Cymric cats are actually the manx longhair cats Both hail from the same British Isle, though growing popularity of the Cymrics is recent. Between the 1960s and 1970s, long-haired Manx cats began to be bred. A short time later, the resulting specimens ended up being considered as a cymric breed, being officially recognized by several feline associations, including the international one. Both have an excessively short tail, which can cause he alth problems.
The cymric cat is a stocky cat due to its wide bones and long, thick fur. They have an appearance that makes them look like a ball because they are so round, but at the same time they are agile, playful and very good jumpers. They are endearing cats, very friendly, sociable and will like to get your attention to play, run around or simply follow you around the house. Keep reading this page of our site to learn more about this particular variant of the manx cats: the cymric cats, their origin, characteristics, personality and much more.
Origin of the cymric cat
The cymric cat comes from the Isle of Man, from the sea off Great Britain, and has its origins in the 18th century, as than Manx cats, where breeding among cats in that small territory allowed the short-tailed or missing-tail gene mutation to perpetuate itself. Cymrics are considered Longhaired Manx, as both breeds have been around since the mutation appeared and people started breeding them. Specifically, Leslie F alteisek, an American breeder, and the Canadian Blair Wrighten, in the 1960s decided to separate and pair the kittens from litters of Manx cats that were born with long hair. This particularity was thus extended to the point of considering the name Cymric, which means "Welsh" in Celtic, in honor of the place of 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).
Characteristics of the cymric cat
The cymric cat is very robust and its head, eyes, pads and hips are round. Its body is medium, short and strong, and adult males can weigh between 4 and 5 kg and females between 3 and 4 kg.
On the other hand, his head is round, large and with protruding cheeks. The nose is medium, straight and short. The ears are medium, with a wide base and a round tip. The eyes, meanwhile, are round and large, in color according to the color of the coat. He is short-legged, wide-boned, and has shorter forelegs than his hindlegs.
Types of cymric cats
However, the main characteristic of this cat breed is its short or absent tail. Depending on their length, cymric cats are characterized by:
- Rumpy: No tail.
- Riser: tail with less than three vertebrae.
- Stumpy: more than three vertebrae, but not normal or greater than 4 centimeters.
Cymric Cat Colors
The hair of these cats is medium-long, dense and thick double-layered, silky, soft and shiny. Can be multiple colors and patterns, such as:
- White.
- Blue.
- Black.
- Red.
- Cream.
- Silver.
- Coffee.
- Tabby.
- Bicolor.
- Tricolor.
- Stained.
Cymric cat character
Cymric cats are characterized by being very calm, sociable and intelligent They show a strong bond with their caretaker(s). They are agile despite being so robust and enjoy running, climbing and playing with everything in their path. Being so outgoing, it is easy for them to coexist with children, other animals and even strangers, whom they will not hesitate to go out to say hello and introduce themselves, and will even try to play with them.
They have a particular way of moving, resembling the movement of a bowling ball due to their voluminous shell and rounded shape. They especially like heights and it is normal to find them climbing quite high places On the other hand, this breed especially hates waterThere are people who believe that it is because they were created on an island surrounded by it. In addition, they are able to bury objects and then dig them up.
On the other hand, they like us to make them stay active with stimuli and games, and they are so faithful thatfollow their caregiver in many of their tasks. If you have a garden, it won't hesitate to go out to browse and demonstrate its predatory skills.
Cymric cat care
These cats, due to their double coat and their length, require frequent brushing If possible every day, if not every least three times a week, which in addition to favoring the cat-caretaker bond, reduces the risk of hairballs forming and the hair thickening. This brushing should be done with metal-pronged combs and should be reinforced in the spring and autumn moulting months. Oral administration of m alt to cats can also aid in the prevention of hairball formation.
You must maintain the hygiene of its ears and mouth, as well as deworm it and vaccinate it like the rest of the feline breeds. From the age of seven, you should go for a kidney function and blood pressure check-up, and any check-up in the presence of any disease typical of the breed or another that can affect felines.
With regard to feeding, you must ensure all the nutrients and be of good quality, with high amount of protein and control it properly to avoid obesity, since they tend to be very voracious. They are very active but it is necessary that we maintain their physical condition through games that make them stay in shape.
Cymric cat he alth
In the Manx there is the gene M, which is responsible for the mutation in the length of the tail. It presents a dominant management, which means that those that present one of the two dominant alleles (Mm) or the two dominant alleles (MM) for the gene, will be born tailless. However, MM die before birth due to severe damage to the nervous system. The known Manx or Cymric cats are Mm, since kittens of these MM breeds are prevented from being born due to their fatal development. Ideally, one of the parents is cymric and the other is a long-tailed cat to ensure that it does not have these genes, or both parents are cymric but do not have a complete absence of a tail.
Common diseases in cymric cats
Some cymric cats may present he alth problems derived from their deformed spine due to the absence of a tail, such as the presence of arthritis to any age, spinal problems or defects in the hip bones.
However, the 20% of cymric and manx cats have thefrom 4 months of age "Manx syndrome" , which is congenital and is characterized by various signs due to the mutated gene that excessively shortens the spinal column and can cause abnormalities in the spine or spinal cord such as spina bifida which causes incontinence and affectation of the caudal and sacral nerves, but also at the level of the bladder, intestine or hind limbs.
Kittens with this syndrome have a life expectancy of less than 5 years. Sometimes, together with this syndrome or not, the deformed caudal vertebrae of the cymric can cause discomfort and sometimes cause an obstruction of the anal canal.
Other cymric cat he alth problems
Other diseases present in this breed are:
- Corneal dystrophy.
- Intertigo (infection of skin folds).
- Eye infections.
- Ear infections.
- Obesity.
- Bone problems (due to obesity)
- Diabetes (due to obesity).
Cymric cats can also develop any of the diseases that affect cats in general, so routine visits to the vet are important, as well as disease prevention through vaccination and deworming. They can have the same quality of life as any he althy cat and can reach up to 15 years of age.
Where to adopt a cymric cat
If we are interested in adopting a Cymric cat, we must think that it is difficult, especially if we do not reside in Great Britain or the United States. The best thing will always be to go to protectors, shelters or ask associations about this breed and its possibilities of adoption.
Before thinking about adopting a cymric cat, we must inform ourselves well about the breed, that is, know what their character is like, that we have commented that they are very tender, sociable, loyal and good companions, but sometimes At the same time, they are always looking for what or who to play with, good heights and their diet must be as adjusted as possible due to their enormous appetite. We also have to take into account the diseases associated with its breed and always keep it under control and give it all the necessary care, with special attention to its long coat.
