The short-haired tail-less Manx or "Rumpy"from the Isle of Man is unique, although there are Cats without tails in Japan & Mayalasia. Where the tail should start there is a hollow. Breeding the true Manx is difficult; they may produce kittens with long tails. The high back legs give the breed a walk which looks like a rabbits hop. The hindquarters are high, giving the Cat a curious appearance, the coat is short & double, like a rabbits fur, the head is large and round, and the ears are pointed.

The origin of the breed is a mystery. Legend says that the first Manx Cats landed on the Isle of Man from two ships of the Spanish Armada wrecked off Spanish Point. near Port Erin. An old Manx newspaper says that in 1808 an "East County ship was wrecked on Jurby Point, and a rumpy Cat swam ashore". Another tradition states that a Baltic ship wrecked between Castle Rushen and the Calf brought the Manx to the Island. As the ship drew close to the shore two or three tail-less Cats leaped from the bowsprit and were taken by the wreckers on shore, who were waiting for loot.

The Explorer Auguste Pavie believed that the Annamite Cats were connected with the Manx. The Annamites, small, graceful Cats with very short tails, were probably imported into the East Indies from Britain by the trading expeditions in the eighteenth century.

The old Welsh legend states that Manx Cats were known in Cornwall at an early date, and that it was from the West of England that the Manx went to the Isle of Man. They were evidently sacred animals, since they were said to have been the offspring of an ancient goddess.

There is an old superstition in the Isle of Man, that the Cats have a King of their own.
He is said to live the life of an ordinary house-cat by day, but at night he
assumes his regal powers and travels the lanes in a fiery state.
If the householder who owns the King of the Manx Cats is unkind to his pet,
it is said that the King takes a terrible revenge.

	Remember, all Cats are believed to be on intimate terms with the Fairies, and with all the inhabitants of the invisible world... and if a Cat is put out of doors when the Family retires, the Fairies let it in again during the night.
	The oldest and most amusing Manx story is the Biblical one. It seems the Manx was the last of all the animals to enter the Ark. Noah was very impatient, because the waters were rising. But the Cat was slow, so Noah hastened it along and hurriedly shut the door on it's tail.
	Said the Cat, and he was a Manx, Oh, Captain Noah wait! I'll catch the mice to give you thanks And pay for being late! So the Cat got in, but Oh, His tail was a bit too slow!
	The saddest facts have yet to be told. Today, because of breeding practices that got out of control, Manx are harder than ever to find. To remedy this, many unethical breeders will amputate newborn kittens tails without concern for the repercussions. This practice is not done under Veterinary care and without proper follow up care, thus leading to nerve damage, infection, problems with bowel function, etc. Some of these problems go undetected until the kitten is sold and becomes part of a loving Family. Buying and selling of living flesh is an archaic practice that today will guarantee "the best" for those that practice it. For the rest of us, we retain the right to the "throw backs". Visit any Shelter and you can get a so called perfect breed animal that has a defect. Or contact your local Greyhound Rescue Service. We don't accept the buying and selling of Human flesh, aren't we all creatures of the same Earth?

Baby Bird, my special friend, came to me because to leave her behind meant that she would be shot. Her litter had been crossbred too many times, and the males weren't rounded up quickly enough to be Neutered. She and her siblings were left on their own to become Feral Cats. At three months they were all to be destroyed, but thanks wholey to the efforts of my younger sister, Karen, Baby Bird was captured and I brought her back to Indiana with me. She remains my companion after eleven years, and although the first few years were tough, she has become a happy indoor Cat with her very own special window. On occasion we battle at the door, but not too often. The hardest adjustment for her was learning to be held and cuddled. She is totally intolerant of strangers and gets extremely stressed when someone is in the house she doesn't know. But between us there is a bond, she knows my moods and I know her fears, together we can conquer almost anything!

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