Manx Cat Breed

History

There are many colourful tales surrounding the origin of the Manx cats as comical as the story where Noah – yes, from the Bible! – cut off their tail as he closed the Ark door when the rain began. Records show that the Manx cats originated on the Isle of Man. The first feline is believed to have come from the nearby Wales and England or much further, but the beginning population arrived by ship on the Manx shores.

At some point, a mutation happened, and kittens were born without a tail. They first appeared in a painting in the 18th-century, but linguistic evidence shows an earlier date from the mid 17th-century, as the English word ‘stubbin’ is used for this cat breed. However, before 1750, only the Manx language was used. The Isle of Man is a small, isolated island, so inbreeding of the island population lead to the lack of tail.

The Manx were one of the original breeds at the beginning of the cat fancy in the late 1800s. The tailless longhairs appeared on the Isle of Man as well; however, they did not attain popular recognition until later. Now, the longhair variety is known as the Cymric with the same standard as the Manx.

The International Cat Association recognized both the Cymric and the Manx for championship competition in June 1979.

Appearance

The Manx and the Cymric are part of the Manx breed group. The only difference is their coat lengths, Manx being the shorthairs and the Cymrics being the longhairs. They both come in various traditional colours and patterns with bold colours and dramatic markings often seen. They also have thick coats that give them a padded feel to their body and add to their rounded look.

Manx has a double coat and some hard guard hairs that tend to have some shimmer in appearance. The Cymric have a silky texture to their plush coats with fluffy breeches and neck ruff.

Apart from being tailless, Manx is recognized for their strong and rounded appearance with great edge depth. This cat breed can, in fact, be drawn with a series of circles. They have a very round head with rounded cheeks that gives its jowly appearance, especially in the male cats.

They have high hindquarters with their back legs much longer than their forelegs, causing their rump to be higher than their shoulders. The shortness of their back forms a continuous arch from their shoulders to the rump. Their large eyes are rounded, set at a small tilt towards their ear. Their ears are wide at the base, narrowing to a rounded tip.

Their round eyes are set on a slight tilt, and their ears look like the cradles of a rocking chair, which gives them their sweet expression. Manx takes about five years to reach their full maturity. The male Max weighs around 4.5 to 5.4 kilograms, and the females, who are smaller, weigh about 3.6 to 4.5 kilograms.

While they are known for their taillessness, Manx can appear in one of the five categories:

Stumpy (stumpie) – These are cats born with a partial tail of fused vertebrae, vestigial generally around an inch in length.
Rumpy (rumpie) – These are cats with no tail at all, but a tuft of hair where the tail should be is not uncommon.
Riser or rumpy riser – These are cats that have a bump of cartilage under their fur. When they are happy, or their rumps are being petted, this bump usually rises.
Stubby (stubbie), short-tailed or shorty – These are Manx cats having a short tail of non-fused bones, up to approximately half an average cat tail. Aside from the length, their tails can move and function exactly like a regular tail.
Longy (longie) or taily (tailie) – These Manx cats have a half to normal-length tail.

Only rumpies to stumpies are eligible in competition to exhibit under the Manx category. While in CFA, stubbies and longies are still eligible but under the “any other” category. However, they are both vital in breeding stock as mating two rumpies can lead to health problems.

Personality

These calm cats are commonly playful, and their powerful hind legs make them outstanding jumpers able to get to the highest area of the house to investigate something that has caught their interest. They are brilliant cats who can quickly learn how to use their paws to open a door handle.

Manx and Cymric cats have incredible hunting abilities and can quickly learn to retrieve and sometimes hide their toys like a dog. While they have a moderately quiet voice, they can be rather chatty and frequently use a unique trilling sound.

Manx cats are people-oriented and form deep bonds with their families. They get on well with children and other pets when correctly introduced. These placid, calm cats have a lot of love to share and prefer not to be on their own for long periods of time. However, they are independent enough to manage if you’re out of the home during working hours.

Trainability

The Manx is a very trainable cat. Aside from being intelligent, they are eager to learn and crave human interaction. Whether it is following commands, playing a puzzle game, or learning a new trick, the fun-loving Manx will be involved and attentive.

Challenge their intelligent minds and keep them busy. Provide them with many puzzles and interactive toys that they can play with alternately. You can also invest in cat trees or a perch on the window where they can watch the world pass by while they are resting or while you’re at work.

These social and good-natured cats are outgoing and affectionate and will do everything to get some human attention and interaction. When a Manx is correctly socialised and trained at an early stage, they will thrive into a well-rounded, well-bred and well-mannered feline companion.

Coat & Care

Their soft, short coat is easily cared for and maintained with weekly combing to eliminate dead hair and distribute their skin oil. Check their rear end thoroughly to make sure there are no faeces clinging to their fur surrounding their anus. Clean it if needed to stop the cat from spreading poop on furniture or carpets.

Examine your Manx’s ears weekly for any dirt, debris or wax buildup. Wipe it away with clean cotton balls moistened with a vet-approved ear cleaner. Remember not to use cotton swabs as it can harm your cat’s delicate inner ear structure. Check for any foul odour, as well as this may indicate infection. Should there be any, call your vet for care and treatment.

Weekly tooth brushing is enough to keep your Manx’s teeth free from tartar buildup and tooth and gum diseases. Use a vet-approved toothbrush and toothpaste to clean their teeth and mouth effectively. In addition, safeguard not only your skin but also your furniture by trimming their nails regularly.

Check their eyes often for any dirt, stain or discharge. If their eyes are left with stain or dirt, it can result in an uncomfortable eye infection. Use a clean and soft cloth to clean their eyes. Make sure to use a different part of the fabric for each eye to avoid the spread of infection.

Health

Manx cats are considered an overall healthy cat breed. However, the gene that can make these beautiful cats tailless can also generate some health problems. For example, the defective gene responsible for the loss of the tail can also affect other parts of the spine, creating risk of severe spinal and/or neurological problems. Damaged spinal cord nerves can also lead to problems with the bowels, bladder, and gastrointestinal tract., resulting in issues like incontinence or constipation.

In addition, some Manx cats with partial tails may develop arthritis. Those with stubby tails can be prone to bacterial infections forming in the fold of their tail. There is also a concern that tailless cats like the Manx may suffer from megacolon, which causes chronic constipation.

Because of the health concerns surrounding this breed it is imperative to only buy a Manx from a registered and experienced breeder. All breeders with ethical practices will run DNA health checks on their cats. These tests can show if the cat has genetic diseases including some of those listed above.

Children & Other Pets

The Manx cat is known to be gentle yet playful. This is one of the reasons why many families with children and other pets choose them to be their family pet. They are outgoing, friendly and intelligent. They are also affectionate but not really needy, which makes them perfect for a busy household.

However, if there are children in the house, make sure to oversee any interaction between them and the cat and teach them how to handle a Manx carefully. Let them know that any pressure on their tail can cause pain to the Manx. Moreover, they should support the cat’s hindquarters when picking it up and not poke at the missing tail area.

Manx cats can live peacefully and harmoniously with other pets such as cats and cat-friendly dogs. In fact, they are delighted to live with another cat as they will have a playmate when their human companion is not around. But still, it is recommended to introduce your pets slowly and in a controlled area to make sure that they learn to get along together.