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Manx

Manx

At a Glance

The Manx is a medium-sized round, heavy cat resembling a bowling ball. Most are known for their lack of a tail, however not all kittens are born tailless. These even-tempered cats have a lot of affection to share and prefer not to be left alone for long periods of time. They get along well with children and other family pets. Together the Manx and Cymric comprise the Manx breed group. They differ only in coat length with the shorthair known as the Manx. The medium to short coat is easy to maintain. Find out more about this breed and if the Manx is right for you and your family.

Attending a cat show

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All About Cats

Printable Breed Introduction
Breed Standard
Pet Buyer’s Guide
Manx-Full-Body
Temperament

Affectionate

Height/Weight Range

Medium-sized cat with heavy boning and a compact body. The shortness of body may cause one to mistakenly think they are overweight. While altered cats do often carry a bit of extra weight, they should not be obese.

Adult females
Adult males
Life Expectancy

16+ years

Colors

The Manx can be found in any color and pattern. They can be any pattern in black, brown, chocolate, cinnamon, blue, lilac, fawn, red, and cream, with or without white, as well as silver and smoke.

Similar Breeds

Opposite Breeds

About The Breed

These even-tempered, calm cats have a lot of affection to share and prefer not be on their own for long periods of time. The friendly, loving Manx is best known for their taillessness and have been known to carry on a conversation in a sweet trilling voice. They generally will bond most closely with the person who feeds them yet are great family cats. They are able to entertain themselves, are trustworthy if left alone for work hours, and so happy when family returns.

Some Manx cats give all their love to a single person while others are affectionate toward the entire family, including children.

The overall appearance should be that of a medium-sized, compact, muscular cat. The Manx and Cymric have a round head with a firm muzzle and prominent cheeks, short front legs, height of hindquarters, great depth of flank, and a short back which forms a smooth continuous arch from the shoulders to the round rump. Manx and Cymric are slow in maturing and allowance should be made for young cats in judging depth of flank, stud jowls in the male, and overall lack of maturity. The Manx and Cymric should appear tailless. There is no penalty for a rise of bone or cartilage which does not stop the judges hand when the palm is stroked down the back and over the rump. The rump of the Manx and Cymric is felt with the palm of the hand ONLY. The flank should have greater depth than any other breed, adding much to the short, cobby appearance.

View Full Breed Standard

Often compared to a mini race car driver, they tend to accelerate through the house, making sharp turns and quick stops. Gentle and playful, Manx cats are excellent jumpers and have the ability to get to the highest corner to investigate something that has sparked their interest. Given that ability, the mature Manx is often a floor model. Manx cats are highly intelligent. Challenge their brain by teaching them tricks and providing puzzle toys that will reward with kibble or treats. It’s not unusual to find a Manx playing fetch or carrying their toys around. The are known to drown their toys in their water dish, so be prepared for water changes!

Some Manx give all their love to a single person while others are affectionate toward the entire family, including children.

TICA Regions, Clubs & Rescues

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Click here to find a club near you and contact information for your regional director and website.

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Find Manx
  • They are one of the oldest known cat breeds.
  • They hail from the Isle of Man.
  • Their hind legs are longer than the front, so the rump is raised in the air.
  • In days gone by, some people thought they saw the breed with a hopping gait and this, combined with the longer hind legs and lack of tail, gave rise to the moniker of ‘bunny cat’.
  • Koko, the gorilla that learned American Sign Language, chose a Manx for a pet and named him All Ball.
  • A Manx should look like a bear from the side and like a bulldog coming toward you.

Breed Information & Characteristics

The mature Manx with all its rounded contours reminds one of a bowling ball. It is a round, heavy cat of medium size. Its primary feature is its lack of a tail. Not all kittens are born tailless. The ideal Manx has a rounded rump with just a dimple where the tail would have been however some have short stubby tails and some are born with full-length tails. But the intelligent Manx is far more than just a cat without a tail! Its hind legs are longer than the front legs so the rump is raised in the air. In days gone by, some people thought they saw a hopping gait and this, combined with the longer hind legs and lack of tail, gave rise to the moniker of ‘bunny cat’. These charming cats claim an origin from the Isle of Man and come in two coat lengths: the shorthair known as the Manx and the longhair known as the Cymric.

Several colorful tales surround the origin of the Manx including the one where Noah cut off its tail as he closed the Ark door as the rain began. The records show the breed originated on the Isle of Man. The first cats may have come from nearby England and Wales or they may have come from further afield, however, the initial population arrived by ship on the Manx shores. At some point, a mutation occurred so kittens were born without the vertebrae of a normal tail. The first picture of one appears in a painting from 1810 however linguistic evidence suggests an earlier date around 1750 as the English word ‘stubbin’ is used for the Manx whereas prior to 1750 only the Manx language was used. A small island, the Isle of Man is an isolated area so inbreeding of the island population resulted in the lack of a tail becoming a common trait. Manx were among the original breeds at the dawn of the cat fancy in the late 1800s as we find them in the show records from that era. Tailless longhairs also appeared on the Isle of Man, however, they did not achieve mainstream recognition until later. Today, the longhair is known as the Cymric with an identical standard to the Manx. TICA recognized both the Cymric and the Manx for championship competition in June 1979.

These gentle cats are generally playful and their powerful hindquarters make them excellent jumpers able to get to the highest corner to investigate something that has attracted their interest. They are intelligent cats quickly learning how to use their paws to turn a door handle to get to a room containing something they want. Manx and Cymrics quickly learn to retrieve and sometimes bury their toys like a dog. While they have a relatively quiet voice, they can be quite talkative and often use a unique trilling sound. They are people-oriented cats who form strong bonds with their families. They get on with children and other pets when properly introduced. These even-tempered, calm cats have a lot of affection to share and prefer not be on their own for long periods of time.

Together, the Manx and the Cymric comprise the Manx breed group. They differ only in coat length with the shorthairs known as Manx and the longhairs as Cymrics. They come in all traditional colors and patterns often with bold colors and dramatic markings. They have a thick coat that gives a padded feel to the body and adds to the rounded look. The shorthaired Manx has a double coat and the somewhat hard guard hairs tend to have a gloss appearance. The longhaired Cymric has a silky texture to the plush, medium-length coat with fluffy breeches and neck ruff.

While lack of a tail is the immediately obvious features of these breeds, they are also known for the roundness. These medium-sized cats have short, rounded bodies with a deep flank to the strong hindquarters, arched back and a round head with round cheeks. In fact, everything about these cats is round, making them resemble bowling balls! The eyes are also round but set on a slight tilt and the ear set resembles the cradle of a rocking chair giving the cats a sweet expression. Manx/Cymrics take 5 years to reach their full maturity and then males will weigh 10-12 pounds on average and the female 8-10 pounds.

While the lack of tail is the most striking characteristic, it is important to keep in mind that the nerve endings are still present but are not protected so care should be taken when handling the area where the tail would have been or the stubby tails. Pressure in this area can cause the cat pain. Children should be cautioned to be careful when petting the cat and not to poke at the missing tail area. Also, because of the structure of the cat, the cat’s hindquarters should always be supported when it is being picked up or carried to ensure there is no additional pressure on the spine.

Manx are considered an overall healthy breed. However, the gene that can make these cats tailless can also create some health issues, however, responsible breeders typically identify and address that in kittenhood, before placement.

It is always ideal to comb cats regularly starting as a kitten. Be sure eyes, nose, and ears are clear and clean. Clean with a warm damp cloth, if needed. Start young with bathing, however many cats never really need a bath.

Start nail trims early, with a treat of baby food meat, to help them accept it. Be sure to not clip them too short and ‘quick’ the nail and cause it to bleed. Brush their teeth regularly with a vet-approved pet toothpaste and provide a nice tall scratching pole to help their natural scratching instinct.

Manx cats are best fed wet meals. Twice, daily meals are preferable, although some may only want to eat once a day. Meal feeding also keeps you aware of their health, if someone does not show for a meal, you know to go looking. These obligate carnivores should be fed a meat-based diet, grain free and veg free, too. They really have no way to use those foods, given the short gut and gut flora they have, which can cause gut issues and even excessive dental tartar.

Their desert origins have made them get most of their liquid from their prey. The mouth is not adapted for taking in water well enough to counter a dry diet. The brain is not “hard-wired” to even drink often, however, as with all cats, it is important to give your cat fresh, clean water daily so cats don’t hesitate to drink. If you worry about your cat drinking enough water each day, here’s a tip from cat behaviorists – place the water bowl at least three feet away from any food. Cats’ noses are sensitive and an overwhelming smell of food may cause them to drink less. Filtered drinking fountains can also be used in place of a water bowl.

Manx/Cymric Breed Committee (3)

Name Email
Chair: Lyssa Paullmanxtek@gmail.com
Honey Gilmorecatsanhata@gmail.com
Shari Millarsharimillar@aol.com

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