Cymric cats are, in fact, long-haired Manx. Both hail from the same British Isle, although their popularity is only extremely recent. It was between the 1960s and 1970s that the breeding of long-haired Manx began to be carried out. Shortly after, the specimens obtained came to be considered as a race in their own right, the Cymric. Currently, she is officially recognized by many feline associations. These two breeds have an excessively short tail, a characteristic that can cause them he alth problems.
The Cymric is a robust cat thanks to its broad bones and thick coat. As they are round, they remind us of the shape of a ball. Nevertheless, they are very agile cats, playful and who amaze us with their way of jumping. They are cute, friendly, sociable cats who love to get your attention to play, run or just follow you around. Continue reading this PlanetAnimal breed sheet to learn more about this particular variant of Manx cats: the Cymrics, discover their origin, their characteristics and much more information about them!
Origin
- Europe
- Man (Island)
FIFe Rating
- Category III
Physical Characteristics
- Little ears
- Strong
Size
- Average
Average Weight
- 5-6
Life expectancy
- 10-15
Hair type
- Long
Origin of Cymric
" The Cymric is a cat that is native to the Isle of Man, located in the sea of Great Britain and it appeared in the 18th century, at the same time as the Manx, because reproduction between cats of this small territory allowed the short tail gene mutation to perpetuate itself. The Cymric are long-haired Manx, as both breeds have been around since the mutation appeared. In concrete terms, Leslie F alteisek, an American breeder, and the Canadian Blair Wrighten, in the 1960s, decided to separate and mate the kittens of Manx litters that were born with long hair.This is how this particularity was extended to the point of considering the name of Cymric, which means in Celtic Wales, in honor of the origin of these cats (between Ireland and Wales )."
In 1976, the Canadian Cat Association was the first association to accept this breed for championships and in 1979 it was officially recognized by TICA (The International Cat Association).
Cymric Features
The Cymric is a very robust cat with a rather round head, eyes, pads and hips. Its body is medium sized, short and powerful, with males weighing between 4 and 5 kg and females between 3 and 4 kg.
On the other hand, their heads are round, large and with protruding cheeks. Its nose is medium, straight and short. The ears are medium, their base is wide and their tip is rounded. The eyes, for their part, are round and large, of a color corresponding to the color of the coat.It is a short-legged cat with broad bones and whose front legs are shorter than the hind legs.
Types of Cymric
Nevertheless, the main characteristic of this breed of cat is their short or absent tail. According to its length, Cymric cats are characterized in:
- Rumpy: no tail
- Riser: tail of less than three vertebrae
- Stumpy: more than three vertebrae, but she doesn't reach the normal size of 4 cm
Colors of Cymric
The coat of these cats is semi-long, dense and thick, double coated, silky, soft and shiny. It can be in many colors and patterns, such as:
- White.
- Blue.
- Black.
- Red.
- Cream.
- Silver.
- Brown.
- Tabby.
- Two-tone.
- Tricolor.
- Spotted.
Cymric character
Cymrics are characterized by being very quiet, social and intelligent. They have a powerful bond with their guardian. Although they are very sturdy, they are super agile and they love to run, climb and play with anything that gets in their way! Being so outgoing, he can easily live with children, with other animals and, even, with strangers that he won't hesitate for a second to greet.
These cats have a particular way of moving around, and because of their voluminous coat of hair, they may very well remind us of a bowling ball. These are cats that love heights and that we will inevitably find in high places. This cat breed especially hates water. There are people who think it's because they were developed on an island.This breed is also a cat breed known for burying things and then digging them up.
On the other hand, they are cats that like to be active, so they will need to be stimulated with stimuli and games. They are also very loyal cats to their guardian and they will follow you everywhere. If you have a garden, your Cymric will be delighted and he won't hesitate for a second to show you his predatory skills.
Caring for a Cymric cat
These cats, for their double coat of hair and for their length, require frequent brushing. If it is possible, it should be brushed every day, if it is not possible, it should be done at least three times a week, in addition, these moments will favor the improvement of your guardian-cat relationship while reducing the risk of hairball formation. This brushing must be done with a metal comb and this habit must be reinforced during the periods of moulting (spring and autumn).
It is necessary to maintain the hygiene of its ears and its mouth, just as it is necessary to deworm it and to vaccinate it. From the age of 7, it will be necessary to take him to the veterinarian to have his kidney function and blood pressure examined.
As for their diet, you just need to make sure that all the nutrients are of good quality and that they contain a high amount of protein in order to control obesity, because they are very voracious cats. They are very active but you will have to think with him to motivate him to move.
Cymric He alth
In the Manx there is the M gene, which is responsible for the mutation of the length of their tail. It presents a dominant management, which means that those who present one of the two dominant alleles (Mm) or two dominant (MM), will be born without a tail. However, MMs die before they are born due to severe damage to their nervous systems.The Manx or Cymric cats that we know are Mm, because kittens of these MM breeds are avoided. Ideally one of the parents is Cymric and the other is a longtail cat to make sure he doesn't have those genes, or both parents are Cymric but don't don't have a total absence of a tail.
Common diseases among the Cymric
Some Cymrics may have he alth problems that derive from their deformed spine due to the absence of a tail, such as the presence of arthritis at any age, spinal problems or defects in the hip bones .
" Nevertheless, 20% of Cymrics and Manxes present from the age of 4 months with Manx syndrome, which is congenital and is characterized by various symptoms due to the mutated gene that shortens the spine excessively. Abnormalities can appear in the spine or spinal cord such as spina bifida which causes incontinence and damage to the caudal and sacral nerves, but also in the bladder, intestines or hind limbs."
Kittens with this syndrome have a life expectancy of less than 5 years. Sometimes, with this syndrome or not, the deformed caudal vertebrae of the Cymric can cause discomfort or even an obstruction of the anal canal.
Other Cymric He alth Issues
- Corneal dystrophy
- Intertrigo (infection of skin folds)
- Eye infections
- Ear infections
- Obesity
- Bone problems (due to obesity)
- Diabetes (due to obesity)
Cymrics can also develop one of the diseases that usually affect cats, which is why you have to take them to the vet regularly. Do not neglect disease prevention either by vaccinating and deworming your cat. If you take good care of it, a Cymric will accompany you for almost 15 years!
Where to adopt a Cymric?
If you want to adopt a Cymric breed cat, know that it won't be that easy, especially if you don't live in Great Britain or the United States. The best thing is to get closer to associations or shelters to see if they have a cat of this breed for adoption.
Before thinking about adopting a Cymric, you must inform yourself well about it, you will need to know everything about its character, which we have described as cuddly, sociable and loyal, but they are also cats that need to play, to be able to perch and who eat a lot. You must also take into account the diseases associated with its breed and give it all the necessary care, with special attention to its long hair.
Photos of Cymric
