The Cymric Cat: Another Tale of No Tail

by Marjorie Dorfman | More from this Blogger

27 May 2006 06:00 AM

The tailless Cymric, whose name is derived from the Gaelic word for "Wales," along with its short-haired cousin, the Manx, are among the oldest breeds of cats known to man. Native to an island in the Irish Sea between England and Ireland known as The Isle of Man, these cats lost their tails as the result of a spontaneous mutation. The isolation of their origins and centuries of inbreeding easily established the genetic nature of the tailless trait, and both long and short haired cats existed on the Isle of Man before the appearance of this strange mutant gene. The Cymric weighs between 9-12 pounds and is a solidly built feline with a round head, widely-spaced ears and large round eyes. The hind legs are longer than the front legs, and the Cymric has a soft, semi-long outer coat that gradually lengthens from head to rump. They come in a range of colors, including tabby, solid, bicolor, shaded, tortoiseshell and calico. These cats are non-aggressive, relaxed and friendly and make wonderful companions. They are dog-like in their habits in that they are known to fetch and even growl when confronted with an unidentified disturbance.. They often follow their owners around the home and they are known for their love of shiny objects of all kinds. They love to nap in high places and get along very well with children, other cats and dogs. There are several terms that are unique tot his breed and refer to the tail regions of the cat. A "rumpy" is a completely tailless Cymric while a "rumpy riser" is a cat that appears to be tailless but in reality has one to three vertebrae fuse to the end of the spine. A "stumpy" refers to a cat that has one to five normal vertebrae, which renders a movable tail stump. The "longy" is a Cymric with a shorter than normal tail, but a tail by anyone's standards. Do YOU own such a special cat? Please share your experiences.

Related Articles:

"The Manx Cat: A Tale of No Tail" http://pets.families.com/blog/the-manx-cat-a-tale-of-no-tails

Learn more about Marjorie Dorfman

Marjorie Dorfman is a freelance writer and former teacher originally from Brooklyn, New York.

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