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The Manx is a sturdy, rounded, thick-coated short-haired cat with short front legs and long back legs. The tailless rump is higher than the shoulders. The head is large and broad. There are 4 recognized categories of Manx Cat:
- "The Rumpy", completely tailless. This is the true Manx Cat, with a small hollow where its tail should be.
- "The Rumpy Riser", with 1, 2 or 3 vertebrae fused to the end of the spine, giving the animal a tiny knob where the tail should be.
- "The Stumpy", with 1, 2 or 3 normal tail vertebrae, giving the animal a short but movable tail-stump.
- "The Longy", wih an almost full-length tail.
In addition, there is a 5th type—the fake Manx Cat—created by ruthless dealers who have been known to amputate the tails of ordinary kittens to produce tailless adults that can be passed off as expensive pedigree Manx Cats.
The typical, traditional Manx Cat has a short, thick coat, but there is also a longhaired version, called the Cymric, which first appeared in Canada in 1960s.
The Manx has a distinctive gait; it runs like a hare. This is due to long hind legs. Breeding Manx can be a problem. Mating can result in malformed kittens that may be stillborn or die soon after birth. Because of the lethal gene that sometimes crops up in litters when Manx is bred to a Manx, some breeders believe breeding should be prohibited and the Manx allowed to die out. A less drastic approach is to breed a Manx to an American Shorthair or British Shorthair, the two breeds that the Manx most resembles, apart from the tail. Not all kittens in the ensuing litter will be Manxes, but some undoubtedly will be tailless.
Manx Personality A fine hunter, lively, active, and speedy, the Manx is somewhat like a dog in temeperament. It is extremely faithful to its owner and can even be taken for walks on a leash. It is patient with children, live quite peacefully with other animals, is a good companion, accepts training, and can easily be taught a few tricks.
Manx Colors Recognized by CFA
All colors are permitted, except those involving chocolate, lavender or the Himalayan pattern.
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