Portraits of popular breeds in our country and abroad: Manx cat

The Manx cat is an ancient, natural breed living on the Isle of Man as a mouse hunter and a favorite household pet. Their extremely short, or almost nonexistent, tail is striking in contrast with the unremarkable appearance of an ordinary domestic cat.

The most striking part of the Manx cat is certainly its tail, or, to be more precise, the fact that they have a stumpy tail, or they have no tail at all, i.e. rumpy or rumpy-riser. Many people think that this cat breed has problems with balance and jumping, but it is not so. Manx cats have no movement restrictions.

The Manx cat has its roots on the British Isle of Man, from which its name is also derived. The breed arose naturally, a spontaneous mutation that led to the birth of a tailless kitten some four centuries ago. The tailless cat then reproduced and spread its gene pool on the island until there were more cats without a tail than with it.

Over time, cat lovers discovered the Manx cat and began exporting them from the island. They appeared at an exhibition in the US back in 1830, and then in Europe in 1890. Due to extreme interest in these tailless cats, the island government established a state kennel in the 1950s to combat the decrease in the number of these cats, and today the Manx cat is officially protected.

Manx cats are affectionate and they radiate calmness. They get along well with other animals as well as with people and children. Some, however, tend to get attached to one family member. They are smart cats; it's easy to teach them to fetch paper balls and walk with a harness. Their playfulness, which persists to their old age, is a contrast to their calm, peaceful nature.

They look like regular domestic cats. They have a medium-sized strong body, and their hind legs are clearly longer than their front legs. Their tails come in five different lengths: from a full-length tail and various shorter lengths to no tail at all. Their coat may be short or semi long in all natural colors.

If you don't want anything exotic but still want a cat that is interesting, yet friendly, balanced and playful, the Manx cat may be right for you.

 

Related articles

Diarrhoea in a dog

Every one of us has for sure encountered diarrhoea in our fuzzy friend. Usually, there’s nothing to fuss about, the body reacts to food that it isn’t capable to digest or that didn’t do it good. However, it is good to know, when we are capable of...

Dog history I: cosmonaut Laika

I have been sharing with you my experience with dogs and other animals for quite some time now and it occurred to me to wander a little bit into history as well, but into an interesting one! I’d like to introduce you to several well-known dog...

Even dog can have an allergy

Allergy is a disproportionate reaction of the immunity system to common stimuli. It cannot be cured, but we can suppress its manifestations. In the last years, allergies in pets and dogs especially are on the rise. Currently, about 10% of house-dogs...

FIP, the cat killer

Today, we are going to take a look at the Feline Infectious Peritonitis - FIP, an utterly exceptional virus illness that always has a fatal end. Most of the cats get into contact with the viruses that cause FIP in their lifetime, even though the...

Dog in bed

We can divide dog owners into two groups. The ones that allow the dog in bed and those that feel that this is no option. Let’s take a look at what such bed sharing with a dog actually entails.

Geocaching with a dog

If you like going on treks with your fuzzy friends, geocaching is something precisely for you. This way, you will liven up your trips and maybe you even discover places that you wouldn’t have found otherwise. I and my pack can’t get enough of it.

Moving with a cat

Contrary to dogs, cats have a strong bond with the place where they live. That’s why moving is very stressful for them and this stress may cause a number of diseases. It’s a good idea to plan everything well, so that you could make the situation of a...

Dog Instincts

Even though the dogs went through long years of domestication, they still retain fundamental instincts as we do. They might not be as strong as in wild dogs, but they still play a very significant role in the life of a dog and in their behaviour. So if...

Dog rescuers

It is no news that the dog isn’t only a pet and that it can also help saving human lives in various catastrophes. But have you ever thought about what it means for dogs to become rescuers? You haven’t? Well, then it’s the right time to set off together...

What to do when your dog queen is pregnant?

The usual pregnancy period in female dogs is indicated at about 58 – 65 days, the average is 63 days. In case of the nutrition of a pregnant female, possible changes in diet can be likened to the changes in diet of pregnant women. Pregnant female dogs...