The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

Manx Cats

I was told by a woman who gave me a manx kitten the following
story. The manx is from the Isle of Man. There were a couple
aboard a sailing vessel (for good luck) that sank just off the
United States coastline. The two somehow made it to shore. This is
how they came to the U.S. Also, if you notice they look a bit
different from the average cat. They have no tail, their hind legs
are longer than the average cat, and they hop, sort of, while
running. This is because they had mated with rabbits on the Isle
of Man, and this has become a part of their genetic structure.

Submitter comment: I did a little investigating of my own and found truth in where
the manx originated, and the description of their physical
appearance is accurate, but I could not verify the mating or
shipwreck parts of the story.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; Mount Clemens

Date learned: 00001970S