Manx
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 (an example of the Founder effect).
The Manx tailless gene is dominant and highly penetrant;
kittens from Manx parents are generally born without any tail.
Having two copies of the gene is lethal and kittens are usually
spontaneously aborted before birth. This means that tailless
cats can carry only one copy of the gene. Because of the danger
of having two copies of the tailess gene, breeders have to be
careful about breeding two tailess Manxes together. (A similar
problem occurs with the gene responsible for the Scottish
Fold.)
Problems can be avoided by breeding tailess cats with
tailed ones and this breeding practice is responsible for the
decreasing occurrence of spinal problems in recent years.
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. In the past, kittens with stumpy or
full tails have been docked at birth as a preventative measure
due to some partial tails being very prone to a form of
arthritis that causes the cat severe pain
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
Pedigreed 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.
Manx Syndrome
Manx Syndrome is a colloquial name given to the condition which
results when the mutant tailless gene shortens the spine too
much. It can seriously damage the spinal cord and the nerves
causing spina bifida as well as problems with the bowels,
bladder, and digestion.
In one study it was shown to affect about 20% of Manx cats,
but almost all of those cases were rumpies, which exhibit the
most extreme phenotype. Actual occurrences of this are rare in
modern examples of the breed due to informed breeding
practices.
Most pedigreed cats are not placed until four months of age
(to make sure that they are properly socialised) and this gives
adequate time for any health problems to be identified.
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 usually are very quiet cats
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