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“When Mother Nature saw fit to remove the tail of the Manx,
she left, in place of the tail, more cat.”
-- Mary E. Stewart
What is a Manx cat?
The Manx is a breed of cat with
a naturally occurring mutation of the spine. This mutation shortens the
tail, resulting in a range of tail lengths from normal to tailless. Many
Manx have a small 'stub' of a tail, but Manx cats are best known as being
entirely tailless and it is the distinguishing characteristic of the breed.
Origin
The Manx breed originated on the Isle of Man, hence the name, where it is
called stubbin or kayt Manninagh in the Manx language. They are an old
breed, and tailless cats were common on the island as long as two or three
hundred years ago. The taillessness arises from a genetic mutation that
became common on the island.
There are various legends that seek to explain why the Manx has no tail. In
one of them, Noah closed the door of the ark when it began to rain and
accidentally cut off the Manx's tail. Another legend claims that the
Manx is the offspring of a cat and a rabbit which is why it has no tail and
rather long hind legs. In addition, they move with more of a hop than a
stride, like a rabbit. This legend was further reinforced by the Cabbit
myth.
Appearance
The hind legs of a Manx are longer than the front legs, creating a
continuous arch from shoulders to rump giving the cat a rounded appearance.
Tail length
Manx kittens are classified according to tail length:
Dimple rumpy or rumpy - no tail whatsoever
Riser or rumpy riser - stub of cartilage or several vertebrae under the fur,
most noticeable when kitten is happy and raising its 'tail'
Stumpy - partial tail, more than a 'riser' but less than 'tailed' (in
rare cases kittens are born with kinked tails because of incomplete growth
of the tail during development)
Tailed or longy - complete or near complete tail
Breeders have reported all tail lengths even within the same litter.
The ideal show Manx is the rumpy; the stumpy and tailed Manx do not qualify
to be shown.
Coat
Manx cats exhibit two coat lengths. The short-haired Manx has a double coat
with a thick, short under-layer and a longer, coarse outer-layer with guard
hairs. The long-haired Manx, known to some cat registries as the Cymric, has
a silky-textured double coat of medium length, with britches, belly and neck
ruff, tufts of fur between the toes and full ear furnishings. The Cat
Fanciers' Association (CFA) considers the Cymric to be a variety of Manx and
judges it in the short-hair division, while The International Cat
Association (TICA) judges it in the long-hair division. Short- or
long-haired, all Manx have a thick double-layered coat.
Health
Manx cats today are much healthier and have fewer health issues related to
their genetics than the Manx of years ago. This is due in part to the
careful selection of breeding stock, and knowledgeable, dedicated breeders.
Manx have been known to live into their mid- to high-teens and are no less
healthy than other cat breeds. Like any other cat, keeping Manx cats
indoors, neutering or spaying, and providing acceptable surfaces for the
cat's normal scratching behavior are vital to lengthen the life of any cat.
Personality
The Manx breed is a highly intelligent cat breed, it is playful, and in its
behaviour, bizarre, but very reminiscent of dogs; for example, some Manx
cats will fetch small objects that are thrown. It is considered a social
feline, and the breed loves humans. This attribute makes them an ideal breed
for families with young children and people who prefer a companion. Some
members of this breed tend to like water, many times even playing with it.
This trait makes it very easy to give some Manx cats a shower for hygiene
purposes, unlike most other cats. Although not as trainable as dogs, Manx
cats can learn simple commands. Other cat breeds that share similar
personality traits are Bengal and Ocicat. If there are multiple Manx cats in
a household, an owner might notice that they chase each other frequently.
This is common behaviour for Manx cats; they like to chase anything, be it
an animal or leaf caught in the wind. Their 'meow' often resembles a long,
monotone grunt or rapid chirping. However, Manx cats are usually very quiet.
Trivia
The Manx breed, in spite of the absence of tail, has no problems with
balance.
The Isle of Man has adopted the Manx cat as a symbol of its native origins.
On the Isle of Man, Manx cats appear on the 1988 "cat" crown and stamps.
Even though Manx cats cease to be kittens after one year, it takes up to
five years for any Manx cat to be fully grown.
The Manx was developed before the 1700s.
The breed is of medium size with an average weight of 5.5 kg (12 lb).
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