Minxy Manx

The most distinguishing characteristic of the Manx cat is actually a lack of one - tail that is.  Although some Manx have a stub of a tail (referred to as a stumpy), the majority have no tail at all (referred to as a rumpy).  The cat with no tail is a natural mutation originating in the Isle of Man, a British Dependency in the Irish Sea.  With the isolation of an island and small gene pool, the dominant gene mutation eventually became the norm.  Manx are particularly known as good hunters and were often the cat of choice to join sailors on their journeys across the seas.  (The tradition of cats aboard ships possibly began with the Egyptians not long after cats were domesticated some 9500 years ago. As good rat and mouse catchers, they helped protect the ropes and woodwork, as well as the ship's cargo.)  Manx were also used by farmers with extreme rodent problems.  The Manx is short-haired, but there is a long-haired version that is sometimes seen as a separate breed, the Cymric.  Manx come in just about every color and coat pattern, although not all colors and patterns may be 'proper' for breeding or cat shows, and black may be the most common while all white are extremely rare.

The reason for this post is because my cousin in California has a Manx cat.  In fact, he has had several Manx cats, but the one he has now he calls Purd.  Purd enjoys a nice warm fire on a cold night as much as my cousin.

Photo by Jeff Parker

He also thinks stopping to enjoy the view is important, even if the view is from the bathroom sink.

Photo by Jeff Parker

Purd is a very talented cat.  He's a fetcher!  Showing off his hunting prowess, click here for a video of Purd fetching.