The manx cat is very similar to the British shorthair, with the exception of the tail. His body is firm and compact, with a broad chest and a short back.
The rump is rounded and must be higher than the cross. The legs are short and strong, the back being a little longer than the front. Exposed cats should have no tail completely, with the rump completely rounded; However, strains of different lengths are allowed in pet cats or breeding cats.
Manx cat photos
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Physical characteristics
The Manx cat is similar to the British Shorthair body type, with the exception of the tail. The body is compact and strong with a wide chest and a short back. The sciatica region is rounded and slightly raised. Exhibition cats are distinguished by the absolute absence of a tail, but if you do not plan to raise and keep a cat as a pet, its presence is acceptable
The minimum weight of representatives of this breed is 3.5 kg and the maximum is 5 kg.
Distinctive features
- Body: This cat is medium in size. The abdomen is pressed, the back is not long. There is an important rounding in the Lumbar Cat region.
- Head: The head of the Manx is large, round. The cheeks are well developed and the nose is of medium length.
- Eyes: slightly inclined eyes are also rounded. Their color must correspond to the color of the coat.
- Ears: high, medium length. The ends are slightly sophisticated.
- Tail: At the place where the tail grows, the manx must have a hole. It is completely missing or half a tail to the cat.
- Pelage: Manx cats are plush to the touch. This sweetness is obtained thanks to double wool. And the “duality” is due to the fact that the external hair is longer than the under-point and that it does not adapt perfectly to the body. Some compare the coat of the cat without a manx tail to that of a rabbit. The comparison is reinforced when you look at how the manx moves. They do not walk or run, but move by jumping.
Color
There is no restriction on the coloring of male kittens, it can be any. A cardinally black color is just as good as a turtle scales, or a gray or a rainbow, but the only thing in the United States is that the Manx is not recognized in chocolate, Siamese, The lilac or a combination of these colors with white.
Character and behavior
Manx cats have a calm, balanced character. They adapt well to living conditions and are very sociable both to the owner and to other roommates. They love children and easily find common ground with dogs. Manx cats need communication and company.
These cats are loyal, inquisitive and gentle, as well as intelligent and obedient. They have not lost their hunting instinct, so they hunt mice and rats very well.
In order not to let the owner, the Manx cat will try to take part in it or at least be aware of the events. He has a supernatural ability to capture the mood of the people he lives with.
Manx cats like to play with water, but they don’t like to wash. By the way, these cats do not know how to climb trees, so keep that in mind.
Manx cats are extremely intelligent, friendly and adaptable, making them the ideal breed for most families. Do these funny, reliable and eye-catching cats appeal to you? Share your thoughts and ideas in the comments below!
Cohabitation with other animals and children
Since this is a very social and playful breed, Manx cats can be friendly towards other animals and children, especially if they are taught to communicate from the first months of life. Socialization is usually very easy. The Manx will love the company of other cats as well as the friendly dogs, just make sure the dog is really calm about the cats.
When it comes to communicating with children, problems can only arise if the child behaves inappropriately with the animal. As with other cats, you will need to teach the kids how to play properly with their new furry buddy. No cats, including the Manx cat, will tolerate being pulled, thrown into the air or tugged at their tails. Do not forget that Manx cats are hunters, so you should not keep small pets like hamsters, chinchillas or birds in the same house with them, because they can be mistaken for prey.
Health
Each animal has its own health characteristics, including genetic ones. But some breeds are more prone to disease than others, so it’s always worth keeping in mind potential problems. Manx cats are relatively healthy, but they have tendencies of their own, less common among other breeds.
Manx cats have an increased risk of developing tail arthritis.
- There is the so-called “Manx cat syndrome”, named after the breed itself. It usually begins to develop in four-month-old Manx and manifests itself through problems with the intestines, digestion and urinary tract. The syndrome occurs in 20% of Manxes and most commonly in Rampies. That is why it is worth taking Manx kittens only over four months old and avoiding breeders who cannot provide birth certificates and health certificates for cats (this advice is suitable for those who want to take any cat, not just a Manx).
- Corneal dystrophy is clouding of the eye caused by a substance formed in the transparent outer layer of the eye, the cornea. This feature also manifests itself in the fourth month of the life of a Manx kitten.
- Yes, the 20% chance of developing Manx Feline Syndrome sounds intimidating, we understand, and it’s a very unpleasant condition. But apart from this syndrome and corneal dystrophy, the Manx cats do not have serious genetic diseases and are usually very healthy.
Life expectancy
With appropriate care, the Manx cat can live from 12 to 15 years old.
Care
The care of the Manx cat is basically the same as in any other breed, never neglecting visits to the vet to control the development of its spine and to always keep up to date with its vaccinations and deworming. As for daily habits, it is important to control your diet and ensure that it is always of the highest quality and in the right quantity. It is not an especially breed prone to put on weight, but it can gain weight with relative ease if it overfeeds and does not perform adequate physical exercise.
Nor should you neglect its physical appearance, which is achieved by frequent brushing, especially in the long-haired variety, to remove dead hair and avoid the appearance of tangles. It is advisable not to bathe it completely too many times, because it is not necessary and because it may lose its own skin protection. However, a bath every two months may be necessary, and in which case it must always be done with a specific cat shampoo.
Fun facts
- There are many legends created around the appearance of these cats and their absence of tail. One of the most popular dates back to the ancient bible, even. And it is that this story tells that Noah cut the tail of a cat of this breed inadvertently by closing the doors of the ark. Other stories claim that a motorcycle was the one that cut the tail of a Manx cat when passing over it, or that the breed may be the origin of the cross between a cat and a rabbit. Of course, none of them are plausible, but they are very striking and creative in trying to explain the Manx’s best known feature.
- The fact that its hind legs are longer than the front ones responds to the greater need for support than other breeds and to maintain balance despite not having a tail. When walking it is something that is not so noticeable, but when it runs it is quite striking, peculiar and even fun, because it runs in a way that is more reminiscent of a rabbit than a cat.
- Although it is not one of the best known or numerous breeds in the world, it is quite easy to find representations of this animal in different cultural examples, especially in animation series and video games.
- Sometimes it can be confused with the Japanese bobtail cat, but the truth is that they are quite different. The bobtail always has one or more joints in the tail, and its hind legs keep the proportion visibly, so they can be differentiated just by watching them closely.
History of the breed
The Manx tailless cat has been known for hundreds of years on the Isle of Man, where there are several legends about its exact origin. One of them claims that it was Noah who cut his tail by closing the door of the arch too quickly. Another says that the tailless cats swam to the coast of the Isle of Man from the broken galleons of the Spanish Navy in 1588. The absence of a tail is probably due to a genetic mutation probably caused by the inbreeding reproduction between Small population of short-haired British island.
The genetic mutation causing the lack of tail can also be responsible for other bone malformations. Despite this, the manx cat can be introduced at all major cat shows in the UK.