Munchkin cat

Munchkin is a modern breed of cats. With an average body length, their paws are 2-3 times shorter than those of ordinary cats. Unlike ordinary cats, who stand on their hind legs to look around, the munchkin sits on the seat and rests his tail firmly. Cats can stay in this position for quite a long time.

Origin

Since the beginning of the nineteenth century, information about unusual, special cats has appeared in different parts of the world. The peculiarity was that they had short front paws while the hind paws seemed to be of normal size. There were whole generations of short-legged cats whose lives were documented in chronicles and writings. Mentions of these cats appeared in England, USA, Russia, Germany. The journals Zoologischer Anzeiger (Germany) and Our Cats (USA) published notes about these interesting cats.

Officially, the history of the Munchkin cat breed begins in 1983, when music teacher Sandra Hochenedel from Louisiana picked up a pregnant short-legged cat, nicknamed Blackberry. The name of the breed is borrowed from Frank Baum's book The Wizard of Oz. There, the magical land was inhabited by a cheerful, cheerful people with small stature — Munchkins.

The short-legged gene turned out to be dominant, and in the first litter, most kittens inherited this mutation. For the first time, munchkins were presented to the general public in 1991 at a cat show of regional significance. The first reaction was twofold, despite the attractive appearance, the new experimental breed was perceived negatively as a carrier of an unviable, unhealthy mutation. Later, genetic studies showed that the short paws of this breed are the result of a natural mutation of the genes responsible for the length of the limbs. Fortunately, this mutation does not cause any harm to the cat's health, and with proper maintenance they do not suffer from problems with the spine. Since 1994, the development of the breed has continued under the supervision of the international association TICA. In 1995, the Munchkins were officially recognized. In 2001, representatives of this breed were first brought to Russia.

Breed standard according to the TICA Federation

Munchkin are short—legged cats. Their distinctive short paws developed as a result of spontaneous dominant mutation, which sometimes happens to domestic cats. The spine remained unaffected and similar in shape and flexibility as in other domestic cats. Short paws do not interfere with mobility or the ability to move freely. Body changes do not affect the internal organs of the animal. The breed developed through the accidental appearance of lines of domestic cats with shortened limbs and crossing with other domestic cats. Munchkins are excellent, intelligent and easy-to-handle cats. They can be both long-haired and short-haired. Munchkin KSH and Munchkin PDSH differ only in the coat, short—haired have medium, plush, with good protective properties wool, and long-haired - semi-long-haired silky wool with pronounced awn.

• Head shape: modified wedge with rounded contours, proportional to the body. High prominent cheekbones (cats may show more than cats). No other non-standard signs are allowed.
• Ears: wider at the base, with slightly rounded tips. Size: medium to large — in proportion to the head. Delivery: high and wide set. Tassels on the tips of the ears are allowed only in semi-long-haired individuals.
• Eyes: medium or large almond-shaped, located at a sufficiently large distance, give an open facial expression. They are located at a slight angle to the base of the ears. There is no relationship between eye color and color.
• Chin: Firm, but not protruding or excessively strong.
• Muzzle: medium length.
• Nose: medium length; slight deflection is acceptable.
• Profile: with a smooth transition from forehead to nose.
• Forehead: flat.
• Neck: thick and muscular in cats, and slightly smaller in cats.
• Torso: elongated, not compact, back with a slight upward tilt from shoulders to tail. Well rounded breasts and firm hips. Cats are smaller than cats. Angular shoulder blades are acceptable.
• Tail: Positioned vertically if in motion. Tapers to a rounded tip, should not be excessively thick. The length of the tail corresponds to the length of the body.
• Backbone: medium, without excessive volume.
• Musculature: well-developed muscular strength, less noticeable in cats.
• Paws are short. They are located at a uniform distance when viewed from the muzzle to the tail. Front: the upper and lower parts of the front paws are equal in length. Hind: the thighs and the lower part of the paw are approximately equal in length. It is acceptable if the hind legs are slightly longer than the front ones. Rounded, proportional to the body. All 4 paws should be positioned straight, no bending of the paws inwards or outwards is allowed.

The nature of the breed

Kittens of the Munchkin breed have a kind and friendly character and are quite easy to contact. Also, this breed completely lacks aggression, so you can safely have an animal in the house if you have small children.

In relation to the owner, Munchkin cats are quite affectionate and kind. They like to spend time in the arms of their master.