ManxCharacteristics, history, behaviour and care

Taillessness arose as a mutation among the cats of the Isle of Man, in the Irish Sea. The FIFe profile says the cats probably arrived there on Viking ships. On a small island the gene spread easily, together with the gene for long hair.

The tailless cats of the Isle of Man were known in the early nineteenth century. On the island, those with short tails are called “stubbin” and those without a tail “rumpy”. Like all house cats, they descend from the African wildcat.

Manx cats have appeared at shows since the 1800s. The first known standard was published in 1903 by Charles Henry Lane, who owned a prize-winning white tailless Manx, Lord Luke. The Manx was among the first breeds recognised by FIFe.

How the breed developed

• Seventeenth century – the first records of the Manx cat.
• The 1800s – it appears at cat shows.
• 1903 – the first known standard, by Charles Henry Lane.
• 1949 – among the first breeds recognised by FIFe.

• Families with children and other pets. It is gentle and sociable.
• People who want a cat that “waits at the door”. It is very attached to its owner.
• Homes with rodents. It is an excellent hunter.
• Watch its health. The tail gene can bring spinal problems.

It is a medium-sized cat with a broad chest, sloping shoulders and flat flanks, muscular and supple. Lane gave 4.5–5.5 kg for males and 3.5–4.5 kg for females in the original cats. The front legs are shorter than the hind legs, and the line of the back rises right after the shoulders towards the rump.

General appearance

The overall look is round: a large head, large round eyes, a broad chest. The ears are tall, tilted slightly outwards, with moderate tufts. The tail may be missing completely or be short or medium: FIFe divides the cats into rumpy (no tail), rumpy riser (very short tail), stumpy (under 3 cm) and longie.

The short coat has a dense, soft undercoat with coarser hairs on top; overall it looks short and close-lying. All colours and patterns exist, but all-white cats are rare. Lane wrote in 1903 that the original cats came in few colours: mostly orange, orange and white, cream tabby and, rarely, tortoiseshell or white.

Related breeds and how to tell them apart

The Cymric is the same cat with semi-long hair; kittens with both coat types can appear in the same litter. Other short-tailed breeds, such as the Japanese Bobtail or the Kurilian Bobtail, have different mutations, unrelated to the Manx.

The FIFe profile says Manx and Cymric cats are affectionate and loyal and seek human company. They wait for you to come home and follow you from room to room. They are intelligent and entertain their owners by fetching toys. They have a soft voice and very expressive eyes.

Socialisation

They have a gentle nature and get on with other animals in the house. Lane described them in 1903 as docile, good-natured and sociable.

A kitten gets used to new people, noises and other animals most easily in its first months of life.

Habits at home

Like all cats, it sleeps a lot: usually 12–16 hours a day. It is most active early in the morning and in the evening, but partly adapts to the family's routine.

Cats instinctively bury their droppings, so it quickly learns to use a litter tray. It scratches rough surfaces to shed the old outer layer of its claws, so it needs a scratching post or board.

Its long hind legs give it great power: it runs and climbs very fast. It needs daily play.

Tips for a balanced life

• Change its toys from time to time, so it does not get bored.
• Play with it in short sessions, several times a day.
• If it goes outside, let it do so in a fenced area or on a balcony with a safety net.

Coat care

The short, dense coat is brushed once a week, more often during moulting.

Common health problems

The mutation that shortens the tail can also cause other problems, called “Manx syndrome”: spina bifida (a defect of the spine), with difficulty walking or passing urine and faeces. Some cats hop like rabbits. The problems usually show before 6 months. Kittens that inherit the gene from both parents die before birth, so litters are small.

Recommended genetic tests

The ACF and GCCF associations impose special breeding rules for the Manx and Cymric because of this gene. Ask the breeder what type of tail the parents have, and ask for the kitten to be seen by a vet before 6 months.

Is it hypoallergenic?

Cat allergy is caused mainly by the Fel d 1 protein, found in saliva and skin glands; it is behind the allergy in 90% of people who are allergic to cats. Kittens, females and neutered males produce less of it, but still enough to trigger symptoms. No breed is completely hypoallergenic.

Other care

• A check-up at the vet once a year.
• Vaccinations and parasite treatment on the schedule set by the vet.
• Trim the claws if they do not wear down on their own.
• Clean its teeth or give it food that helps keep them clean.

The cat is a carnivore: it needs animal protein. Unlike a dog, it must get vitamin A, arachidonic acid and taurine from its food. Water is very important, because cats usually drink little; several water bowls around the house encourage it to drink.

Tips for a healthy diet

The table gives a starting estimate, calculated with the formula from the Merck Veterinary Manual for a healthy adult cat. The last column shows what this means in dry food with 3,500–4,000 kcal per kilogram. If you also feed wet food, reduce the dry portion.

• Adjust the portion to its weight: neutered cats put on weight easily.
• Weigh it monthly; the ribs should be easy to feel under your fingers.
• Kittens need more calories: Merck recommends 2.5 times the resting energy requirement.

Dangerous foods and substances

Some common household items are dangerous for cats:

• Lilies (and daylilies): they can destroy a cat's kidneys. Even the pollen or the water in the vase is dangerous.
• Paracetamol: extremely toxic to cats, which lack the enzyme that breaks it down. Never give it human medicines.
• Flea spot-ons and collars for dogs containing permethrin: the concentration meant for dogs is dangerous for cats.
• Foods: chocolate, coffee, alcohol, onions, garlic, grapes and raisins.

Maturity

Females usually reach sexual maturity at 5–10 months, and males at 5–7 months. The age varies from breed to breed.

Mating and pregnancy

Pregnancy in cats lasts 64–67 days, 65 on average. A first litter usually has fewer kittens than later ones. Only healthy cats that match the breed standard are used for breeding.

Blood type

Cats have blood type A, B or AB. Type A is the most common: in a study from England, 87.1% of non-pedigree cats and 54.6% of pedigree cats had type A. This matters for breeding: if the mother is type B and the kittens are type A, the antibodies in her first milk (colostrum) can destroy their red blood cells. The condition is called neonatal isoerythrolysis. That is why breeders test the blood type of both parents.

We found no published data on how common type B is in this breed; the test is done before mating anyway.

Caring for the kittens

Kittens are weaned at 6–7 weeks. They are ready to go to their new home at about 12 weeks, when they can be separated from their mother.

Neutering

Neutering used to be done at 6–9 months, but it is more and more often done before puberty, at around 3–6 months. It prevents unwanted kittens, urine marking in males and the loud “calling” of females in heat. A 2024 study found that neutered cats live one year longer on average. After the operation, the metabolism slows down and appetite increases, so the portion has to be reduced.

How to choose a kitten

• Ask for the pedigree from a recognised cat association (for example, a FIFe member).
• The kitten leaves its mother at about 12 weeks.
• Choose a kitten over 3–4 months old that walks and goes to the toilet normally; spinal problems usually show before 6 months.
• Look at the mother and at the place where the kittens are raised: it should be clean, with kittens used to people.
• Ask about vaccinations, parasite treatment and the blood type of the parents.

• A ship's cat. It was sought after as a ship's cat and farm cat; in the Manx language, a mousing cat was called a “lughder”.
• The national breed of the Isle of Man. The FIFe profile says it is the island's national breed.
• Never two copies of the gene. Kittens with the gene from both parents die before birth, so two tailless cats are never mated together.
• Four kinds of tail. Rumpy, rumpy riser, stumpy and longie, depending on how long the tail is.

The legend of the Spanish ship

A legend says a tailless cat swam ashore from a ship of the Spanish Armada wrecked off the Isle of Man. There is no evidence of this shipwreck, and tailless cats are not known in Spain.

On stamps

The Isle of Man has put Manx cats on its stamps since the 1980s.

Are all Manx cats tailless?

No. Because of the same gene, the tail may be missing completely or be short or medium.

How is it different from the Cymric?

Only in its coat: the Manx has short hair, the Cymric semi-long hair.

Does it have health problems?

The tail gene can cause “Manx syndrome”, with spinal problems; they usually show before 6 months.

How much does it weigh?

Males 4.5–5.5 kg, females 3.5–4.5 kg.