The same gene that gives Manx cats no tail also frequently disrupts how the spinal cord forms — one cited study found spina bifida in 16% of Manx kittens — and cats that inherit two copies of the tailless gene die before birth, so every living Manx carries just one copy of a gene that, in its more severely affected individuals, causes lifelong hind-leg weakness and bowel or bladder incontinence.
Health tests to ask the breeder for
There is no CHIC program for cats. These are the DNA and screening tests that the testing laboratories and cat health bodies name for the Manx. A breeder who tests will show the certificates; a DNA result of "clear" for one variant is not a guarantee against the disease.
- PRA-rdAc (CEP290) DNA test (UC Davis VGL / Langford Vets) screens for late-onset progressive retinal atrophy / blindness (UC Davis VGL lists the Manx among rdAc-affected breeds)
When to spay or neuter: by five months, whatever the breed. That is the one answer the AVMA, the feline practitioners and AAHA all give, and the spay and neuter page has why, and the two weeks after.
Manx syndrome, the spinal defect linked to the tailless gene, has no DNA screening test. International Cat Care lists it as an inherited disorder of the breed; responsible breeders avoid tailless-to-tailless matings.
Sources: icatcare.org · vgl.ucdavis.edu. Checked September 2026. Check a breeder has the questions.
Adopt a Manx near you
Shelters and rescues list Manxs and Manx mixes on Petfinder. Enter a ZIP code to see who is waiting within 100 miles.
Listings come from Petfinder and open there. Petipedia does not take part in adoptions and earns nothing from them.
Living with a Manx
A healthy Manx is playful, doglike, and gets around with real athleticism despite the rounded rump and hopping gait — the missing tail doesn't visibly slow most cats down day to day. The catch is entirely upstream: this is a breed built around a gene that, in its most severely affected individuals, causes lifelong incontinence and mobility problems, and there's no way to know before birth how badly an individual kitten's spine will be affected.
Health you should know about
- Manx syndrome — the dominant gene that removes the tail also frequently disrupts spinal cord development, causing spina bifida and related defects; one cited study found it in 16% of Manx kittens. Effects range from an abnormal hopping gait to hind-leg weakness, partial paralysis, and urinary or fecal incontinence with secondary skin infections.
- Lethal in double dose — cats that inherit two copies of the tailless gene die during fetal development; every living Manx carries only one copy.
- Arthritis in the residual tail stump of partially-tailed ('stumpy') individuals.
Read the full Cat Care Guide first — costs, daily time, and everything a cat needs before you choose a breed.
Naming a Manx? British dog and cat names, 89 of them, with what they mean.
Sources — 3 references
Last reviewed October 2026. 3 sources listed below. Written and maintained by Petdeals.io. General care information, not veterinary advice — for a sick animal, call a vet.