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Cymric(cat)

August 24th, 2008 | by admin |

Description

The Cymric is the moderately longhaired version of the Manx. Except for the length of the fur, in all other respects, the two breeds are identical. Both breeds allow each other as out-crosses in ACFA and kittens are individually registered by hair length as to the breed. The Manx, a natural breed, originated on the Isle of Man, located in the Irish Sea, off the coast of Great Britain. Due to a mutation of the island’s domestic cats, a strange tailless cat appeared. Over the years, the inter-breeding of tailless cats on the small island has led to this factor being a predominant gene among the cats.

Appearance

The Cymric is a tailless cat, round headed, and has large, round and full eyes. It is compact and stout in Appearance. It has a short, thick neck and a solid, muscular, medium-size body.

History

I am not going to repeat the history of the Cymric cat as it will be the same as the Manx cat except for the medium-long coat. However, sometime in the development or evolution of this cat, she acquired a long coat.

The question is did this occur naturally or is it due to a human intervention? One theory is that the Cymric was mated with a Norwegian Forest cat that was imported into the Isle of Man by the King of Norway. This has the air of legend or myth to me and the history of domestic cat breeds is littered with myths and legends.

Another story is that the Cymric cat breeds was started in Canada in the 1960s (implying human intervention). This view is supported by the authors of Robinson’s Genetics for cat breeds and Veterinarians. Click on the link to see how the creation of this breed fits in with cat history presented as a time line. My personal view is that the long coat was acquired through deliberate selective breeding but I don’t know when.

Personality

The personality of the Cymric has won a strong following despite the breeding challenges. Cymrics are intelligent, fun-loving cats, and they get along well with other pets, including dogs. Cymrics are particularly noted for their loyalty to their humans and enjoy spending quality time with them. As cats go, they can be easily taught tricks. Despite their playful temperament, they are gentle and nonaggressive. Their playful yet tractable dispositions are good for families with children.

Grooming

Because of the semi-long fur and thick undercoat, some grooming is required. However, the fur reportedly resists matting and therefore doesn’t require as much grooming as other longhaired breeds. Still, the Cymric’s dense coat needs combing with a good quality steel comb two or three times a week to remove loose fur and prevent matting.