Tailless cat breeds

Author: John Stephens
Date Of Creation: 1 January 2021
Update Date: 14 November 2024
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All Cat breeds without Tail
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The best known breeds of tailless cats are cats. Manx and the Bobtails, however, they are not the only ones. Have you ever wondered why there is a cat without a tail? Tailless cat breeds exist because of mutated genes responsible for causing the tail to shorten or disappear.

These genes have, for the most part, a dominant inheritance. This means that, of the two alleles that the gene carries, if only one of the two is dominant for this tail trait, the kitten will be born without it. Depending on the breed, this characteristic will manifest itself more or less, and in some it is even related to serious health problems and even the death of the cat.


On the street, we can see cats that have short and even bent tails, but that doesn't mean that they are one of the breeds we are going to discuss here. Mutations that cause a short tail can occur spontaneously in common cats or when crossing a tailless purebred cat with a long tail cat. Tailless or not, cats are wonderful beings and, in this PeritoAnimal article, we'll talk about tailless cat breeds that exist in the world. Good reading.

1. Manx

Manx cats have one of the alleles of the mutated gene M dominantly (Mm), since if they have the two dominant alleles (MM), they die before birth and have serious damage to the nervous system. Because of this, it should be avoided at all costs that a Manx cat can give birth to an MM kitten, so they must breed with other tailless or tailed breeds that are recessive in the M gene (mm) and whose offspring will not be, not at all, MM. However, it is always recommended to sterilize it.


Manx cats sometimes have a small tail, but for the most part, they are tailless cats. this mutation comes from the Isle of Man, UK, hence the name of the breed. Among its physical characteristics are:

  • Big, wide and round head.
  • Well-developed cheeks.
  • Big, round eyes.
  • Small ears.
  • Strong but short neck.
  • Rear legs longer than front legs.
  • Round and curved torso.
  • Musculous body.
  • Short back.
  • Double-layered soft coat.
  • The layers can be diverse, being often bicolored and even tricolored.

They are calm, sociable, intelligent and affectionate cats, and are considered excellent hunters. As far as health is concerned, they are generally healthy and long-lived cats. However, during the kitten's growth, the development of its spine must be closely monitored to ensure that it does not suffer from malformations or diseases caused precisely by being a tailless cat.


Within the Manx breed, there is a long-haired variety known as Cymric which, although it has long and thick fur, does not present tendency to form knots.

2. Japanese Bobtail

This breed of tailless cat arrived on the Asian continent over 1,000 years ago. Its tail mutation is recessive, so if the cat has both alleles for the gene, its tail will be shorter than if it has only one. Unlike Manês cats, the presence of the two alleles for the gene mutation does not lead to any health problems, much less the feline's death.

The Japanese Bobtail is characterized by having:

  • Short, twisted tail that forms a pompom at the tip.
  • Triangular face.
  • Ears apart and a little rounded at the tip.
  • Marked cheekbones.
  • Long nose with a small slit.
  • Well-developed muzzle.
  • Big, oval eyes.
  • Long, muscular body that allows you to make good jumps.
  • Long legs, the back a little longer than the front.
  • Males are usually bicolored and females tricolored.
  • Single-layer soft coat, which can be long or short.

They are curious, outgoing, intelligent, playful, active and social cats. They are not noisy, but are characterized by their need for communication and expression, especially with people, for whom they tend to meow in different tones to communicate.

In terms of health, this tailless cat is strong, but its diet must be compatible with its activity level, which is generally higher than that of other breeds.

3. American Bobtail

This breed spontaneously appeared in Arizona, United States, in the late 1960s, due to a dominant genetic mutation. It is in no way genetically related to the Japanese Bobtail breed, although they resemble physically, nor is it the result of mixing with another short-tailed breed.

They are characterized by presenting:

  • Short tail, one-third to one-half the standard length.
  • Robust body.
  • Pointy ears.
  • Concave profile.
  • Muzzle broad.
  • Strong jaw.
  • Rear legs slightly longer than front legs.
  • Fur short and long and abundant.
  • Its coat can be of several layers of colors.

Cats of this breed are generally strong and healthy. They are playful, energetic, very intelligent and affectionate, but they are not very independent. They are very adaptable to new homes and even tend to tolerate travel well.

4. Bobtail Kurilian

It is not necessarily a tailless cat, but a very short-tailed cat breed originating in the Sakhalin and Curil Islands, between Russia and Japan, which began its popularity in the late 1980s. produced due to a cross of Japanese cats without tails with Siberian cats.

Bobtail Kurilian cats are characterized by:

  • Short tail (2-10 vertebrae), spongy wrapped with a pompom.
  • Large rounded wedge-shaped head.
  • Oval to rounded walnut-shaped eyes.
  • Triangular-shaped medium ears, wide at the base.
  • Curved profile.
  • Muzzle broad and of medium size.
  • Strong chin.
  • Robust body, medium to large, as males can weigh up to 7 kg.
  • The area near the hip (croup) is usually sloping slightly upward.
  • Thick skin due to low temperatures in the area of ​​its origin.
  • Strong legs, hind legs longer than front legs.
  • Soft and dense fur, short or semi-long.

Kurilian Bobtails are cheerful, intelligent, patient, docile, tolerant cats and excellent hunters, especially of fish, that's why tolerate water better than other cat breeds.

It is a breed used to extreme climates, very strong, which is generally very healthy, so visits to the veterinarian are likely to be routine and for vaccination and deworming.

5. Bobtail Mekong

It is a breed mainly developed in Russia with cats brought from several Southeast Asian countries; is widely distributed in the latter area. It was bred from the Siamese cat breed and can be considered its variety of short tail.

The physical characteristics of what we can consider another cat without a tail are as follows:

  • With an athletic body with a rectangular and elegant shape.
  • Lean legs and medium length.
  • Hind nails always exposed.
  • Short tail shaped like a brush or pompom.
  • Slightly flat head with rounded contours.
  • Strong jaw.
  • Thin, oval muzzle.
  • Large ears, wide at the base and rounded at the tip.
  • Large, oval blue eyes, with an expressive look.
  • Hair short, silky and shiny.

They have the same pattern of "dots of color" as the Siamese, beige but darker in the extremities, tail, nose and ears, where the temperature is lower. They are silent animals, with a meow much more subtle than usual. They have a good personality, are affectionate, playful and very intelligent. They are a breed of cats that are easy to learn commands and are continually on the lookout for any prey they may play with or hunt.

It is a generally healthy breed, with no genetic problems. Sometimes they require veterinary checks due to the strabismus that some individuals may manifest, but it's not hereditary.

6. Pixie Bob

Pixie Bob cats had origin in the Cordillera das Cascatas de Washington in the late 1960s. Some experts believe they arose from a cross between Bobcats, domestic cats, and wild American bobcats.

The characteristics of this feline breed are:

  • Short and thick tail (5-15 cm), although some dogs may be longer.
  • Medium to large sized breed.
  • Slow development, complete at 4 years old.
  • Strong skeleton and musculature.
  • Broad chest.
  • Long head.
  • Prominent forehead.
  • Muzzle broad and long.
  • Oval eyes, slightly sunken, with bushy eyebrows.
  • Strong jaw.
  • Ears with a wide base and rounded tip, with tufts of fur similar to those of lynxes.
  • More than 50% of cats have polydactyly (6-7 toes on front legs and 5-6 on hind legs).
  • The coat ranges from red to brown tones, with darker spots.

As for personality, they are very peaceful, calm, sociable, docile, affectionate, faithful, intelligent and homely cats, as they love to live indoors. Unlike other breeds of tailless cats, they don't show as much interest in exploring the outdoors, although they can tolerate collared tours.

The health of Pixie Bob cats is generally good, but they can suffer reproductive disorders in females (dystocia at birth or cystic endometrial hyperplasia), and in males cryptorchidism (one of the two testicles does not descend into the scrotum at two months of age, but stays inside the abdomen or inguinal region of the cat), as well as heart problems such as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Lynx cats

During the 1990s, a group of tailless cats was developed that were grouped under the "lynx" or lynx category. More specifically, there are the following breed varieties:

7. American Lynx

They are cats whose appearance resembles lynxes, with a short and fluffy tail, strong, muscular and robust appearance. These cats have a fairly large head, wide nose, high cheekbones, firm chin, and well-defined beard. The legs are robust, the backs being a little longer than the fronts. The coat is medium and ranges from leopard tones to different reddish tones. They can get used to living in a house, but they must be able to be outdoors so they can expend their high energy.

8. Desert Lynx

Also called Caracal or Desert Lynx, although they are more stylized and do not have the hair around the face, like lynxes. This type of tailless cat can be found in Africa, Southeast Asia and the Middle East. They are cats that can reach up to 98 cm in length, 50 cm in height and 18 kg in weight. Its tail is longer than that of the cats we've already mentioned, but it's still short. The fur is reddish sand and with a white belly. They have ears and black patches on the eyes and whiskers and on both sides of the muzzle, and a black band that runs from the eye to the nose. His eyes are large and yellowish, his legs are long and slender, and his body is athletic.

9. Alpine Lynx

Are white cats, of medium size, with short tail and long or short hair, very similar to lynx. Its head is medium to large in size, with a square and well-developed snout, large expressive eyes in various colors, ears with tufted tips that can be straight or curled, the latter being larger and dominant. Its paws have tufts on the toes.

10. Highland Lynx

Was developed in the United States by crossing Desert Lynx with Jungle Curls to get curly ears like the latter. They are cats with short or semi-long fur and different colors. They are medium-sized cats, with a muscular and robust body and some have polydactyly. They have a long, sloping forehead, wide eyes, a large, thicker muzzle, and a wide nose. It is a very active, intelligent, affectionate and playful cat.

So, have you ever seen a tailless cat? Let us know and, if you live with one, post a picture of it in the comments of this article!

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