There is a Victorian saying: “There is no end of cats in the Isle of Man because they have no ends. These are the totally tailless”.

There is no end to them either, despite repeated predictions about their imminent extinction.

They still roam free on their Island home and internationally are prized pets.

Animated cartoons have portrayed Manx cats as dim-wits like Stimpson J. Cat, or cowards, like Mayor Manx in the Hanna-Barbera 1990s series Swat Cats. Really, they are tough, determined and bright.

Their hunting instincts were demonstrated at a World Mousing Championship at a 1964 Calgary cat show. A Manx cat was the fastest to follow a mouse’s scent through a glass maze. Little wonder then, that a Manx cat was a mouser in the House of Lords in the early 1940s and another, the black ‘Peta’, in Britain’s Home Office in the 1960s. A gift from the Island in 1964, ‘Peta’ invaded 10 Downing Street and roughed-up the resident Siamese owned by Prime Minister Harold Wilson. There were no repercussions; however, as The Home Office once ruled that she enjoyed ‘diplomatic status.’

Manx cats have been the companions of royalty and the famous: for example – ship’s cat on the former royal yacht, Britannia.

Walt Disney, creator of Mickey Mouse, had a black one. Manxie was a gift from the Isle of Man in 1933 and roamed the Disney studios.

The unrealised hope was that he would inspire the creation of a Manx cat playmate for Mickey.

Two Manx cats were adopted by Koko, the Gorilla Foundation’s amazingly communicative lowland gorilla. The first, named All Ball by Koko because she looked like a ball of fur, became an international celebrity. When Koko was told of All Ball’s accidental death she hooted mournfully in painful understanding.

Today a Manx cat named Zoe is used as a logo for the American-based Zoe Foundation, whose objective is the creation of a preserve for endangered tigers. The slogan, which applies as much to Manx cats as tigers, is “extinction is not an option”.

Throughout the world show standards for Manx cats vary. Traditionally, on the Isle of Man Dimple Rumpies are totally tailless, with an absolute hollow where a tail would begin. Rumpy Risers have a hint of a tail. Stumpies have a little more. Tailed cats, known as Longies, can be Manx if they carry the appropriate genes and display other Manx characteristics that can be passed on to their tailless kittens. Other distinctive features are: a round and large head, a nose longer than that of a good British shorthair, prominent cheeks; ears wide at the base and tapering slightly to a point; hindquarters, exceptionally high; rump round; back short. Of primary importance is a ‘hopping gait.’ The coat must be ‘double’ – open and soft like a rabbit’s; colour – immaterial though the earliest recorded was ‘brown tabby,’ otherwise ‘tiger’ – earth brown with black markings.

These Stamps are available to view or purchase through WOPA, under 2011 Stamp Issues, Manx Cats

published July 10th, 2011