The Kingdom of Wonder may have even more wonders than you’d think. One that many visitors are fascinated by is its cats. Cambodian cats are peculiar in a variety of ways: they are said to be more docile and friendly than in many other places. Many are surprised by their relatively small size. However, no other trait stands out more than their tails.

A stumped tail is a rare trait among cats in the West, but not in this region, and particularly not in Cambodia. Whether crooked, kinked or stumpy, it is safe to say that most Cambodian cats have funny tails. Experts have suggested that at least 80 percent of Cambodian cats have a “tail problem.”

There is no shortage of theories to explain the phenomenon, some of them on the ludicrous side. For example, the first time I inquired about this topic, a vet suggested it could be the result of indiscriminate tail-cutting during the Khmer Rouge years. 

According to this source, starving Cambodians during the infamous regime would cut the tails off for meat. She argued that the reason they didn’t just kill the animal is that doing so would bring bad luck to the culler. The trait (having no tail) was passed on and incorporated into the species’ genetics.

Another common theory postulates that the short tails are the result of ongoing mutilation and severance. The condition is caused by injuries resulting from being run over by traffic or attacked by people or dogs (to name a few commonly suggested scenarios). While this may be true in some cases, it is almost certain that this theory cannot account for how pervasive the trait is. 

The trait is so widespread indeed that its origin must be genetic. So I kept researching and found a superb article by my friend, journalist Julie Masis, for the Phnom Penh Post.

In her article, Masis interviews experts that say Cambodian cats are related to the Japanese bobtail, who were introduced into Japan from China about 1,300 years ago.

Others argue that local cats are a type of Manx, a breed of tailless cats native to the Isle of Man in the UK. 

Yet Arnaud Demarti, a French veterinarian who runs Agrovet, believes the Cambodian cat could very well be its own, unnamed breed. 

It seems, however, that the issue has yet to pique researchers’ curiosity, as no one has done the DNA tests that could reveal the answer. Leslie Lyons, a geneticist at the University of Missouri interviewed by Masis said, “a simple DNA test could identify whether a cat was a Manx while bobtail cats could be identified by counting their vertebrae in an x-ray.”

Whether a breed of its own or a variation of another breed, Cambodian cats are no doubt beautiful animals. So, if you live in the Kingdom and are thinking of getting a pet, consider going to a rescue cat cafe like Ministry of Cat or a rescue organization such as Animal Rescue Cambodia to find the perfect match for you.