Manx vs British Shorthair - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

A cat breeder, Harrison Wier took a street cat of Britain and with an intensive breeding program, transformed it to the British Shorthair.

The British loved this beautiful pedigree cat. During the Second World War, the British Shorthair all but disappeared but re-emerged as a popular cat that is today accepted in cat registries around the world.

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 British Shorthair is a medium to large-sized cat and he can be anything from 5 to 9kg. He has a short to medium-length dense coat that can either be a solid color, bi-color tortoiseshell or patterned.

The coat becomes thicker and longer in the winter. This is a robust, strong cat, being heavily muscled with heavy bones. The cat also has a broad chest with thick, strong legs. The ears are fairly small and the round eyes give him a totally amicable expression on his face.

Temperament:

The British Shorthair is an amicable cat and makes a superb companion as it's an easy-going cat that adores his human family, being loyal towards them.

The British Shorthair is an active cat and it is able to get by on his own for a few hours without human company. If you do work particularly long hours and you go out a lot, it will be kind to perhaps get another cat for him as a friend.

He is quiet and undemanding and because he is big and heavy he doesn’t like being carried around.

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 British Shorthair is such a companionable cat, being intelligent and affectionate, even though he isn’t a lapcat as such.

That doesn’t mean he doesn’t love being around his human companions. He does and is loyal to them.

They’re laid back cats and are capable of getting on well with children in the home as well as with other pets. He just loves lazing around in the sun and can spend a few hours on his own without feeling anxious or lonely.

These cats are really great companions and they make themselves at home in different lifestyles, whether you live in the countryside or in town and whether you are single, a couple or a family with children and other pets.

Easy to care for, the British Shorthair cat is guaranteed to make you an excellent companion.

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.

These beautiful cats are a robust, healthy type of cat breed and if you care well for him, you aren’t going to be taking him along to the vet too often. He can also live to be up to 20 years of age.

This cat has been bred with Persians in the past, so this should alert you to some of the diseases that this particular cat breed is susceptible to. It makes the cat a little bit vulnerable to polycystic kidney, an inherited condition in cats that causes cysts to form in the kidneys. They are small at first but they can grow bigger and actually result in kidney failure.

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.

The British Shorthair is a fairly large, robust cat but that certainly doesn’t mean he must be fat. Being overweight can bring about a range of health issues and you want to follow an appropriate diet for him ad see that he gets enough exercise.

When it comes to feeding your British Shorthair, always look out for the very best, most nutritious food there is as he is a big cat.

You want to ensure your pet gets enough protein as cats are carnivores - they’re meat eaters and they require chicken, beef and fish. You can give your cat some cooked egg as they are an excellent source of protein.

Be very careful not to be tempted to give your cat chocolates, grapes, nuts, onions or garlic as foods like this are toxic for your cat and can cause him pain and discomfort.

Remember to ensure that there is always a constant supply of fresh, cool water for your cat. If you’re wondering what to feed your cat or you have any other concerns, don’t hesitate to speak to your vet.

Brush your British Shorthair when he starts to shed his winter coat and trim the nails.

Do things for your cat that you would do for your own human child. This is your beloved fur-child and you want him to be happy and healthy.

Check inside his mouth to make sure there aren’t any loose or blackened teeth that could be causing him terrible pain. Also, check inside his ears for signs of redness.

Your British Shorthair is an elegant, clean type of cat so you want to keep his litterbox nice and clean for him.

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.