This article is all about Manx cats, and Manx syndrome. Read on to discover how having no tail affects a cat and the origins of the fascinating tailless cat from the Isle of Man
If you already have a Manx cat, or you’re thinking about getting a Manx kitten and interested Manx cat breed health problems, then this article contains important information for you.
What makes a Manx cat?
Let’s begin with a brief introduction to Manx cats.
It’s a well known piece of trivia that Manx cats don’t have tails, but why don’t they have tails?
And is Manx an adjective which can be applied to any breed of cat, or are Manx cats a pedigree in their own right?
And if they are, can Manx cats ever have tails? Let’s find out.
The origins of Manx cats
The Manx cat is somewhat of a curiosity.
Being “the cat without a tail”, means that most people have heard of them, even if they’re not generally all that into cats.
Manx cats are indeed a pedigree in their own right, and they have been for quite a long time.
They originate from the tiny Isle of Man in the Irish Sea, and they have been recognized at shows since the early 19th century.
Why don’t Manx cats have tails?
The lack of a tail is all down to genetics.
Manx cats carry a unique gene – known as the Manx gene, or just the M gene – which prevents the vertebrae in the tail (coccygeal vertebrae) forming.
Cats, like all animals, inherit their genes in pairs. For every physical attribute they have, they receive one gene from mom, and another gene from dad.
How those genes interact determines whether a kitten takes after their mother or their father for that attribute.
The M gene is a dominant gene – that means if a kitten receives one copy from mom or dad, they will be born missing some or all of their ccocygeal vertebrae.
However, it is also a lethal gene – if a kitten inherits two copies (one from from mom and one from dad) it will die in early pregnancy and be reabsorbed by the mother.
So, we know that all Manx cats must be carrying one copy of the M gene.
Are all Manx cats born without tails?
Not all Manx cats are born without tails.
A typical cat of any other breed has around 19-21 coccygeal vertebrae, to make a full length tail.
Some Manx cats have none: Manx cats lacking any tail bones are known as rumpies. In fact their tail is so conspicuously absent, they have a slight dimple where their tail would begin.
Rumpy risers have up to seven coccygeal vertebrae, which are fused and only moved up and down.
Stumpies on the other hand have a small number of coccygeal vertebrae which can move in any direction.
There doesn’t seem to be any hard and fast rule about how many coccygeal vertebrae make a stumpy, but the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare in the United Kingdom puts it at two to fourteen. Stumpy tails may also appear to be kinked.
Longies are Manx cats with more than around fourteen coccygeal vertebrae. In fact, they can carry the M gene but still have a complete tail.
How is that possible?
The variation in Manx tail length is caused by other (presently unidentified) genes, which modulate how strongly the M mutation is expressed.
Identifying these other genes is an ongoing objective for researchers – more on this later!
Manx cat breed health problems
We’ve looked at the different kinds of tails Manx cats can have, and how they’re caused, but what’s the connection with Manx cat health problems?
In 1972, Hyram Kitchen, then dean of the veterinary college at Tenessee University wrote:
“It must be remembered that the unique appearance of the Manx actually constitutes the relatively normal end of a spectrum of genetically controlled characteristics that include serious and potentially lethal abnormalities”
He meant that when a cat inherits the M gene, the difference we see outwardly is just to the appearance of their tail. But it can also cause profound change to the vertebrae and spinal cord inside their body too.
These are the problems known as Manx cat syndrome.
What is Manx syndrome?
Manx syndrome occurs when the M gene is expressed so powerfully that it affects not just the coccygeal vertebrae but also vertebrae further up the spine.
This, in turn, causes damage to the central nervous system.
Manx syndrome isn’t one particular ailment with it’s own characteristic list of symptoms; rather, it describes a group of disabilities and health problems caused by having a Manx cat body shape.
So for example:
One of the health problems associated with Manx syndrome is spina bifida.
All breeds of cat can get spina bifida, but when a Manx cat has spina bifida we could also describe them as having Manx syndrome.
What causes Manx syndrome?
Manx syndrome is caused by the M gene damaging the vertebrae inside a cat’s body.
Damage can include:
- abnormal formation of the vertebrae
- abnormal formation of the membranes which enclose the spinal cord (the meninges)
- cavities or structural mistakes in the development of the spinal cord.
The most common damage is a form of spina bifida:
In a normal, healthy spine, the spinal cord is cocooned in protective membranes called the meninges, which run through the centre of each vertebrae.
This keeps the delicate bundles of nerves inside the spinal cord safe.
But the M gene causes gaps or holes to appear in the vertebrae, and if they are big enough, the menginges will swell out of them and form a fluid-filled bulge outside of the spine called a meningocele.
Manx cats can develop a range of clinical signs when this kind of damage occurs.
Cats with Manx syndrome
Now we’ve gotten to grips with what causes Manx syndrome, let’s look at the life of a cat with Manx syndrome.
We’ll look at symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.
Manx syndrome symptoms
There are several unpleasant signs that a Manx cat has developed problems with their central nervous system as a result of spinal damage caused by the M gene.
These are:
- urinary and fecal incontinence – this in turn can lead to skin irritation and infections around the bottom
- constipation – prolonged constipation can also cause the colon to become distended, which permanently compromises it’s function
- partial paralysis or weakness of the hind limbs
- back legs which hop along rather than walk correctly
- plantigrade stance (standing with too much of the hind leg resting on the ground)
These symptoms occur because the M gene has forced the spinal cord to end sooner and more and abruptly than it should have at the base of the spine.
When this happens, the nerves which normally leave the spinal cord at the base of the spine and control the colon, bladder, hind legs and perineal region don’t develop properly either.
Other less common reported symptoms include rectal prolapse, and bowel and reproductive systems which have developed abnormally and become fused together.
In stumpy Manx cats, the remaining coccygeal vertebrae are also prone to painful arthritis.
How is Manx syndrome diagnosed
When a Manx cat arrives at the vet with any of the symptoms above, the vet will take a full medical history to rule out other ailments first.
Vets can diagnose some spinal abnormalities by physical examination alone but they may wish to confirm the diagnosis by x-ray or MRI.
Manx syndrome treatment
Because Manx syndrome can present itself in so many different ways, there isn’t a one size fits all treatment.
Meningoceles caused by spina bifida may heal of their own accord, although the cat might continue to experience symptoms of partial paralysis or incontinence.
In some cases, a vet might recommend surgery to alleviate the symptoms of Manx syndrome.
For stumpy cats with arthritis in their remaining coccygeal vertebrae, a vet might advise docking the rest of the tail if it causes discomfort.
Sadly, for many cats with severe Manx syndrome, the kindest option is euthanasia.
Do all Manx cats have Manx syndrome?
Time for some good news: not all Manx cats have Manx syndrome.
When a team at Ontario Veterinary College conducted a breeding experiment with Manx cats in 1979, they ended up with nine rumpy cats, three rumpy risers, fourteen stumpies and eighteen longy Manxes.
Of the rumpies, all but one were suffering some degree of Manx syndrome.
Two of the three rumpy risers had Manx syndrome.
But only one of the stumpies, and none of the longies had Manx syndrome.
So having some free-moving tail vertebrae protected almost all of the stumpy and longy cats from developing the spinal abnormalities which cause the symptoms of Manx syndrome.
Do Manx syndrome cats live as long as normal cats?
Unfortunately some Manx syndrome cats may not live as long as other cats.
Healthy Manx cats without Manx syndrome will usually live for twelve years or more.
However Manx syndrome kittens much more likely to die in the early days of life, and older kittens sometimes die later in their first year if the deformities in their spine prevent them from growing safely.
Can other tailless cats get Manx syndrome?
If you have (or are thinking of getting) another breed of tailless cat, for example the Japanese bobtail or American bobtail, don’t worry.
These breeds get their distinctive short tails from a different genetic mutation, which is not associated with the health risks of the Manx mutation.
The future of Manx syndrome in cats
Manx cats occupy an unusual spot between modern day designer pets and longstanding heritage breeds.
Many commentators have pointed out that if the Manx mutation arose today, most breeders would refuse to propagate it on ethical grounds, given what we now know about Manx cat breed health problems and the ways cats use their tails for communication and balance.
As eminent Australian vet Richard Malik write in an editorial piece for the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery: “Why would you deliberately breed a cat that doesn’t have a tail – a structure so elegant and functional, and so ‘catty’?”
But as it stands, the modern breed standard for Manx cats enjoys a lot of protection because it is long-established and traditional.
However, using up to date understanding of how the M gene is inherited, responsible breeders are now planning matings carefully to minimize the risk of Manx syndrome in the kittens they produce.
And back on the Isle of Man, from where the Manx cat first appeared, the Manx Cat Genome Project has been at work for more than a decade.
One of their objectives is to identify the other genes which modulate whether Manx cats become rumpies, rumpy risers, stumpies or longies, so that more sophisticated screening can be developed to protect future kittens.
Hopefully, the future of the Manx cat will keep getting brighter and brighter.
Do you have a Manx cat at home?
What kind of tail do they have, and have they experienced any health problems associated with Manx syndrome?
Or have you ever bred a Manx cat and been surprised by the variation in her kittens’ tails?
Tell us about your Manx cat, or join the debate about deliberately breeding for taillessness using the comments section below.
“Today’s article is by Sarah Holloway. Sarah holds a bachelors degree in Zoology and has a special interest in animal behavior and communication”
References
DeForest, M. E. and Basrur, P. K., “Malformations and the Manx Syndrome in Cats”, The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 1979.
Godfrey, R. and Godfrey, D., “Genetic Welfare Problems of Companion Animals: Manx Syndrome”, Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, 2011.
Kitchen, H., et al, “Animal model for human disease. Spina bifida, sacral dysgenesis and myelocele. Animal model: Manx cats”, The American Journal of Pathology, 1972.
Malik, R. et al, “Brachycephalia – a bastardisation of what makes cats special”, Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2009.
Manx Cat Genome Project, www.manxcatgenome.com.
As good a description of “Manx” cats, as I have ever seen.
However, I believe feline spina-bifida is prevalent in areas other than the Isle of Man, and in a variety of breeds, “Manx” is not a pedigree in its own right.
Regarding the noticeable raised rear of the “Manx” – It is a posture that any cat will adopt, if it losses its tail by accident.
I have a manx cat and she suffers from manx sydrome and i thought i was going to have to euthanisa her.she would become so consipated that i would have to help her poop every day. Luckly, royal canine makes a gastro fiber response food that honestly saved her life. shes not almost three years old and in perfect health and poops every single day
Glad to hear that your cat is doing well Michelle 🙂
We have a male manx (or mixed breed) whose name is Zippy, and doing very well considering that he’s close to 20 years old. He looks wonderful for his age, very clean about himself. He has some issues with constipation, and about a year and a half ago I started him on “Miralax”. I give him an 1/8th of a teaspoon twice a day, and this seems to work well for him. He’s a big water drinker so I think that helps with the miralax drawing water to the colon. I’m so thankful for every day with him, and I spoil him with love constantly which he returns in so many ways. When his time finally comes…which I hope is still far off, it will be among the saddest days of my life.. He’s my BFF!!!
Ohh, I should have mentioned that he’s experiencing some weight loss which could be attributed to his diet “Purina Pro Plan EN” , or maybe it’s just his age. He’s gone from 12-13 pounds a few years ago down to a little over 10. I decided to start adding a small amount of duck fat to his food a few times a week to see if that helps. Time will tell.
You are so lucky to have your Manx cat still with you!
My Isabella has Manx syndrome & is almost 14. It has not been easy for her or me, but she is having a happy, active life due to 3 meds (cisapride, Lactulose & miralax) given twice a day.
Bless you & your kitty. Hoping our Manx kitties live long & enjoy their lives!
Idk how old this is but I’ve got a rescue bottle kitten here with no tail and having issues with constipation. Thank you so much for mentioning this food. I’ve got to look into it. They’re on wet Wellness Kitten right now.
I’m really worried. My almost 5 mo. old Manx kitten’s playful and very lively personality has changed in the last few days. She’s not able to eat sometimes and she’s throwing up some foamy bile. Can this be Manx Syndrome starting? I think she’s a Rumpy Riser.
Hi Joy, sorry to hear your Manx kitten is unwell. There could be a number of different explanations for her symptoms, best to get her over to the vet for a check up. Hope she is okay.
I have a beautiful Manx cat who will be 16 years old in September. For the last 6 months she is having problems with her back legs, weakness on tile floors and not being able to jump up on things very well. The Vet is not sure what is going on. Can Manx syndrome start this late in a cat life? or is it just old age?
3 days ago a very pregnant and very hungry tabby cat showed up on my front porch. From the description in the article above, she is a “stumpy” (or part of her tail has been removed and just a stump is left). She can move it in all directions. She is very thin – I can feel all the bones in her spine and her hip bones are very prominent. Of course, I am now giving her all the food and water she wants. She appears about to pop – I just hope the kittens can get the nutrition they need before they are born and I’m curious about what kind of tails the kittens will be born with (or not :)…I certainly hope they don’t have any of the problems described above! I have never had or really seen a cat without a regular tail.
I already have 4 stray cats but I couldn’t let this one go hungry and had to try to help the kittens be born healthy. I will provide a good place for her to have the babies and will try to find a good home for them and the mother after the kittens are born.
The same thing happened last year in the spring when a stray appeared. She had her kittens and hid them in the woods. We could tell she had kittens so my son found them and we brought them home, took care of them, and found a good home for all 4 of them when they were old enough. We kept the mother and had her spayed. Wish me good luck this time, too!
I’m going to give a detailed account with the hope that the info will help someone else to help their kitty more quickly. I had a sweet, sweet, Manx mix rumpy riser for 10 years. I believe she had a mild form of Manx syndrome–no vet ever stated this specifically, but because she had bowel issues the vets were always kind of like, “Well, yeah, she’s a Manx.” Anyway, when I adopted her from the family who had her for her first four years, they gave me a tube of hairball paste, saying she sometimes got them. I quickly realized hairballs were not the issue and that her previous “owners” (she wasn’t part of the family) had no clue what was really going on. We ended up at the vet less than a month after I adopted her because she was vomiting partially digested food. It turned out she was constipated/impacted. The vet performed a manual evacuation and she was started on Lactulose then or soon after. Over the years, she was a frequent flyer at the vet’s office, as we tried to get the right dose of Lactulose. And if for some reason I missed or was late giving a dose (I was in a demanding graduate clinical program for five of those years), within a few days she would have difficulty passing stool or would become impacted. And many times it happened for no known reason. I felt terrible for her when it happened, especially if it was due to my med error. And although she was typically a big water drinker, a few times she required subQ fluids for dehydration. I was told a few times that I could attempt to perform the manual evacuation myself at home but, even when I tried with the help of a vet tech friend, I couldn’t do it to her. With the vets, it was always done very quickly and, because she may have also lacked a bit of sensation, with minimal discomfort. Over the years her first and second vet mentioned Miralax but never with strong recommendation to switch. It wasn’t until her second vet eventually explained the differences between it and Lactulose, and I did my own online research, that I ultimately understood its benefit and made the switch. She did sooooo much better on Miralax! And it was easier to adjust dosing as her weight changed over the years. I regret that I didn’t switch sooner. On the Lactulose, she was doing realllly well if we went six to eight weeks without a trip to the vet, and it wasn’t uncommon to have a couple of visits in the same month. My friends, my family, my co-workers, professors, student colleagues, everyone knew my “nubbins” cat had a “broken pooper,” because of all the times I had to rearrange my schedule to take her to the vet. Lots of discomfort for her and lots of guilt and $$$ for me. It was a chronic but manageable condition. She had a very happy, normal life otherwise and it was virtually a non-issue once we switched to Miralax. She responded very well to extra dosing of Miralax when she began to exhibit signs of constipation, whereas extra Lactulose wasn’t as effective by that point. Also, mixing powder into her wet food was sooo much easier for me, and for any friends I roped into cat-sitting, than it was to catch her twice a day to administer a very sticky liquid via oral syringe. Aside from her “pooper problems” as we called them, she was a very happy, healthy, fun, and active kitty until she was slowed by age and cancer. I had to make the painful decision to put her to sleep three weeks ago. She was 14 yrs, 4 mos old and that still seems too soon for her to go. But I know that, even if by trial and error, she received very good care for a chronic health condition that I knew nothing about before adopting her. Maybe my sweet girl’s story will resonate with someone out there who’s gone through, or is going through, the same thing. I didn’t know anything about Manxs before I adopted my girl but I fell in love with her and her little nubbin. I think Manxs are fun and adorable, and though her health condition wasn’t serious, it was chronic and semi high maintenance. So, I’m not at all ready for another cat. And I can admit my thoughts are presently colored by the progressively increased needs of my cat as we dealt with cancer. But the thought of Manx syndrome makes me somewhat reluctant to adopt another Manx in the future, and it pains me to admit it.
I have two kitties whose mother was a tailless manx. I don’t know who the father cat was but I’m guessing it was not a manx. I was given the kitties and their little cousin (2 weeks younger) when they were very young by a neighbour. My two lovely babies from the manx mum (a boy and a girl) both have full length tails and have never had any of the problems of Manx Syndrome – they’re now 17 months old. They were desexed young so there’s no chance of them having kittens, it would have been interesting to see if the Manx gene skipped a generation and their kittens had it, but being brother and sister I didn’t want them breeding. Shadow and treacle’s mum was a manx, domino’s mum (shadow and treacles aunt) was a long tail, and their grandma was a tailless manx. Domino did end up having a litter as she escaped and found a boyfriend, and the 4 kittens were all long tails.
I have a Manx cat, with absolutely no tail, more of an indent in her spine. She was a tiny kitten the mail carrier found and I adopted her. She’s so precious, and I thought we were lucky because she didn’t have symptoms of Manx syndrome. However, at about 7 months old, lately it seems now and then she’ll just “loose” a bit of feces randomly, and once she urinated on the bed while I was in it. Can Manx syndrome show up later on like this?
My cat with manx sydrome did not have any signs of urinary incontinence until he was 8 months old. Within a short period of time he became incontinent every time he slept and sometimes while awake.
My rumpy is a little over a year and is sometimes incontinent when she sleeps as well. She has always slept in a kennel at night. We use a puppy pee pad under her blanket. Lots of blankets and laundry around my house but she is worth it!
I am currently fostering and plan to adopt a Manx kitten from my local Shelter. Major appears to be a rumpy-riser. He has a chronic rectal prolapse. We have been trying to figure out how to help him out. A purse string suture seems to limit his ability to poop, so we have him on laxatives to help him out. It is so frustrating to try and figure out how to fix him. He is the sweetest boy. If I do not adopt him, he will be euthanized for medical issues. So I really am saving his life. I just have to figure out how to make his life the best I can while he is here.
I have a 6 month old Male Manx and he has been one of the most loving, affectionate cats I’ve ever had. He was neutered a week tomorrow. Before surgery he was very active, ran, played, climbed, chased my other cat etc. From that day I brought him home after surgery he hasn’t been the same. Three more trips to vet. Lethargic, not playing, just sleeping and lying around. Had a fever then 5 five days post surgery he’s limping and not putting weight on right back leg, won’t jump or run. The vet gave him an anti inflammatory. Does anyone have any advice? Since they are a special breed I feel the vet has no idea what to do.
Twelve years ago our family bought an orange rumpy. Up until this summer, his only vet visit was unfortunately getting him fixed. He is also a polydactyl. Up until taking him to the vet today for some sort of infection/cold he has acquired, we had never known about the issues with his condition. I’m just wondering what the average life span is of a Manx like him. All of our other regular felines have lived to eighteen and twenty years
I have a 8 month old male Manx, very thin, silver tabby stumpy. He weighs 4 pounds and has already battled giardia and now has issues with rectal incontinence, and when it walks, it staggers as if drunk, i can be in the room and it will look up at me and just fall over. Not to mention this is the sweetest most lovable cat I’ve ever seen. I can’t afford expensive cat foods, I feed it Purina and wet food too and always make sure the litter box is clean and he has fresh water. The vet never mentioned manx syndrome, she just said that it is healthy and there’s nothing wrong with it. Well, if there’s nothing wrong with it then my vet must be dumb! I can’t express how heart breaking it is to see such a lovely creature suffer like this. I don’t know the extent of the suffering to the cat, but I wouldn’t be comfy with bowel incontinence and staggering everywhere while falling over.
The vet gave my Manx medication for Giardia and a Zpak. Just in case it was not Giardia. It seemed like it was going to work…but unfortunately he is experiencing problems with what looks like a prolapsed rectum. The senior vet gave my cat Malmetazone to apply to his hiney…because to be honest this resembles a hemorrhoid. Although the package reads. “Do Not use on cats.” The directions are for application to the dogs ears. ???? Well it started to look better, then threes days into apply the the med it looks to be not improving. He is to go back for a biopsy if he doesn’t improve. Now I’m wondering if we should even torture this poor creature further? He is now having some irritation again. He is quite messy with urinating and pooping. I thought it was because of poor hygiene. Now I believe it’s due to this problem. Poor sweetheart. I can tell you…he was a stray. Now I wish I had left him alone. I had him neutered and brought him in and I feel I made his life worse. He has been one of the sweetest male cats I’ve owned. He just wants to be loved. This sucks. My heart breaks.
Rescued a pregnant rumpy cat 3 weeks ago. Gave birth 5 days ago to 2 rumpy kittens and a c section brought 1 more large kitten with a tail. The large kitten was born with a large belly that became larger as it grew. It appeared not to have a developed urogenital system and was euthanized. The other 2 cats do not appear “normal” One although active is not gaining weight and is being supplemented every 3 hours and the other does not appear to have strength in any of its legs. He looks like he is swimming. Could any of these issues be attributed to Manx syndrome or their breed? I have not experienced this before and have fostered appx. 500 cats and kittens. I fear their prognosis is not good.
I have a Tuxedo Manx, totally tailless, that was found on the side of the road when he was 3 weeks old. He is now 9 months old and healthy as a horse. He was in “grave” condition when I first took him to the vet, had a bad sore on his rump that was infected with maggots. Had an URI, and was covered with fleas. After 6 visits to the vet before he was 10 weeks old, the vet declared him in perfect health. He shows no sign of Spina Bifida, although he does have a small space between his tailbone and his “rumpy” faux tail. Should I worry that he may develop some sort of Spina Bifida/spinal issues?
My cat had 5 kittens a week ago we have been trying to give them space and leave her too it, occasionally throughout the day checking they are okay etc we noticed one of the kittens has a little stumpy tail that has a little curl at the end this kitten cannot move it’s hind legs independently and drags and hops to move. It also seems to have a protruding anus. I am quite worried about it as the other kittens don’t really let it feed. Could this be Manx syndrome? If so does this seem like a severe case? I will take the kitten to the vet but I am unsure about taking it away from its mother, any advice would be greatly appreciated
I have a friend that has Alan catthat just had kittens and I was going to adopt one. 3 don’t have tails and one has a full tail. Would it be safer to adopt the one with the full tail in hopes that itdidnt get the M gene? Did I read the article clearly? pleade advise.
Very interesting reading all the comments and of course the article. My 5 month old Manx is a female rumpy riser and very active, has a very healthy appetite and has no defecation or urinary problems. She is a climber, runner and jumper and has no trouble doing these activities.
However now I am concerned about her brother who a friend has, as the brother has no tail at all but so far he is very healthy and active. Anyway when ours gets desexed in 10 days I am going to ask the Vet to give her a proper check while she is under anaesthetic.
Does your male Manx have urine incontinence?
Hi everyone.
I’ve just read the comments here, and, although I’m not a professional I do have a little (lot) of experience with the breed.
In 2008, I found a giveaway female who was the last to go and was the rump of the litter.
Boots came home to live with us, and I was always going to let her have one litter.
However, at 5 years of age she hadn’t become pregnant, and had rarely showed signs of being on heat. While doing electrical work for a retired vet, I queried her about my kitty. With out having seen her she concluded (guessed) that, because apart from the M gene, the other genes that contribute to the syndrome are not well understood, Boots was likely to not be able to conceive. This could have ranged from her being a hermaphrodite (girl bits on outside with boy bits inside), malformed or absent ovaries, or just lacking the production of certain hormones.
So when she was 6 or so, I was at a house with a friend. I didn’t know the people but on the way up, my mate asked me if I wanted another kitten, because there was one here I could take. I responded that I wasn’t taking someone else’s kitty. He bet me I would once we got there and I saw.
I was absolutely disgusted. The male in the house kicked this kitten from the kitchen to the bedroom where his girlfriend jumped off the bed and kicked him beck to the kitchen. I promptly picked up the poor thing and said to my friend I was leaving if he wanted a lift back.
So we had boots, 6, and a 8 week old kitten
Boots got clucky, BIG TIME. She looked out for Levi right up until the time he was able to jump her! And he did, and did, and did some more.
So boots had her first litter at 6-7 years old.
She hasn’t stopped since! We’re at litter number 5 I think(I’ve lost count) and I have only ever had one kitten born with noticeable Manx syndrome. But it could have been squashed kitten syndrome as we’ll. it was the first time shed had 5, and the 2nd one out had hind legs bent up to near front ones. Like the spine was too curved. It had a tail, fed like all the others, but a visit to the vet told us he’d never walk properly, and couldn’t be definitive of which it was, or a combination of both
After that, she’s always had 5 kittens. I have always kept in contact with the home they’ve gone to, and when homing them always tell the new owners to get back to me if they have ANY concerns. The only time that’s happened was one got to 2 without going on heat observably. Although that was what happened with her mum, and I said that, as well as speaking to a vet about that would be more conducive.
I’d be happy to answer specifics if interested.
Please please please spay your cat. I have a Manx syndrome kitten right now who is fighting for her life because of megacolon. Every vet she sees wants to euthanize her. I work in kitten rescue and I implore you to stop breeding your cat.
Spook is a 3 year old rumpy riser. She has problems! Diarrhea, constipation, gas, anal prolapse. Poor girl but she is so happy and loves life. If she prolapses we put preparation h on her tush. Miralax is a great recommend for constipation. Now I just need tonfind a way to help her diahrea
We have a feral manx who recently had a litter of four kittens. All but one is manx like their mother and one that I can tell has pretty serious manx syndrome. She seems to get a long well although she does the bunny hop thing exclusively and leans to the right always. She also sits exclusively on one side. She eats well and goes potty well. So glad I found this article.. Was wondering what was wrong with her.. Now I know. P.S. We have an appointment next week to get mama cat fixed. Hopefully I can catch her in order to have it done. Two of the kittens, the manx syndrome one and the one with a tail are friendly with me. They are about 8 weeks old.
My wife found a beautiful little kitten with no tail. This thing has captured both our hearts in one week. So sweet so loving. Not at all like a normal leave me alone cats. Loves to play with both us and toys. Used litter from the start no training required. Noticed redness and bleeding at butt. Took kitten for shots worming and basic health check on butt. We were told it was a Manx and it would always bleed so it would have to be an outside cat. Said that surgery could cost thousands and thousands. We can’t afford this obligation. We went ahead and had kitten vaccinated and wormed because we cannot see putting this otherwise healthy living kitten down. Does anyone know of vets that can and are willing to fix this issue?
It’s not bothering the kitten that we can tell right now so if it does get to where we see the kitten suffering we will go to vet to have him euthanized but for now we hoping for some help or a small miracle like recovery.
God bless
Very informative, I’ve learned a lot. I’ve had Manx all my life love them to pieces..
We adopted 5-year-old Moby, a rumpy riser, from a rescue about a month ago. He is the most loving, delightful, talkative, and social cat I’ve known in a long time. In his short time with us, he’s basically taken over the house and become Big Boss Cat. Unfortunately, he’s also suffering from near-constant loose stools and flatulence. Several changes of diet haven’t had any effect. We may get one or two good days in a row, and then it’s back to poop everywhere, and wrestling him to clean him up with baby wipes. The only other Manx Syndrome symptoms he exhibits are that he leans pretty far back on his hind legs. Not full plantigrade, but close. I have a lot of experience with special-needs cats, so this isn’t the worst thing in the world, but I sure wish we could help him and make him more comfortable (who would want to go around all day with a poopy butt?) Any dietary hacks from other Manx parents would be very welcome. We love him to pieces and can’t imagine life without him.
Ok, I have a himilayan and a manx. My female was in heat. And my male manx could not breed her no matter how hard he tried. She was helping him almost trying to get theire respective places to match up lol. Is this normal? Im going to get my Manx neutered and i no longer have the himilayan. So just curious.
Addendum to my post. he is a full on Rumpy lol
PLEASE help me. I have a 8 year old male Manx that I rescued from a shelter. For the past three years he has become incontinent. He only pees when he is resting or asleep and only on designated areas which helps. He has been going poop in the litter box and hasn’t had constipation issues. We have tried 2 different meds and the first one seemed to work for a short time then he developed a uti so the vet wanted to try another med. that did nothing. He is only 8. He is the sweetest loving loyal cat. Does anyone have suggestions of what to do next?
We have a Manx, Bugsy. Bugsy is now 13 years old. He’s a very sweet cat but gets “grumpy” fairly easily. We both think this happens because of his manx syndrome in one leg and the other leg being fused at the knee with arthritis. Bugs does not have incontinence, he uses the litter box each time he needs to – alas, he is cursed with either soft stool or diarrhea and nothing much has seemed to help. We help him clean up each time. He was on gabapentin but his already large appetite got worse so we had to stop that as we didn’t want him to gain any more weight, it also did not help the diarrhea. We tried other medication and specialty foods but everything gives him diarrhea. If we try to restrict his diet a bit he will eat litter, which we don’t want him to do. He gets a probiotic in his morning meal, which seemed to help initially and CBD oil, one drop, in his evening meal which also seems to have helped him get around a bit better. We have stairs onto the bed and stairs onto the couch and chair. He gets around pretty good but I’m sorry he is in pain. Any suggestions?
I have a female Manx rumpy riser , I bred her to a non Manx cat and had no issues, 1 tailless, 2 long tail, 2 rumpy risers and one stumpy. I don’t think 2 Manx gene carriers should ever be bred together!
I am so glad I stumbled on this page! I have been at my wits’ end with worry about my fur baby. She’s a rescue, and we think perhaps she’s between 7 and 9 years old. She looks like a ragdoll in her coloring, but has the cymric body and is a rumpy. I spent around $700.00 this week, with no answers. She has chronic constipation, has had prolapsed rectum twice, and is now exhibiting some paralysis in her hind legs. She tires easily and doesn’t want to eat. I am watching her waste away before my eyes. The vet sent me home with gabapentin for kitties (which makes her so dopey she can’t function), lactulose to ease constipation, and an appetite stimulant to make her want to eat. She appeared to have a seizure yesterday. This is a cat that has gone from running, playing, hopping, and jumping to looking like she’s on death’s door within a week’s time. And yet the vet can’t find anything wrong on the x-rays. Reading these posts has given me some ideas.
I have a 7 year old orange male Manx. He has been very healthy and doesn,t seem to have any health problems. I pray he will stay that way. He is so friendly and sweet. I guess he would b be a rummy. He has just about 3 inches of a fat tail that he moves all around. He us quite agile and gas no bowel problems. I hope we are safe for his health for the rest of his life. I just love him
I have an almost 3 yr old female orange Manx with no hint of a tail She has no problems other than being spoiled by us and the other cats She runs and does upturns by jumping on the other wall ànd flipping
I was raised with Manx cats Babies would be born with just an indent for a tail, a partial bob or a long tail Only one had spina bifida All black kittens looked like bears walking in the snow,,