The Cymric cat comes from the Isle of Man, in the British Isles. Despite being very sociable and playful, it is mostly known for the fact that it has no tail.
Originally from the Isle of Man, the Cymric cat, also called the "Longhaired Manx" or "Manx Longhair", is a longhaired variety of the Manx cat, also from the Isle of Man. The name "cymric" comes from the welsh "cymru" which means "Wales".
The small area in which this breed was born and evolved means that it is the result of inbreeding crossing between longhaired Manx cats.
Although the Manx was recognised in the 1920's, the Cymric had to wait a bit longer. In 1970, the CCA (Canadian Cat Association), finally recognised the breed. It was then up to the CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association) to recognise the breed and they did so in 1989 under the name of "Longhaired Manx". TICA (The International Cat Association) also recognised the breed.
The gene responsible for their lack of tail still remains unknown. There are many different British folklore legends surrounding this unusual characteristic.
Some say it was the inhabitants of the Isle who cut off their tails in order to save the heat in their homes. The somewhat questionable logic behind this being that without a tail, the house door's would close quicker behind them, thus conserving the heat.
A second myth attributes this unusual characteristic to the biblical story of Noah's Ark. According to legend, this cat would have been the last cat to board the ark behind the other animals, and the door would have closed on its tale, cutting it off in the process.
Of average size, the Cymric cat has a "cobby" body type, with its physique being based on the same standards as the Manx. They have a compact and robust body. Generally speaking, they are a rather round, muscular and powerful breed.
Their rump is rounded, forming a continuous ark. Their neck, also very muscular, is very short, and in some cases even inexistant.
Of medium size, their legs are shorter than the length of their body.
Their head is quite large and round and their cheeks are full. Their nose is short and large.
Their eyes are big, round and open and quite well spaced apart from each other.
Of average size, their ears are quite large at the base and rounded.
Their most defining characteristic of the Cymric cat is undeniably its tail, or rather the absence of it. Just like the Manx, there are four types of different tails, which are the following: "rumpy" (complete absence of a tail), "rumpy riser" (the tail is slightly swollen, that is to say protruding a bit, "stumpy" (protrudes a bit more), and "longy" (the tail is present, meaning that the animal will not be able to compete in competitions as it doesn't respect the breed standards).
As for its fur, the Cymric has medium-long length hair, very soft, with a thick undercoat.
At full maturity, the Cymric cat weighs between 2 and 5 kilos and measures 30-35cm in height.
Source : Purina
All coat colours are recognised by breed standards. The following divisions are allowed: solid, tabby, silver/smoke, solid and white, tabby and white, silver/smoke and white.
The Cymric cat is renown for its sociable and playful temperament. It's a very lively cat that requires you to be able to spend quality time with them, playing games and going outside. Their sociable personality means they get on well with children, and other pets.
They are a very well-behaved breed that loves being close to their owners, giving them plenty of cuddles.
They are also very protective, sometimes adopting the behaviour of a dog if they feel their owners are being threatened.
Just like the Manx, the Cymric cat is subject to a number of illnesses, listed under the name "Manx syndrome". The gene responsible for the absence of their tail can also affect the spine, causing partial paralysis, incontinence or other painful illnesses. If they are carriers of this syndrome, they will not generally live past the first couple of months.
However, if these illnesses are treated in time, the Cymric cat could live up to 20 years old. This is due to the fact that they reach full maturity just five years after they're born.
The long and thick fur of the Cymric needs to be brushed daily in order to preserve its softness and stop knots forming.
