Buying a Manx

There are many things to consider when buying a kitten. Is tail status important to you? Do you want a tailed Manx or a stubby or rumpy? Is color or sex important to you? What type of personality are you looking for? A younger or older cat? Is price important? How does one choose a breeder? I will touch on a few aspects that we feel are important.

Most of these questions fall under personal preference. Some people prefer males over females or vice versa. In my opinion once spayed or neutered, the sex of a cat makes little difference. Both males and females have unique personalities (much like people) that are their own regardless of which sex they are. Unless you plan on breeding and showing your Manx there is no reason why it shouldn't be altered. Spaying and neutering can alleviate many problems such as: spraying, calling, unplanned pregnancies, some forms of cancer, and vet bills. It should also be noted that altered Manx (rumpies and rumpy-rises) may be shown in the Premiership class for points. This is often the best place to start showing cats as you will soon find out if you enjoy it or not without getting in too deep.

GC Jayess Boolie of Moonsign, a brown mackeral tabby shorthair Manx male.

As far as which tail length is better, there isn't one. I cannot stress enough that all purebred Manx ARE Manx regardless of their tail status. Ask any Manx breeder and I am positive that many will tell you of a few litters where the best kittens were full tailed Manx. Often these cats will be kept in the breeding program. I have a few myself.

What to look for in a breeder. When looking for a Manx be wary of the breeder that is selling unregistered Manx. These may be purebred Manx but more than likely are just tailless barn cats, wonderful cats I'm sure but not Manx. Unregistered Manx can also be a precursor to a backyard breeder. It is also important that a breeder shows his or her cats in one or more of the cat associations like CFA, ACFA or TICA. This means that the breeder is trying to breed their cats as close to the written standard of the association, breeding for perfection if you will. These breeders will probably also have Grand Champions or at the very least Champions in their cats background. It is also important to know how the kittens are brought up. In my opinion kittens that are raised around people in the house are better socialized than ones raised in a total cattery situation. Where to find a Manx breeder? First start by looking at the cat shows, if this doesn't work try calling one of the above mentioned associations and getting some breeders numbers that are in your area.

How our babies are raised. Jayess kittens are born in the house usually in the bedroom by the bed so that they are in a quite environment and so we can keep a close eye on them as they grow. Babies are handled from birth to socialize them to humans. We try to expose the babies to as many real world situations as possible so there are no surprises for them. Men and women handle the younsters as well as children (with a watchful eye) and music is often on. Babies are given baths when needed so are used to the routine.

Kittens are vaccinated with killed vaccine at 10 and 14 weeks for Feline Rhinotracheitis, Calici, and Panleukopenia. Kittens going to pet homes are altered at either 4 pounds or 16 weeks, whichever comes first and receive a health check-up at the same time from our wonderful vet.

I would like to note that we do not vaccinate for Feline Leukemia , FIP or use the Ringworm vaccine. The FeLV vaccine is suspected of suppressing the immune system which may lead to FIP. The FIP vaccine is not recommended by Cornell University and University of California at Davis, two top veterinary schools. There is evidence that the Ringworm vaccine actually causes recurrent fungus problems.

We occasionally have young adult Manx (1-2 years of age) that are looking for pet homes too. These cats either didn't "make the cut" as show cats or breeders but DO make wonderful companions.

I usually like to place my babies locally so that I may meet the new parents, but will ship cats if the situation feels right to me.

Ch Jayess Larkspurr, a brown patched classic tabby shorthair Manx female.

Cats or kittens that are sold as pets include: a purebred altered Manx, registration slip, contract signed by both parties, vaccination record, health certificate, pedigree, food and a favorite toy.

All cats and kittens sold need to be vet checked by your personal veterinarian within 48 hours of purchase. If this is not done we cannot guarantee the cat's health. Use of the above mentioned vaccines (FeLV, FIP or Ringworm) void any guarantee. Jayess cattery has been FeLV negative since its beginning, cats are checked yearly for this disease via blood tests. We also use Advantage by Bayer on our dog and adult non-pregnant/lactating cats to make sure we have no fleas or ticks. We highly suggest it.

We very rarely sell unaltered Manx to unestablished show/breeder homes. If truly interested in a show cat, give us a call and we'll talk.

See some available cats & kittens offered by Jayess Manx.

If you are interested in more information on our cats or have a question, email us and we will get back to you.

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