
The Manx Cat
A genetic problem found in Manx cats. This is how the Manx breed works:
There are three kinds of Manx
Rumpy: Has no tail at all.
Stumpy: Has a stump or short tail
Longs: Has a normal tail, but may be a carrier of the recessive gene for manx.
You can breed a rumpy to a stumpy, a stumpy to a stumpy, a rumpy OR a stumpy to a long. But if you breed a rumpy to a rumpy, you get spinal deformity. This condition comes about when two rumpys are breed because the babies are born not only without tails, but missing the last few vertebrae. The resulting deformed cats have problems walking and sorta have to hop like rabbits. Extreme cases have problems urinating and defecating..
The Cabbits
Manxs born with spinal deformity used to be thought to be cats crossed with rabbits. In reality, rabbits are NOT able to reproduce with cats at all. While its not uncommon to see a sex starved tomcat mounting a pet rabbit, nothing will result from this other then an annoyed rabbit and a flustered cat.
National Alternative Pet Association
Appreciation for these manx gifs above, goes to~>