Manx Cat Breed

Body Size - Medium
Coat Length - Short and Long
Life Span - Up To 18 Years

Manx Description

The Manx is a powerfully built cat whose most noticeable feature is presence of a very shortened tail or absence of a tail altogether. Variants of tail length are referred to as "rumpies" (no tail, hollow where tail should begin), "risers" (very small remnant of tail present), "stumpies" (slightly longer tail remnant), and "longies" (obvious tail present). Manx cats have a rounded head and long rear limbs, such that the rump is higher than the head when the cat is standing erect. The coat is double, with a short, dense undercoat underlying a coarser, slightly longer topcoat that may be shed in summer. Solid and patterned coats are acceptable. Some refer to shorthaired cats as Manx and longhaired cats as Cymric.

Manx History

Manx cats originated on the Isle of Man off England's west coast. It is not known whether the breed arose from a spontaneous mutation or from naturally tailless shipboard cats from other countries that swam ashore after shipwrecks. The Manx breed has been in the United States for at least 100 years, and is one of America's earliest recognized cat breeds.

Manx Traits

Manx are intelligent cats that are very long-lived, and are reported to age gracefully.

Manx Health

The tailless trait can be associated with abnormalities of the anatomy of the hindquarters, leading to problems secondary to abnormal anal openings in kittens, spina bifida in kittens, and constipation in adults. Kittens may have an unusual hopping walk but adults should have a normal gait.

Manx Summary

The Manx is a difficult cat to breed. Manx are not prolific. The trait for tail length in cats is carried on a single chromosome, of which any given individual has two copies. The tailless trait is associated with early embryonic death, so most kittens carrying both "tailless" copies of their tail length gene die before birth. To maintain the breed, therefore, one must strive to create animals that have one "tailless" copy and one "tail" copy of the tail length gene. This is achieved by breeding "rumpies" (the tailless variant) to "risers", "stumpies" or "longies" (the tailed variants). The overall impression of the Manx cat is that of roundness; round head with firm, round muzzle and prominent cheeks; broad chest; substantial short front legs; short back which arches from shoulders to a round rump; great depth of flank and rounded, muscular thighs. The Manx should be alert, clear of eye, with a glistening, clean, well-groomed coat. They should be surprisingly heavy when lifted. Manx may be slow to mature and allowance should be made in young cats.