Hi! Welcome to some Bobtail research for Canyonkit! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ DISCLAIMER: Plesae do not use any of this research for your own applications! You can reference it, but give credit! But I do suggest you find your own sites to get your own info :D ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ What is a Bobtail? A bobtail in cats is when a cat has-- instead of a normal, long tail-- a short stump in place of a tail. In some bobtail cats, they don't have any tail at all. How is a Bobtail Caused? A bobtail is caused by an incomplete dominant tail genome, or a resessive short tail gene, a genetic mutation for some cats. What Happens to a Cat with a Bobtail? It's not common for a cat to suffer exactly from the bobtail gene, but some cats as they get older get tailbone and back arthritis, due to the shortened spine. It does, however, hinder a cat's ability to do the things that tail help with, like balancing well, the righting reflex (don't know what that is? y'know the saying 'a cat always lands on their feet'? yeah, that's the righting reflex), and sensory in the upper back legs, sometimes cussing problems with bowel and intestines. Is it the Same for Cats Without Tails? No, bobtails and the gene that results in *no* tail are very different. No tails are a gene that means a cat is born without the vertebrae for a tail, leaving a hole where to tail was meant to be. Bobtails have the vertebrae, it's just shorter than usual cats. Unfortunately, this gene can often cause fatalities in cats that are born with it, as well as back pains for their whole life. This is the manx syndrome or the cymric syndrome. Bobtails and manx syndrome cats are different! :D fun fact: cymric cats are called the "long-furred version" of the manx, said to have lost it's tail when the gate of Noah's arch slammed closed on it. How will this Effect Canyonkit? Canyonkit won't be greatly effected physically by having a bobtail, although she will greatly struggle with balance and fighting. Hunting, she's fine with, as she efinds a better way to balance in a crouch using her back legs. Fighting, though will always be a challenge for her, mentally as well. Later in life, Cay develops light arthritis in her short tail as she gets older, maybe around 50 moons. It'll start as light pain, with increased trouble in balance. Pain really starts when she's much older, around elder age (if she lives that long). During those times, pain will be heavy, and she won't go outside as much. She'll begin being a bit more closed off, visiting the medic den more often. As an elder, she won't do much due to every time she stands, the pain is pretty bad, as a bobtail cat can actually move their tail! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ `thank you for stopping by` ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CREDITS: research and writing: websites: https://www.litter-robot.com/blog/bobtail-cats-without-tails/?srsltid=AfmBOop89Z1YgxEBXZXe_3DUKOzh4rOC2UL6dPD2gk5tn6bn3PrOsGig and https://www.aspcapetinsurance.com/resources/american-bobtail/ Canyonkit designed (and owned for now) by: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ `enjoy your day!`
