Content
O munchkin is a recent breed of cat, which is often compared to dogs of the Basset Hound breed due to its short legs in relation to its height, one of its most striking characteristics. With an exotic appearance, a kind, docile and intelligent character, it is impossible not to fall in love with this breed of cat.
The Munchkin breed was only officially accepted by international associations from the 90s, however there were already records of short leg cat breeds since the 40s. If you want to know a little more about the history, characteristics, temperament and other information for Munchkin, keep reading this PeritoAnimal race sheet.
Source
- America
- U.S
- Slender
- Small
- Medium
- Great
- 3-5
- 5-6
- 6-8
- 8-10
- 10-14
- 8-10
- 10-15
- 15-18
- 18-20
- outgoing
- Affectionate
- Intelligent
- Curious
- Cold
- Warm
- Moderate
- Medium
- Long
Munchkin's History
Although the Munchkin cat breed has only recently been recognized, short legged cats they had been documented several times in various places around the world since the 1940s. By this time, four generations of short-legged cats had been observed, identical in all respects to normal cats, except for the length of the legs. However, this lineage of short-legged cats eventually disappeared during World War II. Records of other short-legged cats were also documented in 1956 in Russia, in 1970 in the United States and in other parts of the world.
But it was in Rayville, Louisiana, United States, that the Munchkin race was rediscovered in the 1980s by Sandra Hochenedel, a music teacher. Sandra Hochenedel found two pregnant cats who had been chased by a Bulldog under a truck. The teacher took one of the cats and named it Blackberry, half of her puppies were born with short legs. One of the short-legged male puppies was offered to one of her friends, who called him Toulouse. And the Munchkin race is descended from Blackberry and Toulouse.
People became acquainted with this breed through television broadcasting the TICA cat show held at Madison Square Garden in New York in 1991. The Munchkin breed achieved recognition by the International Cat Association (TICA) only in 2003. The Munchkin it is not recognized by The Cat Fanciers Association.
Munchkin Features
The Munchkin is a small to medium-sized cat breed, and males can reach weigh between 3 and 4 kg. Males are generally slightly larger than females, with females weighing between 2 and 4 kg. In addition to having short legs, the Munchkin has another very interesting feature, which is the fact that the hind legs can be a little bigger than the front, which makes the Munchkin a unique cat breed. It is common to see these specimens leaning on their hind legs and with their forefeet folded, similarly to a kangaroo or rabbit.
The Munchkin cat breed has a coat downy, silky and of medium length. Munchkin's coat can be of all colors and patterns. There is also a variety of longhaired munchkin, called the Munchkin Longhair.
Munchkin's Temperament
The Munchkin is a breed of cat that has a kind temperament, docile, outgoing, affectionate, humorous and very intelligent. This cat has a lot of energy and is faster and more agile than it looks. He is also very curious and always looks for the best way to see what is happening, leaving no corner of his house to be explored. Despite having short legs, Munchkin can climb your tallest furniture, so don't be surprised if you find him doing that. Don't underestimate Munchkin's intelligence, challenge his brain by teaching him tricks or giving him intelligence toys and you'll see how surprised you will be with the results.
this breed like to play with children and other cats or dogs, so living with other pets will not be difficult. It is an ideal breed to live in small apartments and an excellent company for people who live alone, families with children and the elderly.
Munchkin's Health and Care
this cat breed is generally healthy, not showing a predisposition to diseases or any genetic health problem. Despite having shorter legs than normal, this does not cause any disturbance in the cat's mobility, quite the contrary, this characteristic makes it more agile. He also has no history of joint or spinal problems due to this characteristic.
To keep Munchkin's fur looking good, silky, free from knots and dead hair, it's important brush your cat once a week. In the case of long-haired Munchkin, two weekly brushings should be performed. You should provide them with quality cat-specific food, in addition to always providing them with clean water. Of course, to keep your Munchkin cat healthy it is necessary to keep vaccinations and deworming up to date, always following the veterinarian's instructions.