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  #1  
Old June 20th, 2005, 12:55 PM
pitacat pitacat is offline
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Question 3 colour Manx male kitten ?

Hello all. We just got a Manx kitten, 9 weeks old with a stumpy tail. We assumed it was a female because it has black, grey, cream, orangey and white colours in the fur. It appears to be a male though. I've been trying to find out more about this, does it automatically mean the cat is xxy, other than testing is there a way to know, does it really matter health-wise, should he be neutered even though these males are thought to be sterile? Any advice would be appreciated. Also, the manx breed itself, any speacial insight would also be appreciated, thanks
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  #2  
Old June 20th, 2005, 01:05 PM
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CyberKitten CyberKitten is offline
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The breeder should have all those answers for you - you shoud be able to call him/her to know. And obviously, a reputable breeder will have told you the sex of your kitten BEFORE you brought it home. Sometimes, the proces are different - depending on whether the kitten is show quality, breeding quality which if he is sterile is clearly not the case.

Did you buy the kitty from a reliable person who shows her/his Manx kitties and breeds only the champions?

9 weeks is also a little young for this baby to have left his mother. For breeds like Manx (and Siamese, Burmese, etc), 12 weeks is the norm.

He should definitely be neutered. Neutering is not just to prevent unwanted pregnancies in the female kitties he might meet. A neutered cat lives a much healthier and longer life - less chance of cancer and other illnesses. There are other factors of course but there are many reasons to neuter your male cat. A neutered cat will also not feel the need to mark his territory and thus you eliminate any potential inappropriate urination probs.
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Old June 20th, 2005, 01:45 PM
pitacat pitacat is offline
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Hello: Thanks for the information....we didn't get the cat from a breeder, but from a lady who has always had a manx cat, this was the last litter her current cat was having before being spade. (Not show cats, pet cats) We just thought they were lovely animals and would help fill the void left by the death of our last cat. She was a spade female and lived to be 18, so we're used to having a cat around the house.
I've read so much information on the three coloured male issue, sterility, shortened life, other genetic issues, etc, that it's hard to tell what is truth and what is myth. All we really want is a healthy, happy pet. We do have a vet and Pita will get to meet her soon.
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Old June 20th, 2005, 01:56 PM
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raingirl raingirl is offline
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So you are saying you have a calico male then? If he is calico, then yes he is XXY. I believe the gene that the colours orange and one of the other colours (black I think) are both on the X gene. That's why females (who are XX) can be orange and black, but males can't because they are XY..therefore only able to have one or the other colour. A male calico is always XXY.

I don't know whether there are other problems with being XXY...or whether he is sterile either. Best to have him neutered either way.

here is some stuff I found on the net though:

Quote:
They are extremely valuable to cytogenetists and cytogenetists (the people who study chromosomes) usually take cell samples instead of a whole male. Since calico males are clinically Klinefelter Syndrome (XXY male)animals a lot of people would like to get their hands on a cat like that because it shows what an extra X chromosome (triploidy in chromosome 23) would do to cells in a mammalian male.

I personally abhor the practice of using animals for research (I research in plant cytogenetics) but if people are just using cell cultures that would be totally fine with me since obtaining cells for cell cultures usually do not harm the animal. Personally I would like to get a little blood sample (around 1/8 oz) of a male calico cat myself if I have a way to perfectly perserve the blood but ALAS I am a grad student and I am only allowed to do whatever the professors tell me to do.

Also, male calicos do not need neutering. They are very female-like in development and some personalities and they are completely and totally sterile due to chromosomal non-disjunction (when they try to make * since they have 3 instead of 2 male/female chromosomes they would not separate right)
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Last edited by raingirl; June 20th, 2005 at 02:00 PM.
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  #5  
Old June 20th, 2005, 02:27 PM
pitacat pitacat is offline
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XXY Manx

Thanks for the information. I think that is one of the articles that was confusing.....about the not needing to be neutered. Pita will be neutered anyway, we just believe it's the right thing to do, he's a pet, we're not breeders.
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  #6  
Old June 20th, 2005, 04:25 PM
Safyre Safyre is offline
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the cat is not a calico, check out the pictures on thread http://www.pets.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=16523

I would consider him only a tabby, i don't really see a three color. i would say check with the vet if he is xxy
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Old June 20th, 2005, 05:33 PM
Lucky Rescue Lucky Rescue is offline
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He looks tabby to me too, but it really doesn't matter.

IF he is stumpy, there shouldn't be the problems associated with rumpy Manxes.

YES - you need to get him neutered. Even if he were calico and sterile he will still produce testosterone and, and WILL display male behaviors upon maturity, like spraying, aggression and wanting to roam and find females.

You can get him neutered at about 6 months.
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  #8  
Old June 22nd, 2005, 10:15 AM
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mona_b mona_b is offline
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pitacat,you definately have a Tabby.And a VERY cute one....

I have a female Calico.She has only the three colours.Black,White and Orange.

Also,I had my male cat neutered at 8 weeks.He will be 2 in Sept.And I have not had any health issues having him done early.This is something you can discuss with your vet.
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  #9  
Old June 22nd, 2005, 12:18 PM
pitacat pitacat is offline
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Question

Thanks for the information....another odd thing with Pita, my husband always gets an allergic reaction when he is in contact with cats, if he is around one cat, he eventually builds a resistance and he no longer gets the reaction. With Pita he never had an allergic reaction at all? Are Manx one of the less "allergic" breeds?
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  #10  
Old June 22nd, 2005, 12:41 PM
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CyberKitten CyberKitten is offline
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That cat is definitely a tabby! I thought mayeb she might be a torbie but no, she is tabby!! There is no such thing as a so called less allergic breed. I am fostering sphinxes and even they, hairless and all, have cat dander and siliva - which is what typically causes the allergies - tho there can be rare other causes -. Beware of anyone who claims they have hypoallergenic cats. There is no duch feline!
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  #11  
Old June 22nd, 2005, 12:45 PM
pitacat pitacat is offline
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So either my husband (at age 52) is outgrowing this allergy....or our kitten just happens to not bother him? Whatever, it's a nice surprise, he was ready to break out the allergy pills, but didn't have to. Yeahhhh!
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