Look Ma! No tail!

Think of a cat and the normal picture is something with a tail . However there are some breeds without tails, like this one:


Would you love a cat any less when it's less a tail?

 

Of course I'd still love it! I find cats without tails to be just as cute as those who do have tails.

 

I read somewhere that squirrels use their tails to keep their balance when they are jumping from tree branch to tree branch. I wonder if cats without tails have any problems with their balance when jumping.

 

I hear that cats do use their tails to balance, so I'm sure they probably have a few issues which is unfortunate. Oh and did you know cutting off a cat's whiskers messes with it's sense of balance.. also they use their whiskers to fit see if they can fit thru tight spots. Just a random fact for ya ;P

 

Oh yes, I did read somewhere that cat's do use their whiskers in negotiating holes in the dark. Apparently if they can fit their whiskers through the hole, their bodies can go through, too. I once had a cat that had it's whiskers burned by mistake. It did look somewhat disoriented until its whiskers grew back again.

 

I think that cats that are born with tails do go through an adjustment phase when they have them removed. However, manx cats and manx mixes (who will have stubs of tails) will do just fine. I've been doing a little reading, and it seems that that is why manxes have longer back legs. The longer legs compensate for the lack of a tail.

 

This is a very interesting discussion my Bella is a Manx and does not have a tail. It never occurred to me that Bella might have to adjust from not having a tail. However, I think you might be right being born without one she doesn't seem to have problem with balance at all. The longer back legs are not only longer but very strong.

 

I did once have a tom that has no tail at all. Just a soft bit of fur where the tail is supposed to be. Not even a stub. It was one of those silent types. Never ever even said a meow. I called it Hitler because it has some black fur under its nose that looked like a toothbrush mustache.

 

I agree that cats such as Manx who are born without a tail will not know any different, but cats that lose a tail would need some time to adjust. But cats are very resilient creatures and can adapt to losing legs, so I'm sure a tail would not pose too much of a problem.

 

This two-legged cat seems to be coping very well:

 

Is that real?! That looks crazy!

 

That is exactly what I was thinking!

 

Wow that two legged cat looks out of control. Is it photoshopped? I like breeds without tails. They're still cute, but I do prefer tails. My cat's tail curves and is super fluffy. He looks extra luxurious when walking around.

 

We now have a tailless cat that we've inherited (it showed up at the back door) and the neighborhood seems to have an abundance of roaming tailless cats. Apparently they are all related in some way. I wonder if entire litters can be born tailless? Anybody know?

 

Well, I haven't seen a whole litter of tailless kittens yet. However I have seen a whole house full of cats with six toes on every foot. Yes, all four feet.