By Stacy Mantle

Temperament: The Manx, when crossed with a Domestic Short Hair results in a calm, very personable cat with little to no tail. 

The Manx gene is dominant, and so if you have a breed that was mixed with a Manx, no matter how distant, chances are excellent that you will observe a modified tail.  In addition to a very short tail, the Manx is known for a "round" appearance, generally they smaller, somewhat stumpy legs, and a rounder face, resulting in a 'kitten" look for life. Of course, their looks can depend a bit on what they have been "mixed" with, but generally the "Manx" look wins out and they retain these strong characteristics for life.

The Best Families For Them:  Manx's are known as "extremist" cats - they either love you or hate you.  They are either family cats or one-person cats.  And once they have adopted you as their own, they will have a terrible time trying to find happiness in another home.  If you commit and bond to this cat, you had best do so for life.  They are the least fickle of cats. They love to cuddle, play games (particularly "fetch" and anything that involves jumping).  Their short legs create incredibly powerful hindquarters which make them tremendous jumpers.  They love to play with toys that require strength and thought.  The best people match for this type are those who are also extremists.  And then you will need to be matched up to the perfect feline.  If you love to cuddle, find one who loves to cuddle.  If you are going to be away from home a lot, then find one who prefers to shower you with affection once every day or two, and nap the rest of the time.  But, be sure to provide him or her with plenty of toys and climbing areas so that they don't become bored, or they can become highly destructive. 

Coloring: Their colors vary.  The one shown in the picture above is heavily influenced on the Manx side, and is what is known as a “Solid Blue or Maltese”.  He is gray with green eyes.  However, the Manx - Domestic cat mixes can range dramatically in coloring depending on their heritage.

Size: Medium to large cats, these unusually friendly felines range in weight from 10 to 18 lbs on average.  Small enough to fit into a carrier, but big enough that you don’t want to carry them around as adults for very long.  The one pictured above weighs approximately 8 lbs.