History
This ancient breed originated as a working cat on the Isle of Man, catching all of the rats, mice and hedgehogs that caused farmers and fishermen so much trouble. Their strong build and witty character made them excellent companions for farmers. The common physical trait of the Manx, a lack of a tail, likely comes from a dominant gene mutation which, when mixed with other members of the breed, can produce a litter with all different tail lengths. The Manx was probably a short-haired breed originally, but the long-haired gene was likely introduced during the Viking rule when they were mixed with other long-haired cats.
