[Kitari]

You guys are over due for an updated picture of Tika. I supposed you also noticed there is an additional name up there in that there title too.

Yep, thats right. There sure is.

OK now I'm sure you are rolling your eyes and going "get on with it."

Anyway, this morning I got my newest picture from breeder lady for Tika. And along with that she offered me another kitten whose sale had fallen through. So I looked at Shane and batted my eye-lashes at him and of course he said yes!

OK maybe it didn't happen quite that easily. We chatted. I said PLEEEAAASSSEEE. He hemmed and Hawwed. And finally went OK. Go ahead and I went "SQUEEEEE."

So now I have two of these lovely cats. The new one I named Mika. She is also a seal mink, short haired, curled ears, poly toed and naturally short tailed where Tika is docked.

Anyway pictures!

Miss Mika
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/...s/0b296b32.jpg

And Miss Tika
http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/...98cdc8af-1.jpg

[Kryswyn]

Both kittehs are adorable, but... I cannot believe this breed requires docking a cat's tail if it is not naturally born short or tailess like a Manx. There is no reason I can think of, other than humans' vanity, to dock a cat's tail. What purpose does it serve?

Dogs' tail docking goes back hundreds of years to Europe and the Great Forests. Purebred dogs (hounds and such) belonged to the rich and were taxed. If your dog had a long tail, it was judged to be a purebred and taxed. If your dog was of mixed or unknown parentage then it was judged a cur, and the tail was docked. This is actually the etymology of the word 'curtailed' meaning 'shortened'.

Later on docking was done for practical reasons ie: as precautions against injury when hunting, less for criminals to grab (in the case of dobes and rotties); to give a handhold for earthdogs being removed from the ground (but docked because tails are easily broken underground), and cleanliness (OES).

But cats? Tails are extremely important to a cat's ability to land on its feet when it falls/jumps from great height.

I don't want to start anything, but if you can give me sound reasons for kitteh tail docking, other than manmade breed standards, I'm willing to listen!

[Kitari]

Several breeders of cats who's breed standards are for short tails will dock those who are not nst to go with the breed look. The information is usually disclosed to buyers, etc. The cat breeds that have shorter tails also have a different bone structure naturally that allows them to compensate for the shortened tail, those cats whole have long tails that are docked also have the same build that that would have had if they were nsted.

The manx breed is also one that is commonly docked as well for none nsted cats. Usually cited under health reasons along with the breed look. I owned 2 manx, one of which had the manx syndrome which is a result of the mutated gene that causes the shortened tail in the first place. Often is it fatal, in Syble's case she was lucky hers was a mild form that was "fixed" with minor surgery and a special diet.

As far as health reasons go, breeds which are bred for shorter tails are not bred for the tail itself. This is also seen in dogs where the tail is normally docked. Said tail can be fragile, develop painful arthritis early on, etc.(such as the manx)

I personally am fine with it, so long as it is done within 48hours of birth and the breed is supposed to have a nst.

[Leprechaun]

Congrats. They are adorable!

[Burbank]

they are adorable!!!!

growing up we had a manx/ manx mix that had no tail, she had an actual dip where the tail should be and she was put down at an early age due to starting to lose control in her back end.

the current manx/ manx mix has one single tail bone and when it wiggles you just see the tuft hair move, its so funny

[Kitari]

New Mika picture!http://i1086.photobucket.com/albums/...attachment.jpg

[Burbank]

awwwww so cuddly