Breed Of Cats Munchkin: A Description Of The Appearance, Photos, Features Of Character And Behavior, How To Choose A Kitten, Reviews Of Cat Owners

2024 Author: Bailey Albertson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-17 22:26

Munchkin - dachshund cat, magpie cat, kangaroo cat

When you first see a munchkin, a comparison with a dachshund immediately comes to mind. These are cats with short legs, a cheerful, friendly character and adorable appearance.

Content

• 1 History of the breed

• 2 Description of the munchkins

  • 2.1 Table: Munchkin Breed Standard
  • 2.2 Table: Qualification of Disadvantages in Munchkins
  • 2.3 Photo gallery: types of munchkins

• 3 Features of behavior and character

  3.1 Video: Munchkin kitten grows

• 4 Care and maintenance

  4.1 Video: a story about the Munchkin cat breed

• 5 Munchkin Health
• 6 Breeding the breed
• 7 How to choose a kitten
• 8 Breed reviews

The history of the breed

Munchkin is a fairly young breed of cats. It is believed that it dates back to 1983, when American Sandra Hochndale saw a cat with short paws on the street, took pity on her, took to live with her and named Blackberry (Blackberry). At first, she thought that the chosen cat had suffered some kind of illness in childhood, so her paws did not grow. But the born Blackberry kitten, which was named Toulouse, also had short limbs. Toulouse was sent to a farm, where short-legged kittens were also born from him. Thus, Blackberry and Toulouse are considered the ancestors of the Machkin breed.

In every litter of Blackberry and Toulouse, there were necessarily several short-legged kittens. The dominant gene for short-leggedness in munchkins is similar to the corresponding gene found, for example, in dachshunds, welsh corgi and bassets.

The gene responsible for short-leggedness is similar in munchkins and dachshunds

The International Cat Association (TICA) began tracking the genetic program for breeding munchkins in 1994. But the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) does not recognize munchkins.

But still this breed is not very popular, because even in its homeland - in the USA - there are no more than 30 catteries that breed these unusual cats.

In Europe, munchkins were first shown in France in 1993, but did not achieve much popularity. But in Japan they came to the court - today it is the second most popular cat breed among the Japanese.

Munchkins not only became the second most popular breed in Japan, but also acquired national traits

The first munchkin arrived in Russia from South Africa. It was the Mimi Mee Pocket Herkules, a semi-long-haired cat, from which the stock of domestic short-legged cats originated. Then several animals were brought from American nurseries.

Description of the munchkins

Today the Munchkin is the most democratic breed of cats. They can interbreed with any breed and even domas (ordinary outbred domestic cats), so they can have any color. Munchkin's coat can also be of any length.

Table: Munchkin Breed Standard

General form	The main feature of the breed is short legs.
Body	Elongated, medium in size. The musculature is developed. The ribcage is rounded. Dense, muscular neck. The hind legs are longer than the front. Compared to cats, cats are larger.
Head	Proportional to the whole body, wedge-shaped with rounded contours. The chin is vertically in line with the nose. High cheekbones. Convex pads are possible. The forehead is flat, blending smoothly to the bridge of the nose. The nape is rounded.
Eyes	Color does not depend on coat color. Located at a great distance at a slight angle.
Ears	They can be both large and medium-sized, wide at the base. Set on high and wide. Visible brushes available. In proportion to the head.
Limbs	The thickness of the forelegs is the same over the entire height. The hind ones can be longer than the front ones. The paws are round. Curvatures both inward and outward are unacceptable.
Tail	The tip is rounded. The thickness is medium, slightly tapers towards the tip. Length approximately equal to body length. When moving, it is usually set upright.
Wool	Semi-long-haired individuals have a moderate undercoat, top coat of good quality, panties and a fluffy tail are welcome. The short-haired should have a well-developed undercoat.
Colors	Can be anything.

The limbs of munchkins can be of three sizes:

• standard (standard);
• super short (short);
• rug hugger (super short).

Table: qualification of deficiencies in munchkins

disadvantages	prominent sternum; short or too long nose; Round eyes; round head; cow-set paws.
Denial of titles	short, squat stocky body; curly hair.
Disqualification	drooping croup; concave back; similarity with a miniaturized representative of any other breed; vices common to all cats.

Defects in appearance may result in disqualification

Munchkins can interbreed with any breed: this is how the Sphynx Munchkins, Kinkalow Munchkins, Skukums Munchkins and other varieties turned out.

Photo gallery: types of munchkins

Munchkin can be obtained from an ordinary outbred domestic cat, which, in fact, is originally

This adorable baby - the Munchkin Skukums - hybrid with the La Perm breed

Munchkins are also fold-eared

A hybrid of munchkin with sphinxes is called bombino, or sphinxin

Mei-toi - munchkin, obtained by crossing with Ocicat and Singaporean

Kinkalow has short legs and curled ears, it is a hybrid of a munchkin with an American curl

Munchkin hybrid with exotic is very popular in Japan

Features of behavior and character

Munchkins are distinguished by a good stable psyche. In addition, they are funny, sociable, playful, brave, intelligent, dexterous and affectionate animals. The munchkins have many nicknames, they are called: dachshund cats, magpie cats, kangaroo cats, meerkat cats. Well, with dachshunds it is clear - external similarity. What makes them look like kangaroos is that their hind legs are slightly longer than the front ones, and they also have a habit of sitting or standing on their hind legs, using the tail as a support to look around, while the front legs are extended along the body. It also makes munchkins look like meerkats or gophers.

When a munchkin stands in a column, he looks very much like a meerkat.

With forty munchkins, love for various small objects, for example, hair ties, is related. Cats hide the treasures they have obtained in secluded places, and then play with them when they are alone. If the owner of the magpie cat finds and takes away her property, she will pretend that she doesn’t care, but then she will again steal her wealth and hide it in a more secure place.

Munchkins are very resourceful and persistent, so they always climb wherever they want

Munchkins become attached to their masters, but do not shy away from strangers either. They love communication, but sometimes they prefer to be alone. They get along well with children and dogs, if they do not offend them. These cats get along well even with birds and rodents. Munchkins are generally peaceful in nature, but this does not mean that they cannot stand up for themselves if they have to.

Munchkins prefer an active lifestyle. If you decide to get yourself a short-legged cat, because he supposedly is not able to jump on the table, climb on the curtain, throw a vase off a high shelf, then you will be disappointed. Having short limbs, munchkins have a sharp mind, liveliness and determination, therefore, if they cannot jump somewhere, they will still invent a way to achieve their goal.

Short legs do not prevent the munchkin from climbing high surfaces

Munchkins are silent cats. They meow rarely and very quietly. Therefore, if you want to have a cat, but do not want to listen to continuous cat conversations, as, for example, in the case of orientals who chat incessantly, then the munchkin is perfect for you.

Video: the Munchkin kitten is growing

Care and maintenance

Caring for munchkins is no different from caring for cats of other breeds:

• you need to monitor your ears and clean them periodically;
• if necessary, wipe your eyes;
• brush short-haired animals once a week, and semi-long-haired animals two or three times.

Munchkins don't need much care

When choosing a toilet for a munchkin, you should take into account the size of his limbs - you should not choose a tray with high sides. It is better to use wood pellets as a filler. But this is individual, the choice will depend on the preferences of your pet.

Munchkins do not require any special diet. Meat, sometimes fish, fermented milk products, bran, fresh vegetables and unsweetened fruits, constantly fresh water in a bowl - everything is as usual. You just need to make sure that the munchkin has enough physical activity, otherwise obesity can overtake him, and with his short legs, this can pose a serious threat to health.

Munchkins are smart and have a good intellect, so they should definitely have puzzle toys that you can make yourself.

Video: a story about the Munchkin cat breed

Munchkin health

Munchkins are a young breed with a wide gene pool, therefore they are very healthy cats, which have practically no genetic diseases, it is even likely that they are the healthiest animals among the purebred felines. Also, unlike dachshunds, they have no problems with the spine in the lumbosacral region (discopathy), but at the same time there may be lordosis of the thoracic region.

This pathology is most often congenital in nature, while breathing, blood circulation in the chest cavity can be disrupted, the esophagus can be compressed, which makes it difficult for food to pass, and the heart, which in a particularly severe case can lead to its stoppage. To be completely sure of this diagnosis, an x-ray must be taken. Lordosis is not cured.

Munchkins may have a dangerous congenital disease - lordosis (failure) of the spine

A special diet will help make the animal's life easier. The diet must include fermented milk products, fiber and raw vegetables, for example, grated carrots. Healthy animals should not be given minced meat, but pets with lordosis can. The main thing is that food can freely pass through the esophagus, be digested quickly and not cause constipation.

Breeding the breed

Today, munchkins are allowed to cross with almost any breed of cats, including ordinary domestic cats.

There is one exception: Munchkins cannot be crossed with Munchkins. If this does happen, a fourth of the litter will be born dead. Therefore, an animal without the achondroplasia gene is always chosen as a partner.

Despite this, some of our breeders argue that it is possible to cross short-footed and long-footed munchkins, others - that the breed is closed and with no-no doms (how can it be closed if not all phenological organizations even recognize it?), Still others - that it is possible and to cross short-legged, and dead kittens are not born at the same time, they, it turns out, "dissolve in the early stages of embryos, nature has taken care of this" (!?).

Part of the litter (usually half) is born with limbs of normal length. Although in the case of the munchkins, they are called non-standard, but they carry the breed-forming gene and can be breeding.

Cats tolerate pregnancy well and give birth to kittens easily.

If you do not want to let the animal into breeding, it must be sterilized or castrated. Munchkins do not have any special rules for this procedure. It is better to castrate cats up to a year, until they begin to mark the territory, optimally at eight to nine months. It is better not to apply earlier castration for munchkins, since they physically develop a little late. As for the cat, it is better to carry out the operation before the first heat, that is, in the interval from eight months to a year. Nowadays, early sterilization at three months is gaining popularity, but in the case of munchkins, it is better to refrain from it.

How to choose a kitten

Munchkins are quite rare in Russia. Only three catteries are registered in TICA and WCF. Apart from them, there are nurseries in Moscow, St. Petersburg, Novosibirsk, Vladivostok and some other cities. Therefore, if you want to get yourself this cat, try to visit the exhibitions where they are presented. Prices for kittens with pedigree start at 20 thousand rubles - these are animals for castration. Kittens that will go into breeding are much more expensive. Kittens with non-standard limbs (normal length) leave almost for nothing. But they will have a pedigree and, as already mentioned, carry a breed-forming gene, that is, they can be put into breeding.

When choosing a Munchkin kitten, first of all, you should pay attention to the back and limbs.

Of course, the main feature of a munchkin is short legs, but, as already mentioned, in one litter, short-legged and long-legged kittens are approximately equally divided. The short paws are the standard and the long paws are the straight. The latter are also munchkins, they will give offspring with short-legged babies, but they are very cheap. After all, if a person wants to acquire a munchkin, he means a kitten with short paws, and is not going to explain to everyone that this seemingly ordinary cat is actually a munchkin.

Munchkin kittens from one litter can differ in the length of their paws: on the left - straight (long-legged), and on the right - standard (short-legged)

The joints and vertebrae of Munchkins are usually mobile, but it is worth making sure that no cases of osteochondrodysplasia (a malformation of bone and cartilage, leading to the absence of normal growth of bone tissue and its deformation) have been registered in the nursery.

Reviews of the breed

Munchkins today are not very popular, but they can have a happy future, because they are smart, healthy, friendly animals with a stable psyche. You just need to wait a little.