Munchkin is a relatively new breed of cats, characterized by very short limbs with the usual other bones of the skeleton. This feature is not a consequence of breeding, but the result of a natural genetic mutation. Their paws are 2-3 times smaller than in a normal animal of medium size, which is why they are often called cats-dachshunds.
The Munchkins got their name in honor of the fairy-tale little narod from the children's book of Leyman Frank Baum, “The Amazing Wizard of Oz,” whose representatives were distinguished by their cheerful disposition, sociability and friendliness.
Funny animals with short legs have another unusual feature - unlike other members of the cat family, the dachshund cats, if they want to consider something, do not stand on their hind limbs, as is customary for their relatives, and comfortably sit on the hips, using the tail as reliable support for balance. This comical position, in addition to the short front legs hanging along the body, completes their amusing image, which has a striking resemblance to a kangaroo. In such a funny pose, they can be long enough than they can not touch and not attract the attention of everyone.
The first mentions of the munchkins date back to the 30s. The twentieth century - during this period in various parts of Europe there were reports of unusual short-footed little animals. In Germany, they were given the name of a kangaroo cat, thanks to their habit of looking around their possessions, sitting in a "column". In 1944, British veterinarians registered four generations of healthy short-legged animals that were completely similar to ordinary cats, with the exception of the length of the limbs. The Second World War dealt a serious blow to this line, but in the 1950s. Korotkonozhek seen on the territory of Russia, and the 1970s - the United States. Russian Munchkins got the nickname "Stalingrad kangaroo cats".
The modern history of the breed originates in 1983 when Sandra Hochenedel, a music teacher from the town of Reyville, Louisiana (USA), found two pregnant cats under an old truck. One of them was taken by a woman in the care and called Blackberry (Blackberry). She attributed the irregular length of her legs to heavy street life and the consequences of illness. What a surprise Sandra was when BlackBerry's offspring inherited a unique trait of their mother. As it turned out, the cat found was a carrier of a natural mutation that, when crossed with normal animals, produced kittens with short limbs. One of the newborn babies, a boy named Toulouse, was given to her by a close friend, Sandra, and soon he gave a large offspring of short-legged little animals. It was these representatives of the Munchkins who launched the new breed, which is still developing around the world.
American scientists are interested in the characteristics of unusual cats, engaged in the study of BlackBerry offspring. They determined that the short-footedness of these animals has absolutely no effect on their health, in particular on the mobility of the ridge, limbs and joints, which is typical of dog breeds with short legs, such as corgi and dachshunds.
The general public - felinologists and other cat lovers - the manchkines were shown in 1991 at the TICA show at Madison Square Garden. Then the critics met the breed without much enthusiasm, complaining about the possible occurrence of health problems. Throughout the history of its development, cats with short legs have been regularly criticized by various specialists.
In 1993, the Munchkins set foot on European lands, namely to France. Around the same period, they appeared in Japan, where for several years they had the status of one of the most popular breeds of domestic cats. In 1995, the International Cat Lovers Association recognized long-haired munchkins, while their first standard was developed.
Dachshund cats appeared in Russia in 2001. Their first representative was a beautiful semi-longhair cat named Mimi Mee Pocket Herkules, who arrived at the Alexander-Fred Kennel from South Africa. From the very first exhibitions he attracted a lot of attention, and after a while he became the ancestor of the nursery "Сhapter Zero".
In 2014, a munchkin named Liliput (Lilieput) from Napa, California, was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the smallest cat in the world. His height at the withers is 13.34 cm.
The birth of cats with short paws depends on the presence of achondroplasia in their dominant genotype, and if one of the parents was a carrier of this gene, then short-legged babies will surely appear among the offspring. Despite the gene mutation, the munchkins retained the characteristics of their long-legged brethren - their spine is flexible and has a similar shape, and the length of the legs does not affect the mobility and ability to survive.
Munchkins are medium sized cats, males weigh 3-4 kg, females 2-4 kg. Their torso is elongated, wide, with a rounded chest and well developed muscles. The neck is thick and muscular. The head proportional to the body has a wedge shape with rounded contours, the muzzle and nose are of medium length. From the flat forehead to the nose leads an easy transition. The almond-shaped eyes of the munchkins are wide apart, they can be of medium or large size. Medium or large ears at the tips slightly rounded, proportional to the head, wider at the base. The presence of brushes on the ears is permissible only in long-haired animals. The tail is not too thick, tapers towards the end, and is vertically when moving. The legs are short, the hind limbs may be longer than the front, which creates a slight tilt from the sacrum to the shoulders.
There are two types of cats of this breed: shorthair and longhair. Representatives of the first type have a plush wool of medium length, the latter - a semi-long silky hair coat. Munchkin colors can be very diverse - all possible combinations are allowed. The most common in short-haired cats - variations of Siamese colors (Minky, Celia, color-points) and all types of colors with a pattern. Long-haired representatives are more rare, but elegant silver, smoky and bicolor colors are popular among them.
Cats of this breed can be praised endlessly - they have a wonderful character: intelligent, sociable, good-natured, cheerful, inquisitive, playful, affectionate, fully focused on people. At the same time, they are self-sufficient, endowed with high intelligence, strong in spirit and able to stand up for themselves. It is easy to find a common language with cats and any other pets, absolutely not being embarrassed by their small stature.
Munchkins are incredibly curious animals that constantly want to get the maximum amount of information about the object that interests them. They are calm and balanced, it is almost impossible to get them out of themselves. Kindness, tranquility and tenderness, which hovers around these cute short-noses, always charges the atmosphere with positive energy.
Vivid displays of aggression are not characteristic of loving cats-dachshunds, but if necessary, the animals are able to defend their honor in a duel with yard cats. Due to their inherent mobility, the Munchkins bring their adversary to a dead end, because it is extremely difficult for him to predict the next step and the speed of a clever opponent.
Every day loyal munchkins love their master more and more, they always gladly go in contact with him, sharing his mood, habits and character. New acquaintances and unfamiliar places are not a problem for these animals that are open to the world, so they will become wonderful companions to people whose lives are filled with travel and travel. Cats with short legs are happy to play with toys and take part in children's fun, even if it is burying in the sand, swaddling or riding on toy cars.
Despite the small length of their limbs, the munchkins are agile, active and plastic cats. Short-footed animals perfectly orientated in space and rather quickly run, ridiculously going over their paws, like hedgehogs. They are able to climb low couches, chairs, tables and beds, as well as conquer curtains and trees, deftly and quickly, like ordinary cats. Movement munchkins during jumps, running and conquering heights look harmonious and beautiful, resembling the movements of affection or mongoose. Nevertheless, they cannot jump as high as their long-legged relatives can, but they will quickly think of an alternative path to the goal, lying through lower objects. Another fun feature of the munchkin breed of dachshund cats is the tendency to pick up and hide little things they like in their caches.
Caring for the representatives of this breed provides a standard set of procedures necessary for the welfare of the cat. Munchkin with short hair is enough to comb once a week to remove dead hair. Individuals with long hair are desirable to comb more often - 2-3 times a week. Munchkins do not like water procedures, however, they should be carried out several times a year as the animal is contaminated, using special shampoos for cats. Pet eyes should be regularly wiped with a paper napkin or cotton pad dipped in tea leaves or plain water. Ears also need care - they must be cleaned once a month with a piece of cotton wool or a cotton swab. Every two weeks, the pet is recommended to trim the claws. This procedure should be carried out using special tongs. In addition, in the house it is desirable to have two scratching posts - floor and wall.
Cats of this breed need personal space - they often create peculiar nests for themselves, where they can retire and feel secure. Therefore, the owner is recommended to provide your pet with a special place and put a basket or a house there.
The Munchkins love spending their leisure time amusing various toys. They prefer small objects for games in the form of balls or mice, which can catch and proudly carry in their teeth, like some kind of trophy. Fervent cats, dachshunds will be happy to begin the fun, as with paper wrappers, and with special educational toys. The Munchkins easily get used to the leash and walk happily with their favorite owner on the street.
Like all pets, cats of this breed need proper nutrition, be it artificial or natural food. The basis of the diet for natural feeding - lean meat, sea white fish, cereals, vegetables, offal, with specialized - dry food premium and superpremium class. You should know that the Munchkins love to eat, which is why it is important to control the amount of food consumed by the pet in order to avoid its obesity. In eating cats, dachshunds are not choosy, the main thing is that the diet should be balanced and include all the important vitamins and trace elements necessary for the proper development of the animal.
The cost of munchkin kittens can vary from 10 to 30 thousand rubles.
Description breed Munchkin
The description of the munchkin breed should begin with consideration of the most unusual feature of these cats - their short paws. Munchkin's paws are several times shorter than that of an ordinary domestic cat. However, this does not prevent them from leading a full life and does not affect mobility. The rest of the munchkin's appearance is no different from other cats.
The breed of cats Munchkin is long-haired and short-haired. These cats have smooth, shiny and silky hair. It is very dense, with moderate undercoat and good protective properties. On the lower part of the body, the hair is longer than in the rest of the areas, and the fur collar stands out mainly in long-haired munchkins. Munchkin cats can have colors of various colors and their combinations.
Munchkin cats have large expressive eyes, a round head, an elongated body, short paws and a long tail. The color of the eyes of these cats is not associated with the color and may have different colors. Munchkin's wide-set ears are of medium size. The hind legs of these cats are longer than the front. Munchkin weight varies from 2 to 5 kg. Cats are larger than cats. The average lifespan of a munchkin is 12 years.
The munchkin breed description includes one more unusual feature of these cats. The Munchkins love to sit on their hind legs, keeping the body upright and hanging their short forepaws on the sides. In this position, they look especially cute and very much resemble a kangaroo. The short-legged men can stay in this position for quite a long time and often sit in front of the window for hours, watching what is happening on the street.
Munchkin breed history
The history of the Munchkin breed originates from the state of Louisiana. In 1983, one of his residents picked up a cat with short legs on the street. The woman regretted the animal, took him home and surrounded him with care. They loved the cat very much in the family and called it Blackberry. The hostess even found a pair for the Blackberry.
Appeared offspring made a real sensation. The born kittens had short legs, although a pair of Ezhevichka found a cat with legs of a standard size. As it turned out later, Blackberry was a carrier of a natural mutation. The munchkin breed occurred not as a result of selection, but due to spontaneous mutation. Munchkins have an achondroplasia gene, which is responsible for short legs. If at least one of the parents will have such a gene, the kittens will be born with short legs.
The same gene is responsible for low growth in dachshunds. Short-footed cats have gained worldwide recognition. In Russia, the Munchkins appeared only in the early 2000s. The breed was named after the marshes (in English, "munchkins") - little men from the book about the magical country of Oz.
Munchkin Cat Character
The character of a Munchkin cat is wonderful. They are very peaceful, intelligent, affectionate and sociable. The friendly and patient character of the munchkin cat makes them one of the best pets among cats. The Munchkin cat breed is very inquisitive, these cats get along perfectly even with children. The nature of the Munchkin cat is very calm, but if necessary, they can stand up for themselves.
Munchkins' short legs do not prevent them from running and jumping quickly. These are very funny, nimble and curious creatures. Munchkin cats are energetic, agile and quick. The Munchkins run pretty fast and very funny stamp their short legs. The munchkins do not know how to jump high, but they are very active, so they will always find an alternative option to climb higher.
Munchkin cats are amazing creatures that are full of warmth and tenderness towards humans. Munchkins very easily and quickly adapt to the mode of the owners. These cats love to take part in family gatherings, master's conversations and always feel the mood of a person. The guests of the Munchkin are friendly and with interest. The munchkin's graceful character allows you to perfectly coexist with other animals in the house. These cats can walk on a leash and love to travel.
There is one small flaw in the character of a munchkin cat. They like to arrogate to themselves various small things. If a munchkin lives in your house and any trifle has disappeared, look for it in the favorite secret corners of your pet. As for the munchkin kittens, it is often necessary to look for them. Kids are very curious and often get into difficult situations, climbing into hard-to-reach places. This is especially true of various heights, which, having climbed, they cannot get off themselves.
Munchkin content and care
Munchkin content is quite simple. Munchkins are neat and tidy cats, quite unpretentious in care and have no serious health problems. The only weak point in this breed is the back. Munchkins are genetically predisposed to such a disease as lordosis of the back is a weakening of the vertebral muscles. This disease causes heart and lung problems. This disease also occurs in other cats, but the munchkins more often than other breeds suffer from it. Therefore, be sure to regularly visit the vet.
Munchkin content requires a balanced nutritionally rich in vitamins and minerals. These short-footed cats can be fed both homemade food and premium dry food. In food munchkins unpretentious. The main thing that the food was varied and useful. The finished feed will cover all the needs for the necessary vitamins and provide good nutrition for the mankina.
When feeding with natural products, the basis of the diet should be lean meat. In addition, it is necessary to give fermented milk products, cereals and vegetables. A couple of times a week you can add fish and eggs. As a percentage, the optimal diet is as follows: meat - 60%, vegetables - 30%, cereals - 10%. Манчкины склонны к набору лишнего веса, что приводит к проблемам со здоровьем, поэтому не перекармливайте Вашего питомца.
Уход за манчкинами достаточно простой и не потребует особых усилий. Необходимо будет приобрести различные игрушки, лоток, миски и установить когтеточку. Не забудьте обустроить для Вашего любимца уголок в доме, где он сможет отдохнуть и побыть наедине. Если у Вас большой дом, можно поставить корзину или пару коробок в разных уголках дома.
Care munchkin includes a set of standard procedures, such as: cleaning the ears and teeth, combing, trimming claws, and more. It is necessary to comb out the wool at least once a week, long-haired munchkins will have to comb more often. To do this, purchase special combs. Munchkin should be bathed only with specialized shampoos and no more than 3-4 times a year.
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History of origin
Munchkin became known recently. It is customary to begin the countdown of the history of short-legged beauties from 1983. It was then that the American Sandra Hochenedel, who lived in Louisiana, sheltered a stray cat with some defect of appearance. The fluffy bum had disproportionately short limbs, and also a little crooked. The cat got the name Ezhevichka.
Despite her “wrong” appearance, the little one pleased the new owner with excellent well-being and appetite. Soon it was discovered that the cat was waiting for the offspring. All the kittens that were born, inherited the shortened paws from the mother. The little ones had extraordinary activity, were playful and absolutely healthy.
The munchkin breed can be called the bred "at home". All subsequent breeding of short-footed and ordinary cats gave kittens with short limbs. It is all about the gene of achondroplasia, which is responsible for the length of the paws, which turned out to be dominant. If there were babies in the litter with ordinary paws, they were also used to continue the breed, since they had a short-haired gene present, although it was not expressed.
Officially, the breed was recognized in 1991, and its name was borrowed from little men from the “Country of Oz” by Baum.
Breed popularity
Cats with short legs are becoming popular by leaps and bounds. These amazing animals have already settled in homes in many countries, delighting people with a compact appearance and a peace-loving character. Among the most common short-legged breeds, munchkin occupies an honorable place.
Hairless bambinoes, curly skoukums, tiny singapore and attractive lambkins, their hair resembling sheep, became its neighbors in the hearts of cat owners. But the primacy among the "understated" cats took Scythian-Thai-dong, the smallest cat in the world. Its weight does not exceed 2.5 kilograms.
Appearance munchkin
Depending on the length of the legs, the representatives of the breed are divided into three standards:
Exterior Munchkin classic "cat". The wedge-shaped muzzle has pronounced cheekbones, a wide nose and large, wide-set eyes. The color of the eyes does not depend on the coat color and can be of various shades.
The breed of cats with short legs did not inherit the curves of the limbs from its parent Ezhevichki. Their paws are often even. Rarely there is a slight curvature of the front in the inner side. Their length is on average 12 centimeters, and the thickness is greater than that of other breeds. The structure of the limbs in no way prevents these cats from living. They are just like other Murks, cheerful, full of strength, energy and slightly narcissistic.
Wool is found both short and long. Both lengths are standards. The fur is soft, plush to the touch. Longhair cats have a dense undercoat. Wool colors are very diverse. The most popular are color-point, Siamese and Minky.
Munchkin - dwarf breed of cats. Shortfoot does not affect the health of the skeleton, as evidenced by the many checks carried out in 1995. Suspicions of susceptibility to lordosis, back disease, were not confirmed.
Short foots
Another unusual feature of the Munchkin is thievery. Passing by a beautiful, in her opinion, object, she will surely drag him into her lair. The most unexpected things can turn out to be “beautiful”, from candy wrappers to personal things of the owner.
These pets love to sit on their hind legs.
In this case, the tail serves as a support, while the front legs are folded along the rabbit. This trick makes the cat, and without that comical appearance, similar to a kangaroo.
Personal space for the munchkin is a must. If the owner does not bother to equip his compact pet house, the cat will not be upset. He is well done and will do everything himself. Materials for the construction will be all available tools. These cats love to build their nests so much, as if they have the soul of a bird, locking up in a cat's body, which moreover resembles a dachshund.
How to choose a kitten
Today, the munchkin is considered an exotic breed and is quite rare. In general, breeding breeds are engaged in nurseries. In Russia, there are not too many of them yet, but, thanks to the existing ones, you can buy a real representative of the breed. Specialized nurseries practically does not occur. Often, next to the short-bred breed several more breeds.
Weaning a kitten from a mother is preferably not earlier than at 12 weeks. By this time, he will get some immunity, learn how to lap out of the saucer and eat solid food.
A breeder should ask about the health of kittens, with whose parents it would be nice to even meet, to observe the habits. It is also worth knowing whether the vaccination, treatment for worms. Not bad if the kittens are accustomed to the tray at the time of the move.
When taking the cat, pay attention to the documents, and also ask the breeder if you can expect to receive tips on raising a pet in the future.
Munchkin Nutrition
In food munchkin unpretentious. He will be happy to feast on both homemade food and special food.
If you decide to create a menu of cats from natural ingredients, take care of their diversity. Food should contain a maximum of nutrients. This breed is poorly adapted to the vegetable diet, so the main ingredient in a pet bowl should be meat.
Porridge and vegetables should be a small percentage of the total dinner. To the cat did not resist even such a small amount of vegetation, it is worth chopping boiled foods and mixed with meat. All food of animal origin must undergo heat treatment. Munchkin is not a predator, it is better not to feed him raw meat.
If the main component of the diet is a special food, you should pay special attention to its quality. Cheap food can be compared with fast food. Benefit from them at least, if at all. But flavors and additives can undermine the health of your pet. Choosing food, give preference to the premium class, and if the budget allows - to the super premium class. Such food will saturate the animal with all the necessary substances, and give him a good state of health.
Here is the food with which to introduce the mankkina glutton should not be:
- Fatty, salty, spicy foods,
- Sweets,
- Harmful foods, all sorts of mayonnaise and other useless treats,
- Fish in large quantities is contraindicated if the pet is sterilized.
Any cat should have round-the-clock access to fresh water. This is extremely important if its diet consists of dry food. Consuming a mixture in which a minimum of moisture, the pet often drinks a lot of water. It is not worth cleaning it with silver. This may adversely affect the immunity of the pet. But filtering does not hurt.
Take care of vitamins. Domestic cats, such as a munchkin, without access to walks, cannot choose their greens to their taste. An alternative to it are complexes of vitamins that can be bought at the pet store.
If you are tired of the routine in the house and are looking for bright emotional colors, feel free to start a manchkina. This friendly kid will bring to your life the immediate enchantment and cheerful vanity. Just do not forget to hide small things higher!
Breed features
Changes in the genome affected only the length of the limbs, no other modifications in the skeletal structure of the Munchkins were observed.
Sometimes long-legged individuals appear in the breed, and this is the norm. In addition, such munchkins with the usual long legs are considered gene carriers, which allows them to cross, and in the future to get purebred short-legged kittens.
By type of wool distinguish longhair and shorthair cats. Colors are found such as are typical for most cats. Crossing with all sorts of breeds gave a huge variety of colors. At the same time on the short-legged creatures habitual colors look completely different.
Do not underestimate the size of the legs and think that the mobility of the cat suffers because of them. With amazing dexterity, the short-footed cats get where they want to go.
A natural curiosity makes them climb into all sorts of places on furniture, curtains and other interior elements.
The curious quality inherent in most munchkins is love of stash arrangementwhere they are dragging everything that has attracted. Therefore, it is not necessary to leave in the cat's field of view especially valuable things, otherwise they will have to search for a very long time later. As a rule, the loss can be found somewhere under the furniture, where the munchkin neatly folds her loot, and then plays with her.
It should be noted, and excellent adaptive properties of cats. Munchkins quickly get used to changing the situationto new people. These are very friendly creatures that easily make contact even with unfamiliar people.
They get along well with other pets, be it a cat or a dog. Get on well with children and can be a great nanny.
Particularly nice is the habit of cats standing on their hind legs. Due to the peculiarities of the structure of the limbs, the munchkins do not just stand on their paws, but rather sit down and lean on the tail. In this position, they are able to stand for quite a long time, which can not but arouse affection on the part of the owners.
Movable cats are happy to walk on a leash. Only to accustom to such outputs should be from early childhood, otherwise they will turn into unnecessary stress.
The Norwegian Forest Cat is not very forest and domestic. Details on the link.
In general, cat "dachshunds" are big fans of running around, and even jumping. With pleasure the munchkin will climb trees.
Cats of this breed gladly come into play and accept the proposed rules. There is an opinion that they can be taught to the simplest teams.
Growing up, the Munchkins do not lose their childlike spontaneity. They remain cheerful for life, full of energy cats. They never hold evil, are very affectionate, sociable, prefer noisy companies.
Among other things, the munchkins are very quiet pets - they do not give votes unless absolutely necessary. Very neat and tidy.
The history of the breed "munchkin"
The history of the Munchkin breed began only at the end of the last century. In 1983, an American teacher named Hotndale rescued a cute cat with a strange peculiarity from her dog - unusually short limbs. The woman left the foundling in her home and named Blackberry, which means “blackberry”.
The cat turned out to be on demolition and soon gave birth to cubs, also to an unusually short leg. It became clear that this trait is not an accident, but a stable mutation that is inherited. The forebears of all the Munchkins were Blackberry and her son Toulouse, who received a nickname in honor of the French painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, who also had disproportionately short legs and short stature.
Hotndale was inspired by the idea of breeding a munchkin. Enlisting the support of familiar breeders, she began to seek official recognition of the breed. In 1991, in the framework of the TICA exhibition, the fruits of its felinological experiments were demonstrated to the general public.
In 1994, TICA added Manchkina to the category of new breeds, and in 2003, after careful examination by experts, registered its champion status. Following the breed was recognized by the international organization WCF, but the rest of the felinological world still belongs to the Munchkins, to put it mildly, wary.
The British international organization GCCF does not include them in the list of officially recognized breeds, because it considers their short limbs to be an anatomical defect that reduces the quality of life. CFA holds the same position.
In Europe, munchkin cats still remain exotic. Several nurseries are working in France, Switzerland and the Netherlands, but for the time being there is no need to talk about the mass hobby of the breed. While in the US and Japan, these cute cats, dachshunds are quite popular. Munchkins were first brought to our country in 2001: a cat from South Africa became the pioneer on Russian lands.
Breed description: appearance standards
Breed is considered dwarf only because of short limbs - their length is about 13 cm. If you ignore this fact, then the size of the munchkin is quite typical for a domestic cat. As a rule, the weight of adults is 2-3 kg, cats are larger than cats. Sometimes in the litters of purebred parents kittens are born with a normal limb length.
Breeders call them non-standard, but such cats are carriers of the same mutation, which allows them to be used in breeding, of course, if there are other breed characteristics provided by the standard. Among the latter, in addition to the length of the limbs, there is an elongated muscular body, wedge-shaped, with rounded contours, the head with a flat forehead and ears at the base of medium or even large size.
Hind limbs may be slightly longer than the front, the tail should be of medium length and taper to the tip. Munchkin eyes are almond-shaped, widely spaced, medium-sized or large.
The Munchkin breed standard allows both short and semi-long hair. In short-haired and long-haired animals, the undercoat is pronounced, and the “long-haired” beauties flaunt their fluffy plume-tail, panties, and sometimes tassels on their ears. When choosing a breed variation, it should be remembered that caring for a munchkin with a long coat is more time consuming than for their shorthair counterparts.
The color of the munchkin can be absolutely anything, including patterned and decorated with medallions, that is, stains.
To claim high titles will not be able to munchkins with round eyes and a head, a nose that is too long (ideally, the nose should be on the same vertical line with the chin), as well as the cow-set of paws when they are turned outwards. Also disadvantages are too short or stocky body and curly hair.
Munchkin: character
A cheerful disposition, cheerfulness, a lively mind of the munchkin - is this not an ideal character for a cat living in a close-knit family? The Munchkins are considered wonderful companions. These babies are very confident, they feel great in homes where there are other animals. They like to be close to the person, accompany him around the house and on walks. But if left alone, the Munchkin cat will not be bored much.
Their inactivity is a myth. Despite the short limbs, the seals move very quickly, deftly climb trees, do not shy away from active games and hunting. But jumping as high and far as ordinary cats, munchkins, of course, cannot.
A funny feature is the ability of cats to adopt the meerkat pose, which is quite rare for the cat world. Kote Munchkin rests on his hind legs, while his front paws rest on weight, while he additionally rests on the floor with his tail in order to better maintain balance. Judging by the fact that the cats sit so long, this situation does not cause them discomfort.
Munchkin kittens are small but remote!
Munchkin kittens from the first days look different than their long-legged brethren. At first, the hind limbs of the babies are spread out to the sides, like in frogs, and they move almost crawling.
However, after a while the muscles get stronger, and the munchkin kitten stands firmly on its feet. But despite this feature, even the smallest of them are mobile and curious, like all kittens. Watching this video, you can see this for yourself, and at the same time be touched by the touching short-toed kid.
Munchkin cat breed: health contrary to forecasts
Except for achondroplasia, a hereditary mutation of the genes responsible for the development of the long bones of the skeleton, the munchkins can be considered healthy cats. And achondroplasia itself does not cause any health problems, which do not allow cats to lead an ordinary cat life.
Just like a dachshund, a dog with a similar mutation, short limbs do not interfere with entering into combat with a much larger beast in the burrow, for which this breed was bred, and the Munchkins are normal - strong and strong animals.
No other hereditary diseases have been identified, although some experts suspect this breed of susceptibility to lordosis, a curvature of the spine, due to the pathological weakening of the muscles supporting it, which causes disturbances in the functioning of the internal organs. However, lordosis occurs in all breeds, it is not associated with achondroplasia, and it is impossible to consider it as a specific disease of Munchkins.
Should I start a short-haired cat?
If you dream of an active and sociable pet, a munchkin can be a great solution. This cat is difficult to unbalance, he gets along well with children and does not scratch.
Владельцы манчкинов убеждены, что от их любимцев редко услышишь мяуканье. У одной американки жил кот, практически не подававший голоса в течение 5 лет — до тех пор, пока в доме не появилась вторая кошка. После этого он стал чуть разговорчивее, но в сравнении с соседкой по-прежнему слыл молчуном. Затем женщина завела ещё парочку манчкинов. По её наблюдениям, они также почти не мяукают.
Those who cannot decide what they like more - animals or silence, the munchkin cat will definitely fit. But keep in mind that the breed is quite rare, so the kitten will have to be booked in advance, perhaps - to purchase in another region or even in another country.
If these difficulties do not stop you, you will receive a faithful companion who will give you sincere love and devotion in return for care.
Munchkin Care
The breed does not require any special care. Munchkins need all the same procedures that are performed for any other cats.
Shorthair Munchkins need to comb once a week, and long-haired a couple of times. Wash cats once every 2-3 months. Shampoo is selected in accordance with the color, the head is not soaped.
If a kitten from childhood accustomed to the noise of a hair dryer, then it can be used when drying a pet. If the cat is afraid of the device, it is better not to create a stressful situation and scare the animal.
Eyes and ears cleaned as needed. To do this, use clean cold boiled water and cotton swabs. Teeth are processed with special cat paste once a month.
Fed munchkins high-quality dry food or natural meat food. Plant food is contraindicated, and this is due to the poor digestibility of plant components in the stomach of cats.
In addition, a good appetite munchkins can lead to obesity and as a consequence, health problems, so you should control the amount of food eaten.
In the free access should always be clean water. Vitamins appointed together with the veterinarian or breeder, taking into account the peculiarities of the life and health of the pet.
Claws pruned every two weeks. The procedure should be carefully performed in order not to damage the blood vessels that are located in the nail plate.
To grind down claws and ensure security for furniture, a claw strap should be installed in the dwelling.
It is possible to attract the attention of the munchkin with the help of catnip.
Be sure to praise the animal during its successful attempts to sharpen its claws.
Munchkins love to "nest". An excellent acquisition will be a comfortable cozy lounger, or a special cat house.
Such a dwelling brings additional peace to cats, because they feel protected in the “nests”.
The type of filler is chosen individually - the munchkins' preferences differ, as do their characters.
Ashera is a breed of cats that actually does not exist. Read more here.
There is a version that the underlying disease, which is characteristic of the Munchkin cat breed - lordosis. This is the name of the curvature of the spine, as a result of which the skeleton changes and there is a big strain on the organs of cats, such as the lungs and the heart.
However, some experts argue that such diseases are characteristic of other breeds, and there is no direct correlation specifically with the munchkin breed.
Munchkins live on average 15 years. A very important factor in longevity is a comfortable psychological environment that surrounds cats.
Like any other living creature, munchkins need love, attention and care from their owners. You should not neglect the cheerful pet, and he will delight in a long life, excellent health and cheerful mood.
