Your Bombay Cat, Panther-Sleek
A glossy black coat and copper eyes make a Bombay look like a tiny panther. Upload a photo for a free preview in about 30 seconds, then get it printed, framed and shipped free.
in about 30 seconds
A Bombay Cat Portrait with Real Presence
A Bombay cat portrait is all about contrast. The breed was developed in the 1950s by crossing sable Burmese with black American Shorthairs, aiming for a pocket-sized panther: a short, satiny, patent-leather coat, a rounded head, a compact and muscular body, and big copper or gold eyes that seem lit from within. Even the nose and paw pads are black.
That solid black coat is gorgeous in person and tricky on a phone, which tends to turn it into a dark shape with two glowing eyes. Our custom Bombay cat portraits are created from your own photo, so the sheen along the shoulders and the exact shade of your cat’s eyes carry through.
Upload a photo, pick a style and see a free preview in about 30 seconds. Love it? Order framed from $129 or on canvas from $89, shipped free in the US. Our black cat portraits page has more on dark coats.
Try It With Your Bombay’s Photo
Upload your best daylight shot and watch those copper eyes pop in about 30 seconds.
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Capture your pet's personality in a custom premium-print portrait. Choose the perfect size, frame, and art style to match your home—We ship every masterpiece ready to hang and enjoy.
How to Photograph a Black Bombay Cat
A black coat gives a camera very little to work with, so light and background do the heavy lifting:
- Use window light, not a lamp. Soft daylight from the side picks out the satin sheen on the shoulders and head. Dim indoor light leaves a flat black shape.
- Pick a lighter background. A pale wall, sofa or blanket separates the silhouette. A black cat on a dark rug disappears.
- Turn the flash off. It bounces off copper eyes as a bright glare and flattens the coat. If the room is dark, move closer to a window instead.
- Shoot at eye level. Crouch down so the round face and wide eyes fill the frame.
- Fix the exposure. If your phone brightens the whole picture, tap on the cat’s face and slide the brightness down a little so the coat stays rich instead of gray.
- Watch the pupils. In bright light they shrink and the copper shows. A cat fresh from a dim room has big dark pupils and less color.
- Use their social streak. Bombays love company, so have a helper chat just behind you and the cat will look right at the lens.
For more on dark coats, read our guide to photographing black pets.
Best Styles for a Bombay Cat Painting
- Black & White Charcoal — a timeless charcoal and graphite drawing. It turns a black coat into deep, velvety tones with soft highlights, and the bright eyes become the focal point.
- Royal — a museum-style oil portrait with a crown, crimson velvet and an ermine robe. Rich red against jet black is about as dramatic as it gets, and a panther-sleek cat carries it well.
- Stained Glass — a jewel-toned leaded glass window. A dark coat tends to read as bold lead lines while the copper eyes glow in amber and gold.
One honest note: a solid black coat shows less visible fur texture than a tabby or a longhair, so soft styles that rely on fine fur detail look quieter on a Bombay. Previews are free, so try your photo in all three.
Bombay Cat Portrait FAQ
It can, if your photo shows it. A sleek Bombay coat reflects soft window light as a subtle sheen along the back and head, and that’s what the portrait works from. In dim or flash photos the coat turns into a flat dark shape. Take a few shots by a window, pick the one with visible highlights, and compare styles in the free preview.
Yes. The Bombay is a specific breed with a black coat, black nose and paw pads, and copper or gold eyes. Plenty of black cats are domestic shorthairs, and the portrait process is the same either way because it works from your photo. Our black cat portraits page covers tips that suit any black coat.
The portrait follows your photo, so the eye color you see in it is the one you’ll get. Bombay eyes range from gold to deep copper, and they can look greener in cool light. Daylight photos show the truest color. Flash tends to bleach the eyes or add glare, so skip it.
It depends on the style. For a charcoal drawing, White Oak gives a light, airy contrast and Matte Black a gallery look. Pecan warms up a Royal or oil-style portrait. Every frame is solid wood, and framed prints start at $129 for 16″×16″. It mostly comes down to the wall where it will hang.
Yes. Upload one photo with both pets in it and we’ll include them together at no extra charge. Bombays are famously sociable, so a cuddling pair makes a lovely subject. If both pets are dark, use a lighter background so their outlines stay clear, and make sure both faces are sharp.
More Cat Portraits
Explore other coats and breeds, or browse all our cat portraits:
- Black Cat Portraits
- Burmese Cat Portraits
- Russian Blue Portraits
- Siamese Cat Portraits
- Cat Memorial Portraits
- All Custom Cat Portraits
You might also like:
- British Shorthair Paintings & Portraits
- Calico Cat Paintings & Portraits
- Cornish Rex Cat Paintings & Portraits
- Devon Rex Cat Paintings & Portraits
- Exotic Shorthair Cat Paintings & Portraits
Helpful guides:
See Your Pet as a Work of Art
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