The Tale of the Tailless Cat

By Randi Lynn Mrvos


Stumpy Manx
İMarj Baker

Most cats have tails. But, the Manx is a tailless cat.

The Manx cat comes from the Isle of Man , a small hilly island located in the Irish Sea between Ireland and Britain. The island is predominately made up of farmlands, though some areas remain wild. In winter the air is bitterly cold; however, Manx cats have long learned to survive outdoors, even in harsh weather.

How did the Manx cat lose its tail? People have made up stories to explain how the Manx became tailless. According to one myth, Noah slammed the door of the Arc on the Manx, causing it to lose its tail. In another story, mother Manx cats bit off their kitten's tails to prevent Scandinavian warriors, who invaded the Isle of Man in the early 9th century, from decorating their helmets with furry cat tails.

Scientifically, however, the Manx cat lost its tail due to a genetic mutation. Over four hundred years ago on the Isle of Man, a mysterious genetic mutation occurred in cats. Kittens were born without the bones that form a tail. The tailless feature became common among the cats on the Isle of Man, since these cats were isolated from the rest of the world.

Being tailless is a dominant trait of Manx cats, but many Manx cats do have tails. Depending on the length of the tail, a Manx cat can be referred to in different terms. A completely tailless cat is called a "rumpy". A "riser" has a bit of cartilage under its skin at the base of the spine that can be felt when the cat is happy. A "stumpy" cat has a visibly short tail, and a "longy" has a normal-length tail.

Blue Stumpy Kitten İMarj Baker	Full-tailed Manx İMarj Baker

Tailless Manx cats can give birth to tailed kittens, and tailed cats mated with non-tailed cats can give birth to tailless kittens. How does this happen? There are two kinds of Manx tail genes: an "m" gene and an "M" gene. An "m" gene contributes to the presence of a tail; while an 'M" gene results in the lack of a tail. Kittens inherit one of these genes from each parent, and the combination of genes determines the presence or absence of a tail. For example, if the kitten inherits "mm" genes, it will be tailed; if it inherits "Mm" genes, it will be tailless. In a litter of tailed kittens, the offspring will have a variety of tail lengths. Tailed Manx cats (i.e. cats with "mm" genes) are necessary for continuation of the breed. Breeders will not mate two tailless cats (i.e. cats with "Mm" genes), because if a kitten inherits two "M" genes will develop spinal abnormalities and die before birth.

Manx cats come in a wide range of colors and variety of patterns. They look like fuzzy balls, with a round head and body, round eyes, round rump, and round paws. These cats can have either long hair or short hair. Longhair Manx have silky outer coats, and shorthair Manx have coarse, glossy coats. Both types of coats are double-layered, with an undercoat that is soft as cotton. Manx cats are usually soft voiced, and Manx owners say that mother cats use a special purr when they talk to their kittens.

Normal cats use their tails for balance before leaping and for mesmerizing their prey. Despite being tailless, the Manx cat is capable of running, jumping, climbing, and hunting like a normal cat. Manx cats do, however, have an unusual walk. Their hipbones are not like normal cats, and sometimes, this abnormality causes them to move like a rabbit with a hopping gait. Manx cats are intelligent, gentle-natured, and make good pets. Some people call the Manx the "dog-cat", since they love to fetch balls and curl up in their owner's lap. They are highly protective of their home and will growl, and also sometimes attack if they hear a strange noise.

The Manx became a popular pet in the early decades of the 20th century, winning championship status in cat associations. Its popularity in America and England led to the exportation of Manx cats from the Isle of Man, which diminished their population on the island. Today, Manx cats still freely roam the hilly Isle of Man. They are loved and respected in their native country, but as their numbers dwindle, Manx are becoming harder to find.

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References-Printed Materials

Bare, Collen S., Toby, The Tabby Kitten, NY, Dutton, 1995. ISBN 0525652116

De Prisco, Andrew and James. B. Johnson, The Mini-Atlas of Cats, NJ, T.F.H. Publications, Inc. 1991. ISBN 0866226273

Muller, The New Cat Handbook, NY, Barron's Educational Series, Inc., 1984. ISBN 0812029224

Swantek, Marjan, The Manx Cat, NJ, T.F.H. Publications, Inc., 1987. ISBN 0866227245

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References-Non-printed Materials

Cat Fancier: Manx: Cat Breed FAQ
http://www.fanciers.com/breed-faqs/manx-faq.html

Cat Color Genitics http://www.fanciers.com/other-faqs/color-genetics.html

By water e-Cattery Manx and Cymric Cats in Australia http://www.bywatercattery.com CFA Breed Profile: Manx
http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/manx.html

Diva & Tiki's Feline History & Folklore Page
http://www.geocities.com/Petsburgh/4840/mind.html

Genuki: Isle of Man
http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/iom/

Mann Cat Sanctuary
http://www.manncat.com/manxcat.html

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Photo Credits

The author would like to thank Ms. Marj Baker for providing the following photos:

Blue Stumpy Kitten
Full-tailed Manx
Stumpy Manx

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About the Author

Randi Mrvos is a homeschool teacher and a freelance contributor for Weeones, an educational e-magazine for children. Her publishing credits include The Christian Science Monitor, Highlights for Children magazine, Scholastic Books, Parents and Children Together Online, and The Lesson Plans Page. She lives in Lexington, KY with her husband, Jim and eight-year-old daughter, Abby.