Isle Of Man

Sea Terminal Douglas Isle of Man 2018 The Isle of Man was part of the Norwegian Kingdom of the Hebrides until the 13th century when it was ceded to Scotland. The Isle came under the British crown in 1765. Although only 227 square miles in size (roughly three times the size of Washington, DC), the Isle has many unique features that make it so interesting to visit. The inhabitants of the Isle are known as Manx. Surnames such as Quayle, Christian, Kaighin, and Clague are of Manx origin. The flag for the Isle of Man features three conjoined legs, symbolic of their motto that “a Manx man always lands on his feet”. The Isle of Man has the “Oldest Continuous Government in the World”, dating back well over 1,000 years! At Tynwald, every July 5th, the parliament gathers for an assembly to announce new laws in both English and the island’s native Manx Gaelic. Anyone with a grievance can present their case and be heard. Self-government and independence have always been the island’s tradition. The Isle of Man is a tax haven for residents, with the highest personal tax rate at about 15%. The Island also has no corporation, capital gains, wealth, surtax or estate taxes. Its constitutional stability and independence attracts investors from all over the world. The Isle of Man remains one of a handful of nations that prefers to remain independent of the United Nations. Known as “World’s Greatest Motorcycle Road Race”, the TT Race is a mecca for all bike enthusiasts wishing to witness this exhilarating and most terrifying of motorcycle races. The race, occurs every June, was cancelled for 2001 because the Manx government was concerned about “hoof and mouth” disease being spread by the participants. For the golfer, the island has several challenging coastline links courses. For those who prefer tranquility, there are wooded glens, sandy coves, rugged coastlines with an ever-changing seabird population, mountainous moors and quaint fishing harbors. The Island has a abundance of ancient Celtic sites and numerous other interesting places to see from its long and varied history. Aside from the tailless Manx cat, the Isle of Man is also home to the unique, ancient, and strange four-horned Loaghtan Sheep. The Isle of Man, at one time, had an official cattery where interested local people or tourists could order kittens. The Manx Government closed the cattery in the mid 1980s, believing that the kittens would be better raised in a home situation.

Manx Breed Origin

Tailless cats were seen in Europe long before they became popular on the Isle of Man. They came about on the Isle of Man from a population of cats whose common ancestry sprang from the same roots as the British Shorthair. A spontaneous mutation occurred at some point several hundred years ago, which created kittens born without the vertebrae that form the tail of normal cats. With the passage of centuries and due to the isolation of the cats from outside breeding, the taillessness eventually became a common characteristic among the Isle of Man cats, because the mutated gene is a dominant trait. The Manx cat was a popular, well-established breed in England long before the birth of the cat fancy there in the 1870s. Around the year 1820 the Hurley family owned a large farm and their own sailing vessels in Toms River, New Jersey. Their sailing adventures often took them far away, on one trip they brought back with them tailless cats from England, which were said to have come originally from the Isle of Man. This is the earliest account known of Manx cats in America. The original Isle of Man Manx had longer limbs and a longer body than the contemporary Manx, but the basic characteristics were there – deep flanks, long back legs, and a sturdy body. As the breed’s popularity increased in England and America, the stock on the Isle of Man dwindled. The Manx cat was an enduring symbol of the Isle of Man for centuries, today it may be dying out. Tourists from all over the world visit the island to see the tailless feline. The island’s government established a cattery to ensure its survival, but the cattery has since been closed, and the 19 breeding cats have been found new homes. The Mann Cat Sanctuary on the Isle of Man was located in Ash Villa, Main Road, Santon it was home to various animals along with Manx cats.

Photograph by: Eric Wood

In Britain the Manx is no longer recognized in competition due to its genetic mutation. However, practicing careful breeding and researching bloodlines using a stumpy or tailed Manx prevents the undesired genetic mutations. In the United States, the Manx still competes in cat shows and is a very popular breed. The size of the Manx cat has increased, and the short-backed, broad-chested and stocky cat that we see now became the desired type. Today, few Manx cats are imported to America for breeding or show purposes. Those brought here are usually the pets of English families coming to live in the United States.

“Cats choose us; we don’t own them.” — Kristin Cast