Every barn needs a cat….right?  Wrong….every barn needs a MANX cat.  Our family grew up with Manx cats and what I remember most about them is “they make great mousers”.  Manx cats are wildly popular for the hunting skills and this is why we decided to introduce them into our barn family.

When I went to purchase a Manx, I found true Manx kittens, quite rare and challenging to locate.  Additionally, the one female I did locate was nine hours away and VERY expensive.  It was at this time, I made the decision to breed a Manx kitten for my dad and then sell the others at affordable pricing, thereby reintroducing them into this region.  I purchased a female from a quality, well educated breeder as I felt having assurance from a reputable company would be an ideal way to insure the integrity of what was to be the backbone of our breeding program.  Eve came to us in late spring and we are elated.  White females are quite rare and to have the primitive markings she has, even more rare.  She is stunning.

We purchased Stubby (barn name-Stubs) from a family in Pasco.  He was an intact male kitten and has just been such a delightful addition to our barn.  He is a very handsome Manx with unique horizontal stripping.  He has personality plus and has been a real joy to have in our family.

Our first litter we expect to have in the spring of 2022. 

Call Gayle to reserve yours now!  Ph. 509.994.6098 

Interesting Facts About Manx Cats

Manx cats usually have no tail.

The Manx is a breed of cat that actually comes from the Isle of Man, and it’s best known feature is its taillessness. The breed also exhibits very large hind legs and a rounded head. There’s also a breed of sheep from the island called the Manx Loaghtan, which is known for sometimes having four or six horns.
Manx is a Gaelic language similar to some types of Irish Gaelic. The last native speaker of Manx, Ned Maddrell, died in 1974. There are modern attempts to revive Manx, although only 2% of the population have any knowledge of the language, making this a pretty tough feat.

There are numerous folktales about the Manx cat, all of them of "relatively recent origin"; they are focused entirely on the lack of a tail, and are devoid of religious, philosophical, or mythical aspects found in the traditional Irish–Norse folklore of the native Manx culture, and in legends about cats from other parts of the world.

Manx tails can be varying lengths.

The Manx gene is an incomplete dominant gene, so kittens that inherit it can be born with full-length tails, stubby tails, or no tails at all—and all of these tail lengths can appear in a single litter.
Due to this variability, Manx cats are classified according to tail lengths. Completely tailless felines are called “rumpy,” whereas cats with short tail stumps that are often curved, knotted, or kinked are known as “stumpy,” and kitties with nearly normal-length tails are called “longy.” Only “rumpies,” or cats called “rumpy risers” that have a slight rise of bone where their tails would start, are eligible to compete in the championship classes in CFA cat shows. Breeders like to include all four Manx tail types in their breeding programs, since genetic defects are more likely to arise when rumpies are only bred with other rumpies for multiple generations.

The Manx Cat is NOT a breed like the Loaghtin Sheep. The ‘Manx Cat’ is a cat with a genetic defect similar to Spina Bifida in humans and can not be pure bred. After very few generations of crossing tail-less cats, the defect causes excessive loss of vertebrae at the tail end if the spine resulting in fecal incontinence and reduced rear leg control. The Manx Cat can be Rumpy or Stumpy where there are more retained vertebrae. Also litters can be mixed, Rumpy, Stumpy, i.e. with and without tails!

Manx cats are playful.

Manx cats make great companions. They are intelligent, fun-loving cats that manage to express themselves very well without tails to swish around. Manx are particularly noted for their strong bonds of devotion and loyalty to their chosen humans and enjoy spending quality time with them, whether it’s sitting beside their humans enjoying quiet time, or racing around the house after a tossed sponge ball or a whirling feather-tufted toy. Manx are exceptional jumpers because of the powerful back legs. If sufficiently motivated, they will find a way into the most secure cupboard. No shelf is safe from the high-flying Manx.

Physical Attributes of a Manx Cat

Body
Solidly muscled, compact and well-balanced, medium in size with sturdy bone structure. The Manx is stout in appearance with broad chest and well-sprung ribs. The constant repetition of curves and circles give the Manx the appearance of great substance and durability, a cat that is powerful without the slightest hint of coarseness. Flank has greater depth than in other breeds, causing considerable depth to the body when viewed from the side. The short back forms a smooth, continuous arch from shoulders to rump, curving at the rump to form the desirable round look. Length of back is in proportion to the entire cat, height of hindquarters equal to length of body.

Head
Round head with prominent cheeks and a jowly appearance that enhances the round appearance of the breed. In profile, head is medium in length with a gentle dip from forehead to nose. Well-developed muzzle, very slightly longer than it is broad, with a strong chin. Definite whisker break with large, round whisker pads. Short, thick neck.

Ears
Wide at the base, tapering gradually to a rounded tip. Medium in size in proportion to the head, widely spaced and set slightly outward. When viewed from behind, the ear set resembles the rocker on a cradle. The furnishings of the ears are sparse.

Eyes
Large, round and full. Set at a slight angle toward the nose; outer corners slightly higher than inner corners. Color is gold to copper, odd eyed, blue eyed, green, or hazel as appropriate to the coat color.

Legs & Paws
Legs heavily boned, forelegs short and set well apart to emphasize the broad, deep chest. Hind legs much longer than forelegs, with heavy, muscular thighs and substantial lower legs. Longer hind legs cause the rump to be considerably higher than the shoulders. Hind legs are straight when viewed from behind. Paws are neat and round with five toes in front and four behind.

Tail
The Manx may have a rise of bone at the end of the spine. The rump is extremely broad and round.

Coat
Double coat is short and dense with a well-padded quality due to the longer, open outer coat and the close cottony undercoat. Coat may be thinner during the summer months. Texture of outer guard hairs is somewhat hard, appearance is glossy. A softer coat may occur in whites and dilutes due to color/texture gene link.