Manx cat
Also known as: Stubbin, rumpy
Breed at a glance
- Origin
- Isle of Man
- Other names
- Stubbin, rumpy
About the Manx cat
The Manx cat originated on the Isle of Man, characterized by its distinctive taillessness or short tail. Its coat comes in a variety of colors and patterns.
Overview
The Manx cat ( / ˈ m æ ŋ k s / , in earlier times often spelled Manks ) is a breed of domestic cat ( Felis catus ) originating on the Isle of Man , with a mutation that shortens the tail . Many Manx have a small stub of a tail, but Manx cats are best known as being entirely tailless; this is the most distinguishing characteristic of the breed, along with elongated hind legs and a rounded head. Manx cats come in all coat colours and patterns, though all-white specimens are rare, and the coat range of the original stock was more limited. Long-haired variants are sometimes considered a separate breed, the Cymric cat . Manx are prized as skilled hunters, and thus have often been sought by farmers with rodent problems, and been a preferred ship''s cat breed. They are said to be social, tame and active. Two local terms for the cats on their home island are stubbin (those with a short tail) and rumpy (those with no tail). Manx have been exhibited in cat shows since the 1800s, with the first known breed standard published in 1903.
Behaviour
Fanciers often describe the Manx as being doglike in behaviour. These beliefs about the Manx''s behaviour were not described in the past. Lane''s early and experienced account of the temperament of this "variety, which is quaint and interesting" is simply that they were "docile, good-tempered and sociable", and that a prize specimen should be "an alert, active animal of much power and energetic character." Manx are prized as hunters, and were thus long in demand for working roles like farm cat (Manx: lughder or lugher ''mouser'', from lugh ''mouse'') : 507 and ship''s cat ( screeberagh or screeberey : 138 loosely ''scratcher, scratchy-one'', from screebagh or screebey ''scratching, scratchy, scraping''). : 662–3
Appearance
Although tail suppression (or tail length variety) is not the sole characteristic feature of the breed, the chief defining one of the Manx cat is its absence of a tail to having a tail of long length, or tail of any length between the two extremes. This is a cat body-type mutation of the spine , caused by a dominant gene . As with the sometimes-tail-suppressed Schipperke dog and Old English Sheepdog , tail suppression does not " breed true " in Manx cats. Attempting to force the tailless trait to breed true by continually breeding tailless Manx cats to tailless Manx cats has led to increased negative, even fatal genetic disorders (see below ) . Tail length is random throughout a litter of kittens. Manx to non-Manx breeding will usually produce some Manx-type tail varieties in kittens. Whether the shorter tailed kittens of these varieties are labelled Manx is up to the breed standard consulted. Manx cats'' tails are classified according to proportional tail length as kittens (the proportion does not change after birth): Since the early days of breed recognition in the late 19th century, Manx show cats have been rumpy through stumpy specimens, with stubby and longy Manx not qualifying to be shown except in the "Any Other Variety" or household pet class. Kittens with complete tails may be born in a purebred Manx litter, having not inherited the taillessness appearance at all. Depending on the country and cat organisation referenced, rumpy, rumpy risers and stumpies are the only Manx cat tail types that fit the breed standard for Manx cats. The longer cat tail lengths seen in some Manx cats are considered a breed fault, although they occur as naturally in the breed, but not as often, as the shorter tails. Although these longer tail types are of purebred Manx ancestry, they do not possess the dominant gene so cannot pass it on. However, since the Manx tail mutation gene is dominant, these longer-tailed purebred Manx cats may still be used in breeding programs and may even be considered in an effort to help avoid the fatal spinal deformities that sometimes result in tailless Manx cats. The Manx breed is genetically distinct from the Japanese Bobtail breed, another naturally occurring insular breed. The Japanese Bobtail always has at least some tail, ranging from a small " pom " to a stubby but distinct tail, which is kinked or curled and usually has a slightly bulbous and fluffy appearance; by contrast, the Manx has a straight tail when one is present at all. The Japanese Bobtail has a markedly different appearance from the Manx, and is characterised by almond-shaped eyes, a triangular face, long ears, and lean body, like many other Asian breeds. The gene responsible for the bobbed or kinked tail in that breed is recessive and unrelated to the dominant Manx tail-suppression gene; the bobtail gene is not connected to any serious deformities, while the tail-suppression gene can, under certain conditions, giv
Breed recognition
Manx cats have been exhibited in cat shows , as a named, distinct breed (and with the modern spelling "Manx"), since the late 1800s. In that era, few shows provided a Manx division, and exhibited specimens were usually entered under the "Any Other Variety" class, where they often could not compete well unless "exceptionally good in size and markings". Early pet breeding and showing expert Charles Henry Lane , himself the owner of a prize-winning rare white rumpy Manx named Lord Luke, published the first known (albeit informal) breed standard for the Manx in his 1903 Rabbits, Cats and Cavies , but noted that already by the time of his writing "if the judge understood the variety" a Manx would be clearly distinguishable from some other tailless cat being exhibited, "as the make of the animal, its movements and its general character are all distinctive." Not all cat experts of the day were favourable toward the breed; in The Cat: Its Points and Management in Health and Disease , Frank Townend Barton wrote in 1908: "There is nothing whatever to recommend the breed, whilst the loss of the tail in no way enhances its beauty." The Manx was one of the first breeds recognised by the Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA) (the predominant United States–based pedigreed cat registry, founded in 1908), which has records on the breed in North America going back to the 1920s.
Health and genetics
The Manx taillessness gene is dominant and highly penetrant ; kittens from two Manx parents are generally born without any tail. Being homozygous for (having two copies of) the gene is usually lethal in utero , resulting in miscarriage . Thus, tailless cats can carry only one copy of the gene. Because of the danger of having two copies of the taillessness gene, breeders avoid breeding two entirely tailless Manx cats together. Because neither parent carries the tailless allele, a fully tailed Manx bred to another fully tailed Manx results in all fully tailed kittens. Some partial tails are prone to a form of arthritis that causes the cat severe pain, and in rare cases Manx-bred kittens are born with kinked short tails because of incomplete growth of the tail during development . Stumpy to long tails are sometimes docked at birth as a preventative measure. "Manx syndrome" or "Manxness" is a colloquial name given to the condition which results when the tailless gene shortens the spine too much. It can seriously damage the spinal cord and the nerves , causing a form of spina bifida , as well as problems with the bowels , bladder , and digestion . Very small bladders are indicative of the disease, and it is often difficult to diagnose. Death can occur quite suddenly, and some live for only 3–4 years; the oldest recorded was a female cat named Pharrah at seven years when affected with the disease. In one report, it was shown to affect about 30% of Manx cats studied, but nearly all of those cases were rumpies, which exhibit the most extreme phenotype . Feline expert Roger Tabor has stated: "Only the fact that the Manx is a historic breed stops us being as critical of this dangerous gene as of other more recent selected abnormalities." The breed is also predisposed to rump fold intertrigo , and to corneal dystrophy . In a review of over 5,000 cases of urate urolithiasis the Manx was noticeably under-represented, with an odds ratio of 0.35. Some tailless cats such as the Manx cats may develop megacolon , which is a recurring condition causing constipation that can be life-threatening to the cat if not properly monitored. It is a condition in which, due to absence of a tail, the smooth muscle that normally contracts to push stools toward the rectum loses its ability to do so. Following on updated genetic research, both the Australian Cat Federation and (less stringently) the GCCF impose special breeding restrictions on Manx cats (and derived stock like the Cymric), for animal welfare reasons.
Origin and folklore
Tailless cats, then called "}},"i":0}}]}'' id="mwJA"> stubbin (apparently both singular and plural) in colloquial Manx language , were known by the early 19th century as cats from the Isle of Man , hence the name , where they remain a substantial but declining percentage of the local cat population. Some folklore stories claim that tailless domestic cats were brought there by sea. They are descended from mainland stock of obscure origin. Like all house cats, including nearby British and Irish populations, they are ultimately descended from the African wildcat ( Felis lybica ) and not from native European wildcats ( Felis silvestris ), of which the island has long been devoid. The dominant trait of taillessness arises from a spontaneous mutation , the Manx taillessness gene, that eventually became common on the island because of the limited genetic diversity of island biogeography (an example of the founder effect and, at the sub-specific level , of the species-area curve ). In the Manx language, the modern name of the breed is Manninagh"}},"i":0}}]}'' id="mwXQ"> kayt Manninagh , literally ''cat of Mann'' (plural kiyt or kit ), or kayt cuttagh lit. ''bob-tailed cat''. Kayt , used as both a masculine and feminine noun, is also encountered as cayt , and depending on the exact construction, it may be lenited as chayt or gayt . : 138 The diminutive word is pishin or pishyn , ''kitten'' (with various plurals). Manx itself was often spelled Manks in English well into the late 1800s. There are numerous folktales about the Manx cat, all of them of "relatively recent origin"; : 7 they are focused entirely on the lack of a tail, and are devoid of religious, philosophical, or mythical aspects found in the traditional Irish – Norse folklore of the native Manx culture , and in legends about cats from other parts of the world. : 7 The name of the promontory Spanish Head on the coast of the island is often thought to have arisen from the local tale of a ship of the Spanish Armada foundering in the area, though there is no evidence to suggest this actually occurred. Folklore has further claimed that a tailless cat swam ashore from said shipwreck , and thus brought the trait to the island. However, tailless cats are not commonly known in Spain, even if such a shipwreck were proven. Regardless of the genetic and historical reality, there are various fanciful Lamarckian folktales that seek to explain why the Manx has a truncated tail. In one of them, the biblical Noah closed the door of the Ark when it began to rain, and accidentally cut off the tail of the Manx cat who had almost been left behind. Over the years a number of cartoons have appeared on postcards from the Isle of Man showing scenes in which a cat''s tail is being run over and severed by a variety of means including
Variants (sub-breeds)
Four new, consistent varieties have been developed from the Manx (the original version of which is now sometimes consequently called the Shorthair Manx). These are the Cymric (Longhair Manx), the Isle of Man Shorthair and Isle of Man Longhair, and the Tasman Manx, though only the Cymric has garnered widespread acceptance in breed registries as of 2014 [ update ] .
Cymric (Manx Longhair)
The Cymric or Manx Longhair is a tailless or partially tailed cat of Manx stock, with semi-long to long hair, e.g. as the result of cross-breeding with Himalayan, Persian and other longer-haired breeds early in its development. While its name refers to Wales ( Cymru ), the breed was actually developed in Canada , which has honoured the breed with a commemorative 50-cent coin in 1999. Simply covering it in their Manx breed standards, the US-based Cat Fanciers'' Association (CFA), the Co-ordinating Cat Council of Australia (CCCA), and the UK''s Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) recognise the variety as a longer-haired Manx rather than "Cymric" (the CFA and CCCA call it the Manx Longhair , while GCCF uses the term Semi-longhair Manx Variant ). The majority of cat registries have explicit Cymric standards (published separately or along with Manx). Of the major registries, only the Feline Federation Europe (FFE) does not recognise the breed or sub-breed at all, under any name, as of October 2014 [ update ] (their Manx standard was last updated 17 May 2004).
Frequently asked questions
What are the key characteristics of the Manx cat?
The Manx cat is known for its distinctive features, including a shortened or absent tail, elongated hind legs, and a rounded head. They come in various coat colours and patterns. Manx cats are generally sturdy and compact, with a broad chest and strong muscles.
Is the Manx cat a good family cat?
Manx cats are known for their affectionate and playful personalities, making them suitable for families with children. However, their strong will and independent nature may require patient and consistent training. Early socialization is essential to ensure they get along well with family members.
What health problems do Manx cats have?
Manx cats are prone to spinal problems, such as spina bifida and herniated discs, due to their genetic mutation. They may also experience obesity, heart disease, and kidney disease. Regular veterinary check-ups and a healthy lifestyle can help mitigate these risks.
How much does a Manx cat kitten cost?
The cost of a Manx cat kitten varies depending on factors like location, breeder reputation, and bloodline. On average, a Manx kitten can cost between $600 to $1,200. It's essential to research reputable breeders and consider the long-term costs of owning a cat, including food, veterinary care, and supplies.