Cymric — questions to ask before paying a deposit
A responsible breeder will have these readily available. Deflection is a red flag.
Manx syndrome (sacrocaudal dysgenesis / spina bifida complex)can shorten life or cause chronic pain
Cymric is the longhaired variant of the Manx and carries the same autosomal dominant 'M' gene responsible for taillessness. The same mutation frequently disrupts development of the sacral and caudal spinal cord and vertebrae, producing a spectrum of spina bifida-type defects. Reported signs include an abnormal hopping gait, urinary and faecal incontinence, loss of sensation around the perineum, and (in stumpy-tailed cats) painful arthritis in the tail stump. A 1979 study found 7 of 44 Manx kittens (16%), all completely tailless 'rumpy' cats, affected. Severely affected kittens can die in utero or require early euthanasia. Homozygous cats (two copies of the mutant gene) do not survive to birth.
Ask to see: No DNA test for degree of expression exists. Diagnosis of the spinal defects is by veterinary neurological examination, radiography, myelography or MRI. Tail length/type (rumpy, rumpy-riser, stumpy, or fully tailed) can be assessed on physical examination but does not reliably predict which cats will have spinal cord involvement.
Manx Syndrome -- Genetic Welfare Problems of Companion Animals, Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW), compiled with veterinary surgeons, citing Deforest & Basrur 1979 (Canadian Veterinary Journal) and Robinson 1993 (Journal of Heredity) among other peer-reviewed sources (https://www.ufaw.org.uk/cats/manx-manx-syndrome)