Cymric cat history
Cymric derives from Cymru, the Celtic word for Wales and is pronounced "kim-rik" or "kum-rik". However the breed’s origins have nothing to do with Wales.
Cymric cat is decedent of the Manx cat of the Isle of Man, a small island in the Irish Sea midway between England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. The island has been inhabited since Neolithic times. Since the Isle has no indigenous felines from which the Cymric and Manx cats could have developed, domestic cats must have been introduced by traders and explorers. Some believe the Isle of Man cats descended from British cats, which is possible given the Isle’s proximity to Britain. However, during the 17th and 18th centuries trading vessels from all over the world stopped at the Isle of Man’s ports. Such ships usually kept cats for catching rodents, so the Cymric and Manx ancestors could have easily come from somewhere else. Both long and shorthaired cats were transported to the island and both hair lengths developed there.
According to island records, taillessness began as a mutation among the island’s domestic cat population, although some believe the mutation occurred elsewhere and was later transported to the island. Given the Isle’s closed environment and small gene pool, the dominant gene that governs the Cymric cat taillessness easily passed from one generation to the next, as did the gene for long hair.
Unlike the taillessness gene, longhair is governed by a recessive gene, which means a Cymric cat must inherit the longhair gene from both parents to exhibit the trait. Because of this, longhaired kittens can and do appear in Manx litters. Since the longhair gene is recessive, it can be carried for generations without manifesting in the physical appearance.
Even though longhaired cats were on the Isle all along, it took many years before the Cymric cat was recognized as a breed. Although the Manx cat was recognized in North America in the 1920s, the Cymric cat had to wait until the early 1960s, when the Canadians accepted its differentiation and treated it with love and respect. In 1976 the Canadian Cat Association was the first to accept the Cymric cat for championship status. Other associations soon followed and nowadays the Cymric cat enjoys championship status in most of them.
Cymric cat personality
Playful and affectionate, the Cymric cat forms strong bonds of love and trust with its chosen human companions. It is very caring and devoted creatures and love spending time with its human family. It adores cuddling and lap swinging, actually that plush coat makes the Cymric cat as cuddly and huggable as teddy bears. It is not overly demanding of attention and it gets on well with other pets as well, including dogs.
In addition the Cymric cat is intelligent and fun-loving. Even though it is moderately active, it is very playful. It is a powerful jumper and if sufficiently motivated will manage to breach the most secure shelf. Combine that with a healthy curiosity and you’ll usually find it on the tallest perch in the house. Unless you want to see your Cymric smiling down at you like the Cheshire cat from the highest drapery rod, provide her with a tall, sturdy cat tree.
Though it commonly bonds with one special person of its choosing, the Cymric cat enjoys the company of all family members and generally makes a good family pet. Its jolly yet tractable disposition is good for families with children.
It is also fascinated by water, perhaps because of its originating from a small piece of land surrounded by it. However do not assume it loves bathing.
Cymric cat breed standards
According to the Fédération Internationale Féline, the Cumric cat has a fairly large, round and chubby head, with prominent cheeks.
The nose is medium long, with a definite break, however not retrousse.
The ears are medium in size, open at the base and tapering slightly to a point. They are set fairly high on the head.
Cymric cat eyes are large and round. Their color should ideally correspond to that of the British varieties, however this is not important.
Cymric cat body should be solid and compact, with a broad chest. The back should be compact and short, however in balance to the body, ending in a definite broad and round rump. The flanks, finally, should be of great depth.
The legs are well muscled. The front legs are short and set well apart to show off a broad chest. The hind legs are higher than the front legs, forming an angle from the back to the front of the body. The paws, eventually, are round.
There are three types of Cymric cat tails:
The Rumpy, where there is an absolute absence of tail with a definite hollow at the end of the spine.
The Rumpy Riser, where there is a rise of bone (sacral bone, no caudal bone) which should not spoil the tailless appearance of the cat.
The Stumpy, where there is a definite short sometimes irregular formed stubby tail no longer than 3cm, which however may not be bent or kinked.
The Cymric cat has a medium length soft and silky fur, yet full and well padded all over the body. It is consisted of a double coat and the undercoat is soft and thick. All color varieties are permitted, including those with white. As for the nose leather and paw pads, these should be in harmony with the coat.
