Editing Manx cat
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The Manx breed is genetically distinct from the [[Japanese Bobtail]] breed, another naturally occurring insular breed. The Japanese Bobtail always has at least some tail, ranging from a small "[[Pompon|pom]]" to a stubby but distinct tail, which is kinked or curled and usually has a slightly bulbous and fluffy appearance; by contrast, the Manx has a straight tail when one is present at all. The Japanese Bobtail has a markedly different appearance from the Manx, and is characterized by almond-shaped eyes, a triangular face, long ears, and lean body, like many other Asian breeds. The gene responsible for the bobbed or kinked tail in that breed is [[Recessive gene|recessive]] and unrelated to the dominant Manx tail-suppression gene; the bobtail gene is not connected to any serious deformities, while the tail-suppression gene can, under certain conditions, give rise to a pattern of sometimes lethal [[#Health and genetics|health problems]]. The [[Pixie-bob]] breed also has a short tail, and may be genetically related to the Manx. More will be clear about tail genetics as more genetic studies are done on cat populations and as DNA testing improves; most domestic animal genetic work has been done with dogs and livestock breeds. |
The Manx breed is genetically distinct from the [[Japanese Bobtail]] breed, another naturally occurring insular breed. The Japanese Bobtail always has at least some tail, ranging from a small "[[Pompon|pom]]" to a stubby but distinct tail, which is kinked or curled and usually has a slightly bulbous and fluffy appearance; by contrast, the Manx has a straight tail when one is present at all. The Japanese Bobtail has a markedly different appearance from the Manx, and is characterized by almond-shaped eyes, a triangular face, long ears, and lean body, like many other Asian breeds. The gene responsible for the bobbed or kinked tail in that breed is [[Recessive gene|recessive]] and unrelated to the dominant Manx tail-suppression gene; the bobtail gene is not connected to any serious deformities, while the tail-suppression gene can, under certain conditions, give rise to a pattern of sometimes lethal [[#Health and genetics|health problems]]. The [[Pixie-bob]] breed also has a short tail, and may be genetically related to the Manx. More will be clear about tail genetics as more genetic studies are done on cat populations and as DNA testing improves; most domestic animal genetic work has been done with dogs and livestock breeds. |
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Manx (and other tail-suppressed breeds) do not exhibit problems with balance;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pets-global.com/?p=1072|title=7 Facts About Your Cat's Tail|date=2017-01-04|website=Pets Global|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-02 |
Manx (and other tail-suppressed breeds) do not exhibit problems with balance;<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.pets-global.com/?p=1072|title=7 Facts About Your Cat's Tail|date=2017-01-04|website=Pets Global|language=en-US|access-date=2020-02-02}}</ref> balance is controlled primarily by the inner ear. In cats, dogs and other large-bodied mammals, balance involves but is not dependent upon the tail (contrast with [[rat]]s, for whom the tail is a quite significant portion of their body mass). |
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Since Manx kittens are naturally born with any tail length, from none to long, it was formerly common to surgically [[Docking (animal)|dock]] the longer tails a few days after birth. Although illegal in many jurisdictions (including much of Europe), the practice was formerly recommended, although with the caveat that the commonness of the practice meant that many spurious Manx cats – i.e., random British cats – were altered to resemble the Manx, to defraud unwary buyers.<ref name="Barton" /> |
Since Manx kittens are naturally born with any tail length, from none to long, it was formerly common to surgically [[Docking (animal)|dock]] the longer tails a few days after birth. Although illegal in many jurisdictions (including much of Europe), the practice was formerly recommended, although with the caveat that the commonness of the practice meant that many spurious Manx cats – i.e., random British cats – were altered to resemble the Manx, to defraud unwary buyers.<ref name="Barton" /> |