Manx

Temperament

The Manx is a calm, gentle cat that bonds strongly with one or two people in the household. It likes to take part in daily activities, sits in laps and follows family members around. It is intelligent and learns easily, so it has no trouble mastering simple commands or reward-based games. It can also be playful and enjoys games with the family. It gets along well with children, cats and friendly dogs. It likes to “chat” with its owner, but its voice is quiet, more purr and chirp than meow. It values a steady daily routine and handles change, such as moving to a new home, poorly. With strangers it is usually polite, though not effusive. As a rule, it causes few behavior problems as long as it has company and something to do.

Energy

calmvery energetic

Affection

independentvelcro pet

With children

not idealgreat

With other pets

difficultgreat

Trainability

stubborneager to learn

For first-time owners

for experienced ownersyes

With strangers

waryoutgoing

Playfulness

dignifiedeternal puppy

Shedding

minimalheavy

Grooming

easydemanding

Being left alone

strugglescopes well

Apartment living

needs a house and yardgreat in a flat

Talkativeness

quietchatterbox

Indoor-only life

needs outdoor accessgreat

Scores of 1–5 compare the breed with other breeds of the same species, based on the sources at the bottom of the page. Every animal is different. How we score traits

Who is the Manx for?

The Manx can suit calm families with children and people who want a gentle, intelligent cat that is devoted to its home. When buying a kitten, choose a breeder who doesn’t mate two tailless cats, uses tailed cats in the breeding program and doesn’t let kittens go before their health has been assessed. If you are not prepared for the risk of neurological problems, choose another breed.

Size and looks

Care and exercise

The short, dense coat with its thick undercoat only needs combing once a week, the longhaired variety several times a week. Because there is no tail, pay special attention to the area around the anus, where feces can stick to the fur. Good-quality food that produces firm stools and regular checks of the area help. Check the skin fold on the rump gently for redness. It is best to buy a kitten from a breeder who keeps the kittens until it is possible to assess whether they show signs of Manx syndrome, which usually appear before four months of age. The Manx enjoys play and a steady routine, and a multi-level cat tree and a daily play session help keep it in good shape.

Health and breed-related conditions

The Manx’s taillessness results from a dominant mutation that disrupts the development of the lower spine. Kittens with two copies of the gene usually die before birth, which is why breeders don’t mate two tailless cats. Some cats with one copy develop Manx syndrome, a spinal cord defect resembling spina bifida that leads to problems with the hind legs, urinary and fecal incontinence or persistent constipation. In one study, signs affected about 30% of the Manx cats examined, almost exclusively completely tailless ones. RSPCA Australia also lists rectal prolapse and urinary tract defects. Skin fold dermatitis on the rump and corneal dystrophy have also been described. VCA gives a lifespan of 15–18 years, but cats with a severe form of the syndrome live much shorter lives.

• Manx syndromeA spinal cord defect similar to spina bifida: problems with the hind legs, bladder and bowel; mainly affects completely tailless cats.
• urinary and fecal incontinence, constipationResults of nerve damage in the sacral region; in severe cases the cat lives only a few years.
• lethality in homozygous kittensKittens with two copies of the taillessness gene usually die in the womb.
• skin fold dermatitis on the rumpThe skin fold where the tail would be is prone to inflammation.
• corneal dystrophyThe breed is predisposed to it.

This is general breed information, not a diagnosis. If something worries you, talk to your veterinarian.

Breed history

Tailless cats from the Isle of Man in the Irish Sea were described by sailors as early as the 16th century, and by the early 19th century they were simply called Man cats. The taillessness probably began with a natural mutation in the local shorthaired cat population, which the island’s isolation quickly fixed. The longhaired variety may have come from cats brought by the Vikings. The first, informal breed standard was published in 1903 by Charles Henry Lane. The Manx was among the breeds registered by the CFA from 1906. Today FIFe treats the longhaired variety as a separate breed, the Cymric.

Fun facts

• A single Manx litter can include completely tailless kittens, kittens with a short stump and kittens with a full tail.
• The longhaired Manx probably owes its longer coat to cats brought to the island by the Vikings.
• Only completely tailless Manx cats may compete at CFA shows.
• The first breed standard was published by Charles Henry Lane in 1903.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

1. 1CFA – Manx breed profilecfa.org
2. 2VCA Animal Hospitals – Manxvcahospitals.com
3. 3RSPCA Australia – Health and welfare issues of exaggerated physical features in catskb.rspca.org.au
4. 4Wikipedia – Manx caten.wikipedia.org
5. 5FIFe – Recognised breedsfifeweb.org
6. 6WCF – Breed standards shorthairwcf.de

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.