The Manx is a medium to large-sized cat with a powerful but rounded body. The legs are medium to short in size. The hind legs are slightly higher than the front, and the feet are round and firm. To move around, the Manx hops in a rabbit-like manner. The head is broad and rounded with high cheekbones and a short, broad, well-curved nose. The eyes are large, wide open, and round, matching the coat color. The ears are broad at the base with rounded tips and are well-spaced on the skull. Manx cats can be short- or long-haired. Their coat is dense, with a thick undercoat, and can be of any color.
The main characteristic of the Manx is its tail, or rather its absence. There are several types of tail lengths:
1. Rumpy (rumpie) or dimple rumpy (no tail at all)
2. Riser or rumpy riser (a bump of cartilage under the fur)
3. Stumpy (stumpie) - (a partial tail of vestigial, fused vertebrae, up to about 3 cm (1 in) long)
4. Stubby (stubbie), shorty, or short-tailed (a short tail of non-fused bones)
5. Longy (longie), tailed, or taily (tailie) - (a half- to normal-length tail)
Kittens with complete tails may be born in a purebred Manx litter, not inheriting the taillessness appearance at all.
