Is there such a thing as a tailless cat?
Is there such a thing as a tailless cat?
My origin story is shrouded in myth, like any good superhero, but my lack of a tail is pretty simple: it all lies in a genetic mutation. And it doesn’t cause all of us to be tailless – some Manx cats are born with full tails and others only have stumps. But the most distinguished amongst us are the cats with no tail.
Can a purebred Manx cat have a tail?
Purebred Manx cats can actually have tails, but that would mean they are not show-quality cats. An ethical breeder would classify the kittens at birth according to the length of their tails. The common categories for tail length in the Manx are – Rumpy – Kittens or cats that are entirely tailless.
What kind of tail does a Cymric cat have?
Though Cymric is a tailless cat breed, they come in a variety of tail lengths and types. The tail types include stumpy, longy, rumpy-riser, and rumpy. Since the tailless gene is a dominant one, the Cymric’s that has the Manx gene will have one of the four tail types. This cat takes at least five years to attain full maturity.
What does a cat with a long tail look like?
Most cat lovers haven’t yet had the pleasure of encountering naturally tailless cats so when you first come across one, prepare to be surprised. We all have an internal image of what a cat should look like: you know, perky ears; round, almond-shaped eyes; and a long, flickery tail.
Actually, some of them offer more than the average feline – a few tailless cat breeds have the athleticism of a canine combined with all the feline traits we love so much. The best of both worlds, so to speak. Ready to meet these gorgeous tailless cats?
Is it possible to breed a tailless Manx cat?
Attempting to force the tailless trait to breed true by continually breeding tailless Manx cats to tailless Manx cats has led to increased negative, even fatal genetic disorders (see below). Tail length is random throughout a litter of kittens.
Are there tailless cats on the Isle of Man?
Populations of tailless cats also exist in a few other places in Europe, most notably Cornwall, only 250 miles (400 km) from the Isle of Man. A population on the small, isolated Danish peninsula (former island) of Reersø in the Great Belt may be due to the arrival on the island of cats of Manx origin, by ship.