According to a writer in 1900, "the Manx is considered by many people as a national curiosity". It differs from the ordinary cat little, except in the absence of a tail or even an apology for one. The hindlegs are thicker and rather longer than the ordinary cat's and it runs more like a rabbit. The Manx cat came from the Isle of Man originally and is a distinct breed.

The reason for the Manx cat's lack of tail is a mutant dominant gene. The mutation occurred long ago, because the Manx is a very ancient breed of cat.

The degree of "taillessness" in the Manx varies. The varieties have been divided into four groups with the wonderful names of Rumpy, Rumpy-riser, Stumpy and Longy. A Rumpy Manx is the ideal exhibition animal, with no hint of a tail. Rumpy-risers have a small knob of a tail, Stumpies have a definite tail stump and Longies are hard to distinguish from normal cats.

The perfect Manx should have a distinct double coat with soft under hair and a glossier coarser top coat. They come in a whole range of coat and eye colours.

The Manx is a fascinating, attractive cat who will repay the interest of owners with intelligence and faithfulness.