Among several dozen breeds of domestic cats, representatives who are born without tails stand out in particular. Most of these breeds are called bobtails, from “short-cropped tail.” Cats born without tails look unusual, and have found their admirers.
List of cat breeds without tails:
- American Bobtail
- Kurilian Bobtail
- Japanese Bobtail
- Cymric
- Manx
Characteristics and classification of tailless cat breeds
In the 60’s of XX century, a kitten was found with a very short branch instead of a tail. It was observed that the animal was exactly born this way. After interbreeding with other cats, the offspring also had the feature of a short tail.
Decades later, scientists discovered the link in the cat’s genome that was responsible for the tail and removed it for the tailless breeds. Regular cats and members of the tailless species were used for crossbreeding. The offspring were invariably born with a small pom-pon instead of a tail.
The tail of these breeds is a residual rudiment, similar to the human.
Classify 4 groups of cats according to the length of the tail rudiment:
- Rumpy – complete absence of a tail;
- Riser – the rudiment has no more than 1 vertebrae in length;
- Stumpy – the tail is several times shorter than the standard tail;
- Longhi – long, typical domestic cat tail.
Cat breeds without tails have attracted people’s attention. It wasn’t until the 1990s that the American Bobtail breed was officially registered – the first representative of the tailless cat breed.
Cymrics and Manxes
Each breed has distinctive characteristics, its own nature. Tailless cats require special care. Let’s take a closer look at each of the existing breeds, their features and characteristics.
Manx Cat
Manxes have no tail at all. The animal is named after its homeland, the Isle of Man. According to local legends, cats with a complete lack of tail were discovered here in 1500. It is believed that the Manx cat brings good luck to its owner. Tailless cats from the Isle of Man have become popular around the world since the 1920s.
Appearance
The Manx cat has the following characteristics:
- The animal’s head and body are rounded and its paws are powerful;
- The coat is thick and quite fluffy;
- There are no restrictions on color, there are monochrome, striped, spotted individuals;
- The maximum weight is 5 kg.
This is interesting! The average life expectancy of a Manx cat is 13 years.
Care and Price
The breed does not require expensive or special care. It is enough to visit the veterinarian regularly, to do vaccinations, and to maintain a balanced diet.
High-quality Manx cats, usually those that have no tail or a bone slightly protruding where the tail usually is, will demand the most money, about $800 – $1500.
Cymric
One of the most famous cat breeds with no tail is the Cymric. They are also called Welsh Cats. People first became known about them in the 17th century.
Appearance
- Have a very thick, fluffy coat, which makes them look large;
- The muzzle is wide, which is due to the long hair on the cheeks;
- The average weight of the Cymrics is 3 kg;
- Front paws are slightly shorter than hind paws;
- The body has a rounded shape.
This is interesting! The peculiarity of the length ratio between the front and hind paws allows Cymrics to become excellent long-distance jumpers.
Care and Price
The Cymric is a short-tailed cat with fluffy hair of varying lengths throughout its body. Because of this, the cat must be bathed and combed regularly, otherwise the hair will roll up into clumps.
The cost of Cymric kittens starts from $800 and above, depending on the characteristics of the individual.
Modern breeds of bobtails
Bobtails – no tail breeds, with differences by region of origin.
Kurilian
The breed comes from the Kuril Islands. Kurilian Bobtails resemble dogs in character. Playful, adore their owners, and can be an excellent protector of the family.
Appearance
- Muscular body oblong in shape;
- Muzzle and nose are wide and ears are neat and rounded;
- The coat can be long or short, the color also varies;
- The tail resembles a fluffy pom-pon, as of rabbits.
This is interesting! Kurilian Bobtails – long-livers. Representatives of the breed live up to 20 years.
Care and Price
Depending on the length of the coat, bathing and combing are recommended. The care of the Kurilian Bobtails is standard.
The average cost of a kitten is $800-$1100.
American Bobtail
The breed called the American Bobtail was the first, officially registered tailless. It appeared in the 60s of the last century in the United States.
The peculiarity of the American Bobtail is its slow growth. It takes at least 3 years for an individual to fully reach its final size.
Appearance
- The breed is large, the weight of the cat can reach 16 pounds;
- The tail is short, slightly curved;
- The body is powerful, with strong musculature;
- The muzzle of the American Bobtail has a square shape;
- The shape of the eyes – slanting, predatory;
- Color – any possible, the length of fur can also vary.
Care and Price
American Bobtails require regular combing and brushing of teeth, vaccinations.
The average price for a kitten is $1600.
Japanese Bobtail
Strange as it may seem, the Japanese bobtail comes from China. The first mention of the breed dates back to the 10th century, they are cats with more than a thousand years of history. In the photo of Japanese Bobtails you can see that most of the representatives of the breed have bicolor – the main color and spots on the body.
Appearance
- Elongated wiry body;
- Long, strong paws;
- Muzzle elongated, triangular shape with large ears;
- Tail is a rabbit-like;
- The color can be anything, most often – bicolor.
Care and Price
The breed is very inquisitive, they can be trained. Care – classic, regular visits to the vet, proper nutrition.
The cost of a Japanese Bobtail kitten is $500-$1000.
Hybrid
There are also hybrid breeds, created artificially. The lack of cats’ tails worries some animal lovers, such breeds seem inferior. But this is a misconception. Over time, the tailless cat breeds change, evolve. They lead a full life and are in no way inferior to their long-tailed brethren.
