails are not cut and are passed down from parent to kitten. Bobtails have had their short tails (usually less than three inches in length) for hundreds of years and no one knows for sure why. The first theory is that the breed is an extremely ancient one known as the Malay cat that was imported to Japan and died out in its original home. These cats once existed in parts of what is now known as Thailand and