Manx Kitten

mommyto

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I am considering adopting a Manx kitten from a rescue organization. He's still too young to meet friends yet, but I wanted to look into the breed before we got to that point and fell in love. He is a nubbie. I keep on reading horror story after horror story of shorter lifespans and incontience issues. We lost the kitten in my profile picture last year to FLUTD. We got him through the first blockage, but the second was too much for the poor guy. I know the Manx issues are not the same, but I am a bit worried about their issues and putting my kids through another short lifespan. Are there good stories out there of healthy Manx kitties? And what would you all look for before adopting one? Should I have him see my vet? The rescue is a good one, but I'm still worried.
 

denice

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I am guessing the term nubbie means he does have a very short tail.  I think the ones that do have a short tail have fewer issues.  How old is the kitten?  From what I have read the incontinence issues show up at around 4 months of age.  As far as I know incontinence and issues with having kittens are the two issues that show up in the Manx cats.  I don't think they are any more prone to other issues than the average for all kitties.
 

red top rescue

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You said the kitten you are interested in is a "nubbie" but I am not sure of what that term means.  The standard description for Manx tail lengths includes
  • ‘Dimple rumpy’ or ‘rumpy’ – no tail whatsoever, just a dimple where the tail would be
  • ‘Riser’ or ‘rumpy riser’ – a bump, or rump of a tail – either just cartilage or a few vertebrae
  • ‘Stumpy’ – a small partial tail (up to about 3cm)
  • ‘Stubby’ – a short tail
  • ‘Tailed’ or ‘longy’ – having approximately half length to normal tail length
I would think a "nubbie" was a Riser or a Stubby, and in my experience with our local feral population, all the males have been healthy -- but then if they were not, I might never see them.  There was one blue eyed cream point male who contributed to lots of litters over the years (we nicknamed him Bob, and he was trap wise and we never caught him, and he was around and active for at least 12 years), and we have had a regular crop of Risers and Stumpies showing up in feral litters we saved or else showing up as young adults in the neighborhood, probably all descendants of Bob.  I currently feed two of them, one a Rumpy who was super wild when he first showed up earlier this year but now lets me put food on his plate even when he's eating) and another who is a Stumpy and may be the son of the Rumpy, and him I was able to trap and neuter and he's getting quite tame now.  So being tailless does not have to mean having Manx Syndrome.  A friend of mine also had three Manx -- two from a breeder, both Rumpies with no Manx syndrome, and one who came in from the wild and is a Stumpy they tamed.  The Stumpy and their first Manx are both alive and well at age 18.  They lost the second Manx, at age 15, from squamous cell carcinoma of the mouth, nothing at all related to Manx syndrome. 

Manx breeders wait until kittens are four months old to place them in new homes because if they are going to have any manifestations of Manx syndrome, it shows up by then.  You didn't mention how old your kitten is, but he may be very healthy like our local mixed breed Rumpies and Stumpies seem to be.  Do ask the rescue if they have any history on this kitten as to where he came from and his parentage, if known, and his age.  If he's four months or more and showing no signs, you should be in the clear.  If he's less, you might want to get a vet exam including an x-ray of the spine.

(Evidently @denise and I were writing at the same time but she isn't as long-winded as I am so she posted first.  We said the same thing!)
 
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Jill loves Geno

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I am guessing the term nubbie means he does have a very short tail. I think the ones that do have a short tail have fewer issues. How old is the kitten? From what I have read the incontinence issues show up at around 4 months of age. As far as I know incontinence and issues with having kittens are the two issues that show up in the Manx cats. I don't think they are any more prone to other issues than the average for all kitties.
Not sure if mine is Manx Syndrome but he is 6 and incontinence just started 6 months ago
 
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