Munchkin
Perhaps the very first (and therefore famous) breed of short-legged cats, which served as the “starting point” in the selection of this type of cat.
Received as a result of natural mutation. The front legs are slightly shorter than the hind legs, the tail is in a vertical position when moving. The muscles are well developed. The standards allow for short and long coats of different colors. Average weight – 3-4 kg. Active, sociable and extremely peaceful animals. Due to their short stature, they adapted to “examine the surroundings” in a kangaroo position, i.e. sitting on its hind legs and leaning on its tail. The front legs are lowered to the sides.
Let's look at the most popular cat breeds with short legs
Munchkins. The most famous breed, which became fundamental in further breeding work with short-legged cats. The breed arose due to natural mutational changes in the paws. The Munchkin's hind legs are longer than his front legs. The vertical position of the tail when the animal moves is characteristic. Good muscle development.
There is no standard for wool - it can be long or short and of absolutely any color. The average body weight of a munchkin is from 3 to 4 kg. The animals are very active, sociable and quite peaceful. The typical posture of this breed is to sit on its hind legs with the front legs hanging down along the sides.
By nature, munchkins are very balanced, very curious, and actively participate in the life of their owners. They get along great with children. The cost of a kitten of this breed ranges from 5,000 to 55,000 rubles. and higher, depending on the rarity of color or other exterior features.
Lambkins (lamkins). A breed resulting from crossing Munchkins and Selkirk Rex. Currently, this breed is unstable in terms of its main genes. Representatives of the breed reach a weight of 1.8 to 4 kg. The peculiarity of the breed is long or short curly hair, which makes them look like a sheep (lamb), and blue eyes. In animals with curly hair, the whiskers are also curly. Very active and peaceful animals, suitable for families with small children.
In Russia there are no nurseries specializing in this breed, but there are in the USA and New Zealand. The breed is very rare.
Skookums. The breed was created by crossing the La Perm breed and the Munchkins. Characteristic: long or short curly hair of any color, invariably short legs. Vibrissae should be curly. An active animal, curious and very devoted to its owner. Gets along well with children and pets in the house. The body weight of skookums ranges from 3.5 to 4 kg. These pets are very silent. Due to the great rarity of the breed, the cost of a kitten is very high - 800-3500 euros.
Bambino. (Italian child). The breed appeared by crossing Munchkins and Canadian Sphynxes. Like Canadians, representatives of this breed do not have hair, only light fluff is acceptable. Pets' ears appear very large. Animals are friendly, agile and sociable. Very attached to the owner. Bambino cats are playful at any age.
Characterized by an almost complete absence of hunting instinct, which allows them to be loyal to feathered pets and rodents. The average body weight of representatives of this breed reaches 3 kg. The price of a kitten, depending on the quality and appearance, varies from 70,000 to 350,000 rubles.
Minskins. Another result of crossing munchkins and Canadian sphinxes. A characteristic feature is the presence of hair on the head, ears, paws and tail. They are very similar in character to bambinos. They become very attached to their owner and have a hard time being separated from him.
Kinkaloe. A very rare breed resulting from crossing an American Curl and a Munchkin. Characterized by the presence of long or short soft and silky hair, ears curved back (in some specimens). Standard body length, short legs. Weight, on average, is about 3 kg. Very sociable, playful and talkative animals. They are calm with other pets and love children.
They are distinguished by their devotion to their owner. It is interesting that Kinkaloo kittens are born with completely normal ears, and after 2 weeks they bend backwards by 90 -1800. Any coat color and eye color is allowed. The price of a representative of this breed varies between 500-1000 euros.
Dwelfs. The result of the hybridization of three breeds: the Munchkin, the Canadian Sphynx and the American Curl. (Some individuals have ears curled back, like a curl. The breed is rare and young (2008). By coat standards, they are identical to the Canadian Sphynx. The Dwelf is quite miniature - weighing no more than 2 kg. Characterized by a muscular body, neck and paws. Active and playful breed. Capable of taking offense at their owner. Very peaceful. Loves children.
Genettes. The same young breed as the Dwelf (2008). A hybrid of a Munchkin, a Bengal cat and a Savannah cat. The breed is named Genetta after the African Genetta, a member of the civet family, due to its very similar color. All representatives of the breed are short-haired. They have an affectionate, energetic and playful disposition.
Napoleons (minuettes). Hybrid of a Munchkin and a Persian. Napoleon is the owner of a chic fluffy coat, a short muzzle and large round eyes (the heritage of the Persian) on short legs and miniature sizes (signs of a munchkin). There are a great variety of color options; the coat can be short or long. They are very intelligent, energetic and social animals. Animals are very trusting, able to calmly go into the arms of a stranger. They are friendly towards children and other pets in the family and are non-aggressive. Napoleon's weight does not exceed two kilograms. The cost of a kitten with standard legs ranges from 30 to 50 thousand rubles, and if the pet has short legs and a rare coat color, the price will be about 80 thousand.
Lambkin
A breed of cat based on a cross between a Selkirk Rex and a Munchkin. However, the necessary lambkin genes have not yet been fixed. Miniature pets, adults weigh about 3 kg. A standard-sized head with a compact body and short legs looks disproportionate.
Curly and straight-haired representatives with short or long hair are allowed.
They are known for their patient disposition, curiosity, and intelligence. They get along well with other animals and get along with children. Always playful and active, they can jump to small heights.
Skookum
By crossing La Perm and Munchkin cats, a breed of cats with curly hair and short legs was obtained. Short and long fur of various colors is allowed. The vibrissae are necessarily curly.
A cheerful, active cat with a curious character, devotion and affection for the family. Loves affection and attention to himself, prefers joint games, incl. with other animals or children.
Breeding
An unusual fact in the development of long-haired and short-haired forms of the breed is crossing with non-pedigreed cats. As a result, the solid color is less common compared to the tabi color.
When munchkins mate with each other, all kittens have short legs. But in the first generation, when munchkins mate with ordinary cats, there are no results.
Until recently, it was difficult to purchase a munchkin kitten in Russia. Today you can buy a purebred pet from a breeder in almost every major city in the country.
In addition, kittens with a pedigree are sold in the Iberis nursery in the city of Magnitogorsk and in similar organizations in Tyumen, Kaliningrad, and Yekaterinburg. Due to the fact that kittens sell out quickly, the animal can be reserved in advance.
Kittens from nurseries are sold only after castration or sterilization, in order to prevent mating with other animals, as this is harmful to the development of the breed.
If the presence of a pedigree is not important for future offspring, then a mating partner is found from among ordinary cat owners. It is important that the partner does not have a dominant gene responsible for the appearance of short legs
Kinkaloe
A rare breed, breeding work on which has not yet been completed. Obtained in the early 90s on the basis of the Munchkin and the American Curl.
They have long or short soft hair, ears bent back (not all individuals). The body has a standard length with short legs. Average weight – 3 kg.
Kinkaloos are renowned for being talkative, friendly and playful. They find a common language with other animals and children, and avoid conflicts. Non-aggressive. They prefer an active lifestyle and love walking. They gladly accept human affection and attention.
Origin story
Short-legged cats were mentioned back in the 30s of the twentieth century, and not in any one country, but in different parts of Europe.
In the 50s, they could be observed in our country, in the 70s - in the United States of America, but the official date can be considered 1983 - when a resident of the state of Louisiana, Sandra Hochenedel, picked up a pretty pregnant cat with touchingly short legs on the street. Initially, this was attributed to a genetic disease, but when the same kittens were found in both the first and second litters, the owner became thoughtful. Research has confirmed that the reason is hidden in a special gene, which (when mating the carrier with other breeds) gives such an amazing effect.
In 1991, the kittens were brought to the exhibition of The International Cat Association. Initially, experts expressed serious concerns about the breed's viability and all sorts of diseases that would sooner or later come to the surface. However, 3 years later, TICA added this breed to the project for the development of new breeds, and already in the early 2000s, munchkins won their first championship title. The name “munchkin” was borrowed from a children’s book about the Wizard of Oz, popular in Europe: munchkins were the name of the friendly miniature people.
Not all major societies have recognized the breed. The CFA, FIF and Governing Council of the Cat Fancy still consider munchkins to be genetically inferior creatures and are not allowed to register. TICA is more loyal: only those cats whose pedigree is known up to the third generation are allowed to participate in exhibition events. The burden of proof is placed on the owners.
Dwelf
A rare young breed (created in 2008), represented by only 40-50 individuals. Derived from:
- munchkin;
- Canadian Sphynx;
- American Curl
Some individuals have ears curled back; the standards for coat are similar to those of the Canadian Sphynx (let's say fluff). A miniature cat with an average weight of 2 kg. The body is muscular, the neck and legs are massive. Such pets are active, friendly and very sociable, they know how to take offense and ignore the owner. They are distinguished by their peaceful nature towards other furry animals. They play well with children.
Napoleon
A young breed of cats with short legs, derived from Munchkins and Persians. Miniature representatives who, at the same time, have a majestic appearance: from the Persians they got soft fur and a flattened muzzle, from the Munchkins they got dwarfism and a weight of up to 3 kg. Short-haired and long-haired variations in any colors are allowed. Individuals have inherited the health deficiencies of both parent breeds.
They are famous for their intelligence, energy and sociability. They are absolutely non-aggressive and do not suffer from selfishness. They are friendly towards people, love affection and attention. They remain playful throughout their lives.
Short-legged representatives of the listed breeds have a gentle character. They are distinguished by playfulness, sociability with other animals, friendliness to children, and an absolute lack of aggression. They can hardly be called pets: very quickly they become full members of the family.
You can also get acquainted with apartment dog breeds - an excellent alternative to cats at home. If you suffer from an allergy to wool, you can choose a feathered pet for yourself. For more details, see the material on breeds of domestic parrots.
Care and hygiene
Munchkin cats are extremely clean and quickly learn to use the litter box. It is advisable for them to choose a toilet with high sides or a closed one. Caring for and maintaining a short cat is not particularly difficult. It is enough to wipe your ears with it a couple of times a month and regularly wipe your eyes. If you wish, you can trim your claws, but these pets rarely damage furniture; a scratching post is enough for them.
Short-haired cats need brushing once a week, and a little more often during shedding. Long-haired dogs will need to be brushed a couple of times a week and daily if they shed. It is worth noting that hairs are easily removed with a furminator.
For the safety of your pet, it is advisable to remove all potentially dangerous objects higher up.
What to feed a munchkin
The Munchkin cat is a big fan of food, so it often suffers from excess weight. The owner should monitor the calorie content and portion size. It is also important to remember that the breed needs predominantly protein foods. If an industrial type of food has been chosen, then preference should be given to specialized premium and super-premium food.
Natural nutrition should consist of lean meat, for example, veal, chicken, turkey. You can give rabbit meat, sometimes sea fish and eggs. All food should be given to the cat ready-made without salt. You can add a small amount of vegetables and cereals to your diet.
A kitten should eat at least 6 times a day; an adult cat needs 3 meals.
