Manx vs American Curl - Breed Comparison | MyCatBreeds

The Manx cat is a domestic cat originating on the Isle of Man, with a short tail. It is one of the oldest cat breeds.

The cat is actually known as being a tailless cat. This is the cat's most distinguishing feature. They've been seen at cat shows since the 1800s.

These cats are descended from mainland stock, whose origins are unknown. It is said these cats are descended from the African wildcat.

The Manx is recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association as well as other cat associations.

The American Curl is well known for its unusual shaped ears and for being one of the youngest cat breeds.

It developed in California. The first of these cats appeared to have been strays that arrived in California in 1981. The black female’s name was Shulamith, and she gave birth to a litter with the same curled ears, and was the ancestor of the American Curls of today.

Appearing in a cat show in 1992 for the first time, the longhaired American Curl was then given championship status by TICA and it was also admitted to the Cat Fanciers Association’s championship class in the long- and shorthaired divisions.

The Manx cat is a medium-sized cat with a stocky, muscular, heavy build. He can weigh between 3 and 6kg. Manx cats come in all coat colors and patterns.

The coat of the cat can be short or long. The long-haired variety is considered its own breed. The cat has always been popular for helping farmers keep rodents under control.

Besides taillessness, the Manx is described as a round cat and its head is round too. The back legs of the cat are much longer than the forelegs.

The eyes of this cat are large and round and can be in different colors such as green, gold, copper, brown, or yellow.

Temperament:

They are very playful and intelligent cats who are devoted to their families. They can easily learn tricks and he can even be taught to walk on a leash.

They’re cats that love to jump and they’re active, playful cats. Don’t be surprised if you see him playing with the water in his water bowl as he is a cat fond of playing in water. 

These cats are thought to be dog-like as they’re capable of becoming devoted to their human family. They also have a great sense of humor and they become very entertaining. Children love them as they’re so playful and they in turn get on well with children. When you have a Manx cat in your house, there is never a dull moment.

The American Curl is a medium-sized cat weighing roughly 2.3–4.5kg. Its a cat that stands between 21 and 27cm in height.

It’s also a cat that takes a fairly long time to mature, reaching maturity about 2 or 3 years of age. The most distinctive feature of this cat is its unusual ears that curl backward as opposed to standing up like most other cats. At birth the ears are straight but they gradually start curling back, staying in a tight bud position.

The American Curl's coat is soft and silky and doesn’t require too much grooming. The fur comes in colors such as grey, white, apricot, black, and the coat can be a solid color or in a host of different patterns such as bi-color, triple-color, tabby, ticking and others.

The head is round, the eyes of the cat are large, giving the cat an alert, friendly look. The eyes can be many different colors from blue to green, amber, copper, hazel, and yellow.

Temperament:

The American Curl Cat loves his human family and gets on well with children too. He is an adaptable cat, settling into different lifestyles. You’ve got to watch him around small children who might manhandle him and pull his sensitive ears.

Nonetheless, he is sociable and loving. He is an intelligent cat, being active and alert and will even follow you around to see what you’re doing that he can be involved in too. He isn’t a particularly talkative breed but he loves to play and can even learn to fetch a smallish ball.

The loving Manx cat is such an even-tempered cat as well and wants to get along well with its entire human family. You can be sure of many years of affection and companionship from this cat.

It’s a cat that is fairly placid but it still loves to run and play, It’s an amusing cat too and to round everything off it also has a strange way of walking and running.

Give the Manx cat a warm. Loving home and you’ll quickly discover why the Manx cat is such a popular companion cat for so many people. The Manx is such a social, family orientated cat and you shouldn't bring him into your home if you don't have plenty of time for him.

You’ll find your American Curl to be a friendly, loving cat that will easily bond with his human family. They’re adaptable cats and will happily adjust to your lifestyle.

Despite their affection, however, American Curls aren't the type of cats to want to be pampered and petted - they are quite happy just to sit next to their owner and relax, or play with their toys.

Because American Curls are highly adaptable, they're suitable for a number of different home types, and homes with other pets or children, making you a splendid feline pet and companion.

The absence of a tail with the Manx cat is believed to be a genetic defect and because of the spine that looks deformed, it is thought that this would cause the cat problems.

Arthritis can set in early with the Manx cat. Arthritis or osteoarthritis affects many cats and the signs of arthritis in a cat can actually be subtle. The disease can go undetected. Arthritis is about wear and tear in the joints, although other factors such as injury, infection and genetic makeup come into play as well. Arthritis can affect one or more joints in the body such as the hips, elbows ad spine.

The mutant gene that causes the taillessness in this cat may also be responsible for other skeletal deformities in the Manx cat. As a round-shaped cat, the Manx cat can also battle with bladder control.

These ailments are just possibilities with this cat breed and it is more than likely that your Manx cat will never have any one of these diseases.

This is a healthy breed of cat that with good care can reach 9 – 15 years of age.

You need to be careful with their ears – perhaps damaging the cartilage if you brush him too hard.

Like many cats, the Curl is susceptible to ear issues so always be sure to check and clean your cat’s ears weekly.

One of the most important caring things that you can do for your cat is to provide him with the best diet there is. The Manx cat requires a balanced diet of protein, vitamins and minerals.

The Manx cat is a carnivore and will need a diet high in protein. Learn to read the labels on the packaging of the commercial cat food, whether wet or dry, and ensure that ingredients such as omega 3 fatty acids and taurine are in the ingredients list.

If you are in any doubt as to what to feed your Manx cat, speak to your vet.

The short coat of the Manx is easily cared for by a brush each week to remove dead, loose hair.

With this tailless cat, you need to check the rear end and perhaps clip the hair short in this area to ensure no feces clinging to the fur surrounding the anus.

The Curl’s coat can be either short or long, but with a gentle brushing, the coat can be well maintained. The shorthaired variety sheds a bit more during the year than the longhaired variety and this is why grooming and brushing becomes necessary.

You can brush your cat’s teeth to avoid periodontal disease.

Trim your cat’s nails every other week if they don’t wear down naturally.

Check inside- and outside the cat’s ears for parasites and dirt. The cat’s ears have a unique shape and they may well be born with narrowed ear canals that can trap dirt and wax and this results in ear infections.

Like all cats breeds, your lean, muscular American Curl can be susceptible to obesity and heart disease. Speak to your vet about a special cat food for your feline friend as cat food is specially formulated to deliver the exact level of natural vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants needed. Understand the amount of food your Curl requires by checking out the feeding instructions on the food labels. Always talk to your vet if you're not sure how much and what you should feed your cat.

Remember, that if you don’t want to do these grooming routines for your cat for fear of hurting him or not doing it properly, the vet or your local pet groomer will do it for you.

Make sure to provide your intelligent American Curl with toys and exercise. You can buy toys and games that will challenge his mental and physical abilities.