"When Mother Nature saw fit to remove the tail of the Manx, she left, in place of the tail, more cat."  --Mary Stewart

	Breeding purebred cats is actually a byproduct of showing cats.  Kittens that aren't competitive in the show ring for any number of reasons, are sold as pets.  A cat show is the proving ground for showing quality and improvement in a breed.  Cat shows are extremely competitive -- Manx cats are getting better all the time and winning is getting harder.
	Showing a cat takes all weekend, Saturday and Sunday -- assuming that the driving or flying to get there doesn't add more time.  Showing a cat is not cheap, there are entry fees, travel expenses, supplies and equipment.
	Raising Manx cats takes hours a day, money to feed, house, register, advertise, pay for vet bills and purchase stock for your program.  If you want to breed Manx cats to make money, forget it -- it costs far more than you will ever make.
	If you're breeding unregistered Manx cats you're merely providing competition for other unregistered cats looking for homes (strays).  If your cats are registered, but you aren't trying to improve the breed -- then you're hurting the breed.  To my way of thinking neither one of these options shows a true love and appreciation of the Manx breed, or any other registered breed of cat (or dog for that matter...).

If you want to "raise a litter":

	For the children -- A film is a safer bet, if something goes wrong, you end up scaring the kids and demonstrating the worst in birthing.  Kittens, like humans, can have birth defects, get sick, die etc.  You could also lose the mother cat - your kid's pet.
	So your female cat can have kittens --  She doesn't care.  In fact, some cats are NOT good mothers, which is a whole new set of problems... Spay her and she will be a wonderful pet, having kittens doesn't have anything to do with it.
	So all your friends can have Manx kittens -- as a breeder you are now responsible for guaranteeing that cat/kitten a place to go if the new owner can't or doesn't want to keep it five years later.  If you sell the kittens, you're responsible for health, soundness and temperament guarantees as well.  These are both long term responsibilities not to be undertaken lightly.  In many cases friends who admire your Manx really don't want to own one themselves (even though we know they are really, really missing out...)
	You also need to consider what it can cost you if things "go wrong".  A caesarian can happen to cats as well as humans and you will be looking at a substantial vet bill ($500 to $700) with a possibility of losing the kittens or the mother or both. Hand raising a litter is a 24 hour a day committment.

Showing Registered Manx Cats As A Hobby:

	If you think this is the hobby for you, the first thing you will need is all the information you can get on your breed of choice and showing in general.  I recommend going to several shows and talking to breeders, watching the judging and generally getting acquainted with the process.  Contact CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association, Manasquan, NJ) for show schedules.
	The next thing you will need is to talk to a lot of breeders in your preferred breed.  Most cat breeds, Manx included, have two or more groups with differing philosophies and goals.  You will need to find this out and align yourself with the group you agree with.  This is very important because, in the cat fancy, unlike dogs or horses, bloodlines are very proprietary.  Having a cat from one Manx breeder may mean that another breeder with a different philosophy will not want to sell you a Manx cat.
	The best place to start showing is to purchase a "Premier".  This is a purebred cat that has been spayed or neutered.  The division is, perhaps, even more competitive in some ways that the other two divisions, Championship (breeding cats) and kittens (4 to 8 months).  This will give you a real feel for the sport and enable you to learn what a good representative of your chosen breed looks like.  It may also allow you to change groups within your breed if you made your initial choice in error.
	If, after all these steps, you really like showing and want to raise some kittens of your own, your next step is to find a mentor.  This is an experienced breeder who will work with you, providing you with breeding stock, answering your thousands of questions and giving solace when things go wrong.  Without the help of an established breeder, you would be putting yourself at a very great disadvantage.
	You must also know that there are many areas that have laws limiting or prohibiting breeding of cats and dogs.  There are zoning laws in some areas.  To avoid future problems, it's important that you know what your state and town and county have as laws and where they are "heading" (i.e.. what laws they are trying to get passed).  There are also state laws pertaining to the sale of kittens to the public that you will need to find out about.

If you have any further questions about Manx cat breeding, please e-mail me at the link below.