Content
- Origin of the Skookum Cat
- Skookum Cat Characteristics
- skookum cat colors
- Skookum Cat Personality
- Skookum Cat Care
- Skookum Cat Health
- Where to adopt a skookum cat?
The Skookum cat breed arises as a result of crossing between Munchkin cats, known for their short legs, and LaPerm cats, curly-haired felines, resulting in a short-legged cat with curly fur. Skookum cats are affectionate, loyal, sociable and loving companions, but also very active and playful who seek to jump and play despite the short length of their limbs.
Are very small cats, even considered as one of the dwarf cat breeds. However, despite their small size, they are strong and muscular cats. Its origin is from the United States and it is a very recent breed, as the first specimen appeared in 1990. If you want to know more, continue reading this PeritoAnimal sheet to know all the characteristics of the animal. skookum cat, their origin, their care, their health and where to adopt one.
Source
- America
- U.S
- thick tail
- Big ears
- Strong
- Small
- Medium
- Great
- 3-5
- 5-6
- 6-8
- 8-10
- 10-14
- Active
- Affectionate
- Intelligent
- Curious
- Medium
Origin of the Skookum Cat
The Skookum cat breed comes from the U.S and was created by Roy Galusha in 1990. Galusha was fascinated by the Munchkin and LaPerm cats, so he decided to breed them. Since then, other breeders have done the same in New Zealand, Australia and Europe.
It is not yet a consolidated breed in the large cat associations, being considered experimental the Dwarf Cats Association, the New Zealand Cat Registry, and independent European cat registries, as well as The International Cat Association (TICA), but its name has not yet been approved. As an experimental breed of cats, the skookum can be seen in some feline exhibits. in Australia, being the first champion "Little Miss Moppet", created by Twink McCabe; however, you cannot participate in competitions.
On the other hand, the name Skookum refers to its appearance and comes from the Chinook language, which belongs to an Amerindian tribe in the northwestern United States, and means "mighty or grand", because despite their reduced appearance, they are strong cats. The word skookum was also used to refer to good health or good spirits and to show that something is to a person's liking.
Skookum Cat Characteristics
As we already mentioned, the skookum cat is small in size and shorter bones than other cat breeds. Also, they weigh less. More specifically, males weigh between 2 and 3 kg and females between 1.5 and 2 kg, which represents practically 50% of the weight of a standard adult cat. enter your physical characteristics, we can highlight the following:
- Muscular body, short and robust.
- Short legs, hindquarters longer than forelegs.
- Small rounded wedge-shaped head.
- Compact, rounded feet.
- Rounded neck and chest.
- Large, walnut-shaped eyes with great expressiveness.
- Curly, prominent eyebrows and mustaches.
- Big, pointed ears.
- Long tail, hairy and rounded at the end.
- Soft, curly, short or medium fur. The fur of males is usually more curly than that of females.
skookum cat colors
Skookum cats can have several colors and patterns, such as:
- Solid
- tabby or brindle
- colorpoint
- bicolor
- black
- White
- Brown
Skookum Cat Personality
Perhaps because of its size, this feline breed might make us think it's very delicate, low on energy and skittish, but in reality it's the other way around. The Skookum cat combines the characteristics of the two breeds that gave rise to it, so they are cats active, intelligent, affectionate, athletic, sweet and confident.
the skookum cats are sociable and tend to get along with other pets. Furthermore, they are ideal for families with children. They are also cats that show and demand a lot of affection, so it is not advisable to leave them alone for a long time. Skookum cats, on the other hand, are very fond of playing and are able to learn to walk with a guide.
Also, Skookum breed cats are very confident and self-assured and, despite their short legs, they don't hesitate to jump and climb. They like to hide and even misplace things. Strong and energetic, they love to have fun in any activity and will not hesitate to accompany their tutors in carrying out their tasks or hobbies around the house.
Skookum Cat Care
The care of these cats in general does not differ from what any other cat should have: a varied and balanced food, with all the essential amino acids, rich in protein and of good quality, adapting the calories to your physiological and physical state. It must be remembered that dietary changes should be made gradually, so as not to cause digestive disturbances, and do not give too much food, as these cats are prone to obesity. Like all other cats, they tend to like moving water better, so cat fountains are a good option.
With regard to brushing, how it is a curly hair breed is important brush frequently and several times a week, which will also help to create a good caregiver-cat bond he will love. You should also monitor the condition of the coat, the presence of parasites or infections, and periodically check your ears for infections or parasites.
Skookum Cat Health
The short legs of the skookum cat can bring you spinal or bone problems, since, in reality, the size of the legs is due to a type of dwarfism called achondroplasia. This bone dysplasia it's genetic and it consists of a change in the genetic material (DNA) that creates alterations in the fibroblast growth factor 3 receptor and, therefore, generates abnormalities in the formation of cartilage, with the consequent alteration in bone growth. Therefore, the kitten need ifkeep active and you should ensure that he exercises to keep his musculature strong, as well as having veterinarians to check that everything is going well with his body. Although the appearance of problems does not seem very frequent nowadays, it is questionable to create a breed with this mutation that can affect the quality and life expectancy of a cat. It is very important, especially for these cats, not to put on weight until they become overweight or obese, as the problems can get worse.
In addition to what has already been exposed, it is still a new and experimental breed and there was no time to associate it with specific diseases, however, it is believed that the hypothyroidism and kidney problems may be linked to achondroplasia. The well-known "Grumpy Cat", who died in 2019 at age 6, had achondroplasia and prognathism (lower teeth in front of the upper ones due to a genetic deformation of the jaw) and ended up dying from complications of a kidney infection.
although the Life expectancy of skookum cats has not yet been established, it is believed that if achondroplasia did not cause pain or consequences, life expectancy would be the standard for any cat properly cared for and treated.
Where to adopt a skookum cat?
Adopting a skookum cat is really hard, because it is a very recent breed. If you are interested in this breed, you can go to shelters, associations or protectors of animals and ask. Most of the time, if there is one, it won't be a puppy and will probably be crossbred. If not, you may be offered a Munchkin or Laperm, if any, due to their similarity.
Remember that a kitten of this breed, despite its pleasant personality, has a series of care and health conditions that are somewhat different, so more care is needed so that it does not gain weight, as well as ensuring that it exercises and is active . If you're not sure you can handle it and give him the best life possible, it's better to think about another breed or just not adopt. Cats and other pets are not toys, they are beings that feel and suffer like others and do not deserve to have our whims negatively impact them.