A tailless cat originating long ago during the age of the Vikings on the Isle of Man, the Manx breed is known for its robustness, rounded features, and powerful hindquarters that allow it to jump to perches otherwise out of reach for most other species of feline.
Personality
Manx cats become devoted to their families and are a playful and intelligent species. Because of their love of interacting with their families the Manx are often described as being very “dog like” in their behavior. These dog like traits run deep enough to create protective qualities where Manx cats have been known to come to the rescue of family members who are in real or supposed danger.
Manx have retained their instinct and love of hunting so you can forget about mouse traps and rat traps. The rodent community soon learns to avoid your house at all costs. Kittens learn early on from their parents how to hunt using whatever props are available such as toys, bugs, and other household objects that may resemble suitable prey.
Did You Know?
Manx cats were some of the original species of show cats, being displayed at the first cat shows in Great Britain, and one of the founding breeds when the CFA was first formed in 1906.
The Manx breed is mostly tailless but still contains at least one gene for creating a full tail. On rare occasions two cats carrying the gene for full tails have been known to produce a full tailed kitten.
The Manx gene has varying effects on the length of tail. True Manx cats have no tail and are known as ‘rumpies’, those with a short stub of a tail are known as ‘stumpies’, and those with a long although not full length tail are referred to as ‘longies’.
Caring for Your Manx Cat
Manx cats are clean but their lack of a tail can cause problems when releasing feces. The fur may trap a small amount and the Manx will use whatever is handy to rid themselves of it, including your furniture and carpet.
Due to their long fur Manx will need regular grooming but this is not a problem due to their love of attention. New foods should be introduced slowly as Manx have also been known to have sensitive stomachs.
If you have a Manx cat in your life, please share your experiences below.
Image: Jonik via Wikimedia Commons
jennifer leagan says
September 12, 2016 at 7:45 amwe just rescued – adopted 2 cats from a woman who due to health issues could not continue to care for them. she wanted them to stay together as they had been together since 6 months old. one of them is a manx. we had never had any experience with manx breed before but we are sold. we have never, ever seen such a loving, warm, affectionate cat before. he is so intelligent and follows us around. he talks to us with a trill sometimes. he has adjusted to the move so very quickly while the other cat, an american short hair, is still adjusting and will take awhile longer. if later we look for another cat – it will be a manx~!
Laurie says
April 30, 2015 at 10:26 pmI have what I now believe is a manx cat although he is not longhaired. He was born with what the vet assistant called a “stub tail”. He is a great jumper, great hunter, and extremely dog-like. Very informative article. Thanks!
meowmeowmans says
July 27, 2014 at 11:26 amWe love Manx kitties! Thank you for teaching us a little more about them in your post. 🙂
Traveling Cats says
July 27, 2014 at 3:21 amI love Manx kitties. They have the most adorable face.
Marg says
July 25, 2014 at 9:35 pmWe did enjoy this post. I never knew much about manx cats. Interesting that they can have different lengths of tails. Have a great day.