While we know that tailless cats like the Cymric get their unique appearance because of a genetic mutation, there are quite a few old stories that attempt to explain why Cymric cats have no tails. One suggests that the cats were late boarding Noah’s Ark and after barely making it aboard, had their tails severed when they were slammed in the door. Another suggests that mother cats begin biting the tails off kittens to prevent Viking and Celtic raiders from stealing them as good luck charms. The truth is that the genetic mutation that causes Manx and Cymric cats to be tailless has been cemented into their DNA over the course of centuries. After all, both breeds originated on the Isle of Man and have been there for hundreds of years. As they were so unusual, tailless cats were shown at the earliest cat shows, which began in the 1800s. The short-haired Manx cat was popularized first, but it wasn’t long until people developed a fondness for the long-haired variety as well. Since many of these tailless long- haired cats came from Wales, they were nicknamed after their origin: Cymric translates to English as “having to do with Wales.” The Cat Fancier’s Association stands out from other registries, classifying the Cymric cat as a long-haired Manx variety. The Canadian Cat Association and The International Cat Association recognize the Cymric as a separate breed with its own standard for show.