
A Siamese Manx cat is a cross between the Siamese and the Manx breeds and has distinctive physical qualities from both breeds. It is included in the list of experimental cat breeds and also referred to as the Owyhee Bob. Its most noticeable features are its unique coloring, blue eyes, muscular built, and stumpy tail while some have no tails at all.
Common characteristics of the Siamese Manx cat
The Siamese Manx cat or Owyhee Bob is the result of crossbreeding the Siamese and Manx breeds. Aside from the blue eyes and stumpy or short tails, its distinctive features are its color and build. It comes in all colorpoint colors and patterns including parti-color, or a coat of two or more distinct colors.
Physical characteristics
These are the physical characteristics of the Siamese Manx cat breed:
- body size – medium to large
- weight – females weigh 8 to 12 lbs. while males weight 12 to 16 lbs.
- head – wide and round heads, full cheekbones, and well-developed muzzles with notable whisker pads. The strong chins provide a balanced appearance to their heads.
- ears – medium to large ears that are full at the base and tapering or feathering to a rounded, tufted tip.
- eyes – slightly slanted, blue-colored, and oval-shaped while some have almond-shaped eyes.
- body – medium in length, muscular, and with a broad chest.
- legs – well-muscled, long, and sturdy
- paws – large and tend to be polydactyl, or have extra toes, usually have tufts between the toes
- tail – rumpy, longy, or stumpy or none at all
- hair length – may be long or short and with less shedding compared to other breeds
- coat – soft and plush like a rabbit’s coat but not curly or wavy
Personality and temperament
The Siamese Manx cat’s personality is playful, sweet-tempered, and it has a generally sociable nature. This breed is very vocal and meows aloud, loves to be part of a family, and is loyal like a dog. It could be even said that its temperament is more like that of a dog than a cat. It is extremely smart and can be taught to sit, lie down, and fetch a ball.
They get along well with other animals like dogs but some females tend to be territorial and aggressive to other animals.
The breed is presently recognized only by the Rare and Exotic Feline Registry. It originated from the United States and identical with the Mountain Bob except for their colors.
Siamese and Manx breeds: Where the Siamese Manx cat breed originated
Let’s check out some interesting facts about these two breeds from which the Siamese Manx or Owyhee Bob breed came from.
Interesting facts about Siamese cats
The Siamese cat breed is an old breed and it descended from cats born in Siam, now called Thailand. They have lithe bodies, striking blue eyes, and dark-tipped creamy coats. They are sociable, very vocal, and has a low meow called meezer. Their other personality traits are that they are very smart, playful, loyal, and protective toward their owners. Their life span is more or less 15 years if they are cared for well. They are easy to groom, pet-friendly, and get along well with kids which makes them very good pets.
Interesting facts about Manx cats
Like the Siamese cat, the Manx cat is also one of the oldest cat breeds in the world. This breed came from the Isle of Man, an island in the Irish Sea and situated between Ireland and Great Britain. It is originally a shorthair breed but the longhair version is said to be the result of cross-breeding with the Norwegian Forest cat breed.
The Manx breed is also popular as the “cat with no tail” due to its taillessness caused by genetic mutation. These cats have one dominant mutant gene and one normal gene. This mutant gene that gives the breed its “no tail” characteristic may also cause Manx syndrome, a spina bifida, or birth defect where the spine and spinal cord do not form properly. It causes urinary and fecal incontinence among Manx cats.
Manx cats have round heads and bodies, round eyes, and round rumps. They have stocky and muscular bodies, their ears have a rocker shape if seen from behind, and they have long hind legs. Males weigh from 10 to 12 pounds while females weigh from 8 to 10 pounds. Their lifespan is 8 to 14 years and comes in various colors like the tabby, tortoiseshell, and calico.
The breed’s varying degrees of taillessness are the following:
- rumpy – no tail and instead of a tail all you see is a dimple
- rumpy-riser – 1-2 vertebrae and fused at the end of the spine
- stumpy – 3-4 vertebrae or short tail
- longy – regular long-tail same as with other breeds
Manx cats have a sweet personality, very smart, and loyal to their owners. As opposed to the Siamese breed’s low-pitched meow, Manx cats have sweet and trilling meows. They love to snuggle and get along well with small children. These cats are good jumpers, very active, and they have a bunny-hop-like way of running.
The downside with this breed is that they are prone to various health conditions due to their mutant gene. Aside from the Manx syndrome, these cats are prone to these following health issues:
- arthritis – inflammation of joints
- megacolon – the colon loses motility and becomes larger; cats lose the ability to defecate due to lack of muscles in the tail area
- mast cell tumors – abnormal growths in the skin
- feline lower urinary tract disease – the disease may result in bladder stones
- intertrigo – bacterial, fungal, or viral infection on the rump fold
- corneal dystrophy – it is an inherited condition which affects both eyes
- genetic nerve deafness
- obesity
Conclusion
The Siamese Manx cat breed is among the experimental cat breeds that combine the best of two breeds, the Siamese and Manx breeds. This breed has unique coloring, very vocal and has blue eyes like the Siamese. It also has a muscular built and short or no-tail characteristic like the Manx. Most of all, this breed is becoming popular among cat enthusiasts because it is very smart and it has a sweet, affectionate, and playful nature that makes them great pets for families with kids.
Image: istockphoto.com / yunaway