Robyn,
Congratulations!! You'll never regret having a Manx, in my opinion. Stump, my sweet 14-year old tuxedo Manx, has all the qualities you mentioned (he's adorable, affectionate, and intelligent). Yes, the Manx cats hop like rabbits because of their longer back legs. They are VERY companiable and sweet-tempered. Physically, they've been described as a series of connecting circles because of their many "rounded" features--big round eyes, round faces, and rounded bodies. They often have thick undercoats, as my Stump does, so make sure to brush regularly.

As you can see, I can't say enough about this breed. By the way, Stump is the first cat I've ever had--and he single-handedly turned me into a cat person! Also, he came to live with me when he was 7 years old and an indoor-outdoor cat. At my house, he's strictly indoors, and he made the transition with no problem. He's in great health (the vet raves about him). When Stump was 10, I acquired a kitten (a tux, but not a Manx). Stump wasn't crazy about another cat in the house, but they've grown to tolerate each other. They're not best friends, but they'll often groom each other and play/wrestle.

Stump loves weekends when I'm home from work. He'll check on me during the day just to see where I am and what I'm doing...and if I'm relaxing on the sofa, he'll jump up on my lap and take a nap...too bad if I had planned to get work done! He also is very intuitive and can tell when I don't feel well emotionally or physically.

Congratulations, again--and THANK YOU for rescuing the new little one this weekend. You'll love them both!