What Is the Difference Between a Manx Cat & a Lynx Cat?

Manx and lynx are both cats with very short tails. In the manx, there may appear to be no tail at all, although manx cats with normal tails are not unheard of. Beyond that, the two are worlds apart when it comes to characteristics. The manx is a tall, domesticated cat believed to have originated on the Isle of Man, in the Irish Sea between Ireland and Great Britain. The lynx is a much larger feral cat that lives in the wild across much of North America, Europe and Asia.

  1. The Manx

    • There are no written records to document the origin of the breed, but the manx (or more accurately its immediate genetic predecessor) is thought to have arrived on the Isle of Man after surviving a shipwreck, possibly one from the Spanish Armada, in 1588. It then bred with the local cat population and, in time, emerged as a distinct breed of its own.

    The Lynx

    • Unlike the manx, which is recognized as a unique breed, the lynx may be any of several species distributed across a vast area of the globe. From southern Canada to northern Mexico, the animal is commonly known as the bobcat. The largest of the genus is the Eurasian lynx, from the forests of Europe and Siberia, a fearsome hunter that can weigh up to 65 pounds..

    Characteristics

    • Manx cats are playful and friendly. Because their rear legs are longer than their front legs, they are accomplished leapers. Their coats can be either long- or short-haired and can be solid-colored, tabby or calico. The most prominent feature of the lynx is its distinctive ear tufts, which aid hearing. They tend to be solitary and nocturnal hunters. Eurasian lynxes are powerful enough to hunt deer.

    New Arrivals

    • The desert lynx cat and the highland lynx cat are recent American hybrids of wild lynx and domesticated cats. Said to be even-tempered and friendly, they are large cats that can have either long hair or short. Neither breed is currently recognized by the Cat Fanciers' Association for pedigree or show.