246 



THE BOOK OF THE CAT. 



definitely that the specimens of this breed 

 now so common in parts of Russia all came 

 originally from Japan. Again, anyone who 

 breeds these tailless cats, and keeps the breed 

 quite pure, must have noticed how they differ 

 in appearance and habits from the common 

 short-haired cats. They are, and should be, 

 much smaller in size ; the coat should be 

 longer and more ' rabbity ' ; the ' call ' is much 

 nearer that of the jungle cat of the East than 



" Kink-tailed, screw-tailed, fork-tailed, and 

 absolutely tailless cats have all been exhibited 

 at British shows of recent years, and the writer, 

 from a personal knowledge of nearly all breeds, 

 has no hesitation in recommending the latter 

 as companions, their quaint and doglike ways 

 making them general favourites whenever they 

 are met with. 



" There are at present six distinct types of 

 Manx, or ' rumpy,' cats being exhibited at our 



SPECIMEN OF A MANX TABBY. 



(Photo: C. Reid, Wishaw.) 



that of the ordinary cat ; and their habits, like 

 those of the Siamese cats, are much more dog- 

 like. In all these points they keep closely 

 to what the writer firmly believes to be their 

 original type, the domesticated cats of the Far 

 East. 



" The photographs illustrating this article 

 give some idea of the general appearance of 

 these delightfully quaint little creatures, and 

 one notices immediately the great point that 

 all judges look for, viz., the high hind quarters, 

 which is so typical of the tailless breed of 

 cats, the few hairs, which represent the spot 

 where the tail should be, constantly appearing 

 even a few hours after birth, although there is 

 not a sign of a caudal appendage beneath them. 



shows, viz. : The long straight-backed cat, the 

 long roach-backed cat, the long straight- 

 backed cat with high hind quarters, the short 

 straight-backed cat, the short roach-backed 

 cat, the short-backed cat with high hind 

 quarters. The last type is the correct one, the 

 first is the worst and commonest type, the 

 others are intermediate and should be judged 

 accordingly. 



" Manx cats should always be judged in a 

 good, large, empty pen, and never in their own 

 pens, or when held by the judge. 



" Coat. Exactly the opposite to the ordinary 

 domesticated short-haired cat. A long and 

 open outer coat and a soft, close under coat 

 is the correct thing." 



