Cymric Cat

A long-haired version of the Manx, the Cymric first appeared in Canada in the 1960s in litters of strictly pedigreed cats that had no long-haired animals in their ancestry. The new cats were bred together, and the new breed held true.

Cymric Behavior/Personality

Cymrics are affectionate, intelligent cats, happiest when they are doing something. They have good mousing ability and enjoy time outdoors, but they are very comfortable in the home as well. They get along well with other animals, including dogs.

Cymric Breed Standard/Physical Description

All colors and patterns are acceptable in the Cymric, which has a medium to long coat with a thick undercoat and shiny, smooth top hairs. The body has a stocky, muscular build. In the true breed standard the end of the thumb should fit into the hollow that marks the spot where the tail should start.

The overall body generally has an arched appearance, due to shorter than normal vertebrae. The legs are short and thick, with the hindlegs longer than the forelegs. The paws are round and large. The head is round, with a short nose, strong chin, large, round eyes, and medium ears that are rounded at the tips

The coat requires regular brushing, but it is easily groomed and very rarely mars. Because the bodily features that give the breed its distinction are essentially genetic defects, the Cymric is a controversial breed. If it were introduced for recognition today, further breeding would probably be discouraged.

Cymric History

The Cymric's predecessor, the Mans, is itself a genetic mutation first discovered on the Isle of Man, off the west coast of England. The length of the tail, which is totally absent in the breed standard (referred to as "Rumpy"), actually can vary quite widely and in some individuals is only a bit shorter than normal cat tails.

Some individuals have a remnant tail and these are dubbed "Stumpies," while those which have nearly full tails are called "Longies." Some theories suggest that the Manx, and subsequently the Cymric, are actually the descendants of the Japanese Bobtail or a related breed that was somehow transported to this distant island half a world from its native land in the Far East.

Other tales tell of invaders that nipped the tails from the cats as a sort of victory symbol and of queens that habitually bit the tails from their offspring.