Silly Manx Cat Playing

This is a video of Timon, a fourteen year old Manx cat who just loves to play. He is so precious!

The Manx is one of the oldest known cat breeds and there are many legends surrounding its origin. One legend of how the cats came about is that when Noah called all the animals into the ark, the Manx was napping. She awakened just when Noah was closing the door of the ark and made it just in time but Noah accidentally closed the door on her tail cutting it off.

Another legend is that Irish and Viking raiders used to steal kittens because their tails were believed to bring good luck. So the mama cats bit the tails off so her kittens won’t be taken away.

However despite these grim legends, the real reason of how the Manx cats became tail-less is due to a genetic mutation which affected the breed hundreds of years ago.

Manx cats are generally healthy but there is a condition which plagues the breed; the Manx syndrome. This is a collection of birth defects which may include a spine that is too short, urinary tract defects, and problems with the bowels and digestion. This condition affects twenty percent of Manx cats and manifests when the kitten is four months old. So if you are thinking about getting a Manx, make sure that it is from a reputable breeder who will perform all the health certifications needed and choose one several months old.

Silly Manx Cat Playing image – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LFzt3GaHxFM