The Manx is a breed of cat with a naturally occurring mutation of the spine. This mutation shortens the tail, resulting in a range of tail lengths from normal to tailless. The hind legs are longer than the front legs, creating a continuous arch from shoulders to rump giving the cat a rounded appearance. Manx cats move with more like a hop than a stride when running; in this aspect, they resemble rabbits more than cats. Many Manx have a small 'stub' of a taill, but Manx cats are best known as being entirely tailless; it is the distinguishing characteristic of the breed
The Manx breed originated on the Isle of Man, hence their name. It is called kayt Manninagh in the Manx language. They are an old breed, and tailless cats were common on the island as long as two or three hundred years ago. It is unknown exactly how the mutation originated, but one legend states that it was the result of cats surviving a shipwreck centuries ago. Legends even claim that Noah caused the breed to be tailless by closing the door to the ark as the Manx was entering, cutting off the tail. Other legends allege that cats and rabbits mated, and their offspring became the Manx cat; the reasoning behind this is the fact that Manx usually do not have tails, and have longer hind legs, which gives them a similar appearance to rabbits, especially when running. This was further reinforced by the Cabbit myth.
The most probable scientific explanation of this breed's existence is that once the dominant mutant tailless gene was introduced to the island, it became common and concentrated in the genetically isolated population. This resulted in the "normal" cat on the island having a short or nonexistent tail.
The Manx breed is a highly intelligent cat breed, it is playful, and in its behaviour, bizarre, but very reminiscent of dogs; for example, some Manx cats will fetch small objects that are thrown. It is considered a social feline, and the breed loves humans. This attribute makes them an ideal breed for families with young children and people who prefer a companion. Some members of this breed tend to like water, many times even playing with it. This trait makes it very easy to give some Manx cats a shower for hygiene purposes, unlike most other cats. Although not as trainable as dogs, Manx cats can learn simple commands. Other cat breeds that share similar personality traits are Bengal and Ocicat. If there are multiple Manx cats in a household, an owner might notice that they chase each other frequently. This is common behaviour for Manx cats; they like to chase anything, be it an animal or leaf caught in the wind. Their 'meow' often resembles a long, monotone grunt or rapid chirping. However, Manx cats usually are very quiet.
