Tailed Manx Kitten docking tail?

Question
QUESTION: Hello,

 I got tailed manx kitten about 2 weeks ago, I think she's about 6 to 7 months old since she just lost her baby teeth.  Her mother was a feral fully tailed cat that carries the Manx gene, as for the father  it's hard to say but must have been the same.  The kitten came from a friends farm so she was next to untouchable when I got her but thats very much changed.  She hasn't had her vaccinations yet but will be getting them soon as well as spayed and maybe declawed too.
 My question is should I ask about docking or removing her tail, maybe at the same time?  I ask because I've read about breeders docking the tails of newborn kittens to prevent health problems like arthritis that may become so bad that the tail has to be removed once they are about 5 years old.  She's still growing now so I believe it would be easier to on her now but I still she's not a newborn with soft bones.  Is it necessary or may she not even get arthritis so young?   Her tail is about 2-3 inches long, thick but not kinked.  I must admit I just love her little tail and how when she's happy she wags it like a dog would.  Any ideas or thoughts on the matter would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks for reading.

ANSWER: She is not a Manx kitten, just a kitten born to a short-tailed gene cat. Manx cats and cats with short tails are two different things, although most people don't realize that. There are bob-tailed shorthair cats, stub-tailed cats and even cats with half tails. The true Manx cat has a missing vertebrae and they have a plethora of medical issues as a result of this. I mention some of them below:

I wouldn't touch her tail. She is better off with it than without it. Docking the tail of a cat for cosmetic purposes is (excuse me for being blunt here) cruel and unnecessary.

There is no correlation between arthritis and tail docking or not docking.

There IS a correlation between docked tails and cats with nerve problems, meaning: loss of stool control, bladder infections and loss of bladder tone, constipation and or/chronic diarrhea. Remember, you are talking about cutting off the end of their spine.

So it doesn't sound so great now does it? If she just lost her baby teeth then she is only 4 months old unless you are talking about her canines. Those they do lose around 6 months old.

Leave her as is. She will thank you, you will thank yourself later on. Breeders are not the end all to these questions. Breeders, unless they are veterinarians, are not the ones to ask questions to.
Ask your vet. Or your vet tech.

But in my opinion, she is MUCH better off the way she is right now.
And just so that you know, declawed cats have a much higher incidence of becoming biters. So if you have children or lots of friends that come in and out, don't get her declawed either.

Over the last 35 years I have only known three declawed cats out of dozens that were not vicious. Just something for you to mull over.

There are alternatives to declawing, such as tendonectomy- which makes the cat unable to use her claws to rake the furniture, but she still has them and thus they don't resort to biting. You have to get their nails trimmed every few months but that is easy for you to do if you teach her now. It is much more humane as well. I am not trying to sound or be harsh, but it might seem or sound that way online. You sound like you want to do the very best by her, so I am giving you the very best recommendation. Don't dock, don't declaw.

Have fun with her!! I bet she is playful and cute.

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Una Mica  

Una Mica   QUESTION: May I ask want kind do you like she is?  It's just I'm worried about future health problems because of her tail..  She must be 6 months old than because it was the baby canines that she just lost.  She's much stockier than normal and she has with long back legs.  It's kinda like she sticks her butt up a bit when she standing.  She murmurs a lot mostly during playtime but also just when she's happy.  The farm that she came from had other kitties with not even a stump for a tail but they said they had them spayed since most of the kittens normally didn't make it because of bowel problems.  One was a pretty black and white and the other was a white and gray tabby.  Sorry the pictures don't show her features very well she wasn't in the standing mood I guess.

Answer
Your statement right here:"The farm that she came from had other kitties with not even a stump for a tail but they said they had them spayed since most of the kittens normally didn't make it because of bowel problems." is the point I am making. BECAUSE your kitten HAS a tail, she probably WON'T experience these bowel issues.

It's due to the lack of nerve endings at the base of the spine that causes the bowel issues. Cats with tails, whether long or short like hers, don't have these issues. Again, arthritis is not related to this.

She is a domestic short-haired tabby calico. That is how you would describe her. She looks 6 months old.

She will be a fine and happy kitty once she is spayed. Remember, no declawing!!