Coexistence is important that you have with your new friend. Before considering the acquisition of a cat of the breed "Munchkin cat" you know certain factors. You must take into account their character, their need for exercise, their interaction with other pets, their care and if you have small children, their level of tolerance towards them.

The Munchkin cat is a recent American feline breed, but the existence of short-legged cats has been documented several times throughout the 20th century. These may include, already in the decade of 1930, en el Reino Unido, These cats lived for four generations before disappearing during WWII. Over the years 50, in St. Petersburg (Russia), a short-legged cat appeared, nicknamed the "Stalingrad Kangaroo" for its propensity to sit on its hips and box with its small front legs. Another short-legged cat was also observed in the 1990s. 1970 in new england, United States.

But it was in 1983, in Louisiana ((UNITED STATES)UU.), when a music teacher called Sandra Hockenedel found two pregnant short-legged cats under a truck and called them Blackberry and Blueberry. Found a home for Blueberry, but he stayed with Blackberry. Blackberry gave birth to a litter of normal and short-legged kittens. One of the latter was named after Toulouse, in honor al pintor Toulouse-Lautrec, that conserved the legs of a child in the body of an adult, and gave it to her friend Kay LaFrance, who lived nearby.

All the Munchkins current descendants of the various encounters of Blackberry and Toulouse with others domestic cats. In fact, their owners allowed them to roam freely on the plantations, and their various encounters with other domestic cats resulted in many litters with kittens of the same anatomical peculiarity. Like this, a colony of short-legged cats soon developed in the area. Hockenedel and LaFrance they decided to call the cats Munchkin, in honor of the inhabitants of Munchkinlandia in Victor Fleming's film 1939 The Wizard of Oz, and they got in touch with him Dr. Solveig Pflueger for me to study them.

He discovered that the short legs of the Munchkin cat were due to a natural genetic mutation that makes the upper leg bone short. This gene is dominant, which means that it is enough for one of the two parents to be a carrier, and therefore have this physical characteristic, so a kitten is likely to have it too. Aware of possible health risks, several breeders asked the teacher David Biller, from the University College of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Kansas, to X-ray the spines of several Munchkins. He concluded that there was nothing wrong with these cats, but that the results of his work could not be considered definitive, since the breed was too new.

At the same time, breeders examined the paws of some of the older cats - also with X-rays- and found no damage to the joints or bones. They concluded that the mutation did not pose a risk to cats, sparking a debate that continues to divide cat lovers around the world..

"Munchkin cat"

In 1991, the Munchkin cat was presented to the general public at a cat show held at the Madison Square Garden from New York, and the breeders began to pressure the TICA (International Cat Association) to recognize the race. The TICA refused at first (in 1991), but four years later it took a turn: in 1994, granted the breed the official status of a new breed in development, despite protests from Katherine Crawford, TICA judge for many years, who resigned arguing that this recognition was an affront to ethics.

Indifferent to the heated debates that sparked, the Munchkin they continued to live their feline life and conquer the public, obtaining in particular in 2003 full recognition of the TICA, and therefore the possibility of competing in the exhibitions organized under the aegis of the organization.

This remains the only major feline association to have recognized the breed.. The American Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) has not taken the step, the Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFé) says he refuses to recognize a race 'based on a genetic disease', and the British Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) has held a similar position since 1991 advising against the importation of these cats, adding that "it is not intended to recognize a race based on a genetic abnormality".

In other words, the dispute of Munchkin is far from over. But, it would be too easy to summarize, as some do, as a dispute between "retrograde feline organizations that do not accept change", on the one hand, and "feline organizations that do not think about the welfare of cats and only seek novelty", for another. All renowned feline organizations are committed to the health of the feline population, but they have different approaches: some prefer to take time to study any new mutation to make sure it is safe before recognizing a breed that carries it, while others choose to recognize it quickly to establish a framework for breeders and study the new mutation.

It's not the first time, not the last, that these debates shake up the world of cat lovers. But, if the discussions around the Munchkin cat they are so virulent and they take so long, it is mainly due to the attitude of some unscrupulous breeders who take advantage of the situation to make easy money without worrying about the health of the animals. Like this, although they know perfectly well that in that case a quarter of the litter never passes the fetus phase, some do not hesitate to raise two Munchkins, with the sole objective of not obtaining a litter with half the "normal" cats that are not sold.

At the end, despite the mistrust it generates, the Munchkin cat is present all over the world. But, due to lack of recognition and, Therefore, official registration of the breed's representatives in the registries, it is difficult to get an exact idea of ​​its true popularity. But, the countless photos and articles on the net suggest that this cat at least arouses great curiosity.

In France, where the Livre Officiel des Origines Félines (LOOF) is one of the few national associations that recognizes the breed (in two different varieties, depending on the length of your hair) and, Therefore, keep a record, between 2011 and 2019 were registered 134 Munchkin shorthair and 198 Munchkin longhair. The trend is up, nails on 50 registrations per year, but race only represents something more than 0,1% of the country's feline population.

The Munchkin cat has a midline morphology semi-foreign. His body is muscular but not compact, and ends in a tapered tail about the same length as the rest of the body.

The legs they are short (between 5 and 10 cm shorter than a normal cat), and the upper bone is approximately the same length as the lower. They are straight, with a medium bone structure and proportionate musculature.

The head is slightly rounded, with cheekbones well defined. The ears are of a size proportionate to the rest of the body and end in a slight curve. The eyes they are almond-shaped and can be of any color.

The fur of the Munchkin cat can be short (Munchkin shorthair) or semi-wide (Munchkin longhair). Some organizations, as the TICA (International Cat Association), They even consider them two different breeds that compete in two different categories at cat shows., but they share the same standard. This is not the position of the LOOF (Livre Officiel des Origines Félines) French, for whom they are simply two varieties of the same breed. In any case, long hair coat has a silky texture, while the one with short hair looks shiny.

All are allowed colors and fur patterns, including the typical pattern colourpoint of the Siamese cat.

Last, the sexual dimorphism is marked, the female being smaller than the male.

But, it is important to point out that today many crosses of Gatos Munchkins with other races and others domestic cats, both long-haired and short-haired. This diversifies the breed's gene pool to avoid health problems, but it also means that the aspect of the breed is not fixed and can continue to evolve in the future.

It also, if even 2015 short legs were officially considered the exclusiveness of the Munchkin cat, and that any cat that presented this particularity and corresponded to the standard (regardless of their origins) could be recognized as Munchkin cat, It's not like that. In fact, Since this date, los «Munchkins with Persian appearance" are regarded as a breed in their own right by the TICA (The International Cat Association): the Minuet (or Napoleon).

• Male size: 16 to 20 cm.
• female size: 15 to 18 cm.
• Male weight: 3 to 4 kg
• female weight: 2 – 3,5 kg

The breed standards are documents established by official bodies that list the conditions that a dog must meet. Munchkin cat to be fully recognized as belonging to the race:

• LOOF Standard (Livre Officiel des Origines Félines)
• TICA standard (The International Cat Association)

"Munchkin cat"

There is a Munchkins shorthaired and Munchkins longhair. The TICA (The International Cat Association), the only world association that recognizes the Munchkin cat, even consider that they are two different races. On the other hand, for the French reference body, the LOOF (Livre Officiel des Origines Félines), they are simply two varieties of the same breed.

The Long-haired Munchkin cat has the same origin as the short haired munchkin cat. It is not known if Blackberry, the original female rescued by Sandra Hochenedel in Louisiana, he had the gene for long hair, but the subsequent wide variety of crosses with pedigree and non-pedigree cats may have introduced him to this breed at an early stage, Surely with all the colors and known patterns of the feline world.

The Long-haired Munchkin cat has a semi-long, silky coat and a moderate undercoat. The hair is described as suitable for all climates, although most breeders recommend that this tiny cat be kept indoors. In other respects, the long-haired variety is very similar to short hair. It has a body size medium and rounded, wedge-shaped head and large eyes. Despite his small stature, they are very active, they have a curious nature and strong personality.

It also, the Munchkin cat has crossed with him Persian cat to create the Minuet, sometimes called Napoleon, a new breed of feline accepted by the TICA in 2016.

in addition, it has also been crossed with other cats to create new breeds. But, unlike in the Minuet, the results of these crosses are not yet recognized by any official body. This is how he crossed Munchkin cat with the :

• the Bengal cat, giving rise to the Genetta ;
• the Sphynx cat (Canadian Sphynx), giving birth to Minskin cat;
• the LaPerm, giving rise to Skookum;
• the Selkirk Rex cat, giving rise to Lambkin;
• the American Curl, giving rise to Kinkalow;
• the Scottish Fold, giving rise to the Scottish Kilt.

The various organizations that recognize race allow a Munchkin cat grew up with another Munchkin cat, with a European shorthair cat (Common european cat) or with a Domestic cat (that is to say, no pedigree, but owned by a family that normally guarantees his good health). But, some people do not hesitate to break this rule and organize breeding with individuals of other breeds. How the short leg gene is dominant, some of the kittens born from these unions have short legs, so they are considered Gatos Munchkins.

Knowing this diversity of origins, it is easy to understand that it is difficult to define the character traits that are shared by all representatives of the breed. In fact, the personality of the Gatos Munchkin varies greatly from individual to individual, since they may have more or less preserved the traits of the races from which they came. Like this, some are very attached to their family, while others are much more independent. In general, they can be especially lonely or, on the other hand, very sociable.

Most individuals, However, are in the latter case, being very attached and affectionate with both adults and children.

They also greatly appreciate the company of their peers and enjoy playing with them., without its anatomical specificity being perceived as a disadvantage by any of the protagonists. They also get along perfectly with the presence of a canine companion, provided that it belongs to a breed of dog adapted to cats, and therefore refrain, for example, of chasing him around the house. On the other hand, coexistence with small animals is not recommended, since many Gatos Munchkins they have retained their hunting instincts.

It also, many owners of Gatos Munchkin have noticed that their pet has a special attraction to shiny objects, like jewels, who does not hesitate to steal and hide in a place that only he knows. They are more likely to do so because they are usually very curious and observant. There is also a point common to all representatives of the breed: they are active and surprisingly agile and lively cats. Their little legs do not prevent them from being very fast and are a definite advantage when taking a sharp turn or making a sudden change of direction. It's hard not to smile when you see a Munchkin cat running at full speed after a ball around the house and making incredible turns.

If you prefer to stay at ground level and, usually, do not venture beyond the sofa or coffee table, unlike many other breeds, it's more by choice than obligation. In fact, even though they may not be able to jump as spectacularly as their long-legged counterparts, they are especially agile and resourceful, so that they always end up finding a way to reach in several jumps the furniture that another race will have reached in one.

in addition, their short legs do not prevent them from climbing a cat tree, and they are very likely to end up on the curtain rod, leaving their owners wondering how they got so high.

The Munchkin cat has developed the habit of sitting on its hind legs, adopting a position similar to that of the suricata to observe your surroundings. This feature has already been observed in 1956 in the «Stalingrad kangaroo», a short-legged cat discovered in Russia, that is not related to the current ones Gatos Munchkin, which suggests that it is an adaptation to its physical particularity.

The Munchkin cat it is rather a breed of indoor cat, that is to say, designed for life in a flat, especially since its short legs are a disadvantage on the outside, where it is more likely to suffer accidents or predation than another breed. But, they like to be walked on a leash under the supervision of their owner.

With everything, the Munchkin cat leads a normal life as a cat and is not particularly affected by his condition. His peers consider him completely as one of their own, and he himself doesn't seem to know the difference. So, the difference is mainly in the eyes of humans.

All the Gatos Munchkins have acondroplasia, a genetic condition associated with dwarfism. But, it is not clear whether this genetic mutation, responsible for the short legs of the breed, has any other impact on the health of affected individuals.

Studies have shown that homozygous embryos (carriers of two mutated genes) are not viable and die in utero, while heterozygous individuals (carriers of a single mutated gene) they do not appear to be affected and lead a completely normal life. This means that when two intersect Gato Munchkins, the 25% of embryos fail to mature and die in the womb: it is precisely to avoid it that they allow themselves, and are even encouraged, crosses with domestic cats, versus breeding between two representatives of the breed.

It also, although this cat is recent and, Therefore, be wary of jumping to conclusions, some conditions seem to affect you especially:

• The lordosis, an excessive curvature of the spine;
• The excavated breast, a deformation of the rib cage inwards, causing compression leading to breathing difficulties and/or heart problems.

Last, as with any indoor cat, obesity is a serious risk to the health of the Munchkin cat. May cause other illnesses and / or aggravate existing health problems. Thus, a good owner should regularly check that his cat maintains a normal weight, and quickly correct it if it isn't.

12 to 14 years

The maintenance of Munchkin cat it's relatively easy, especially for short-haired cats. In the case of short-haired cats, just brush its coat once a week. The long-haired variety needs to be brushed a little more frequently, once every two or three days.

In both cases, It is also advisable to spend a few minutes each week checking your teeth for cavities and tartar., and quickly clean their eyes and ears with a damp cloth.

Last, when they have gotten too long, you need to trim your cat's nails, to avoid being hampered in your movements.

In general, the Munchkin cat it does not pose any problem in terms of feeding and is perfectly in line with the industrial cat food available on the market. To provide your cat with all the nutrients it needs for good health, it is recommended to give him a quality food, adapted to your age and activity level.

It also, to avoid obesity risks, it is advisable to control your daily rations. If your cat is overweight, you should consult a veterinarian to establish a feeding program to help you lose weight.

A kitten Munchkin cat it usually costs about 800 euros for a male and 700 euros for a female.