Other Name
The friendly, affectionate Manx, who hails from the Isle of Man, is best known for his taillessness. He has a solid body, round head, widely spaced ears, large, round eyes and a thick coat that comes in many colors and patterns, including tabby, tortoiseshell and calico. The Cymric (pronounced kim-rick) is the longhaired variety of the Manx. Other than coat length, the two breeds are identical. Best-known for its lack of tail, the Manx is native to the Isle of Man, located between England and Ireland. This round, cuddly breed is also fun-loving and friendly, should there be any other household pets.
There are lots of myths about how these cats lost their tails. One is that they were late boarding the ark and had the door slammed on the tail. Another is that Irish or Viking raiders would steal kittens because their tails were considered to be good luck charms, so the mama cats simply bit the tails off. More likely, taillessness is the result of a genetic mutation, enhanced by centuries of inbreeding on the Isle of Man, where the cats are from. Along with the taillessness may have come a recessive gene for long hair. Voila! The Cymric.
