You are very familiar with cats. But did you know what Munchkin cats are? Don’t worry! I am gonna clear your doubt in this article. Munchkin cats are like normal cats which we domesticate or we see roaming around our houses. They just have the natural genetic mutation of short legs which makes them different from other common cats.
Munchkin cats’ needs have been seen for decades and now they are accepted as a breed in the year 2003 by the International Cats Association. The Cat Fanciers Association has not accepted the Munchkin cats’ breeds yet.
Like you have seen the hairless sphynx cats. They are also different from common cats and that’s why some people found them lovely and others hate them because of their different appearance. Although, the appeal is going to treat them as usual cats.
What Munchkin Cats Are And How to Domesticate Them?
Here, in this article, we have provided you with pretty much information regarding a breed of cats which is Munchkin cats. We also have covered some other topics like their mutation history, diets, nutrition, health problems, and some essential information.
History of the Munchkin
The short legs of Munchkin occur naturally. Human activity is not responsible for this characteristic. In the UK in the 1940s a veterinarian noticed some short legs cat’s generation which lived at that time which completely disappeared at the time of World War II. In 1953, another short legged cat was noticed in Stalingrad.In the U.S in 1958, a person named Sandra Hochenedel reported a short legged cat and named it Blackberry.
She gave birth to some kittens from which half were short legged and half were long legged. One male short legged kitten among them was named Toulouse which was handed to Kay LaFrance. Blackberry and Toulouse are the two ancestors of these Munchkin cats. The breed was accepted by International Cat Association championship status in 2003.
Whenever two short legs cats mate, it is lethal. The embryo dies in the early stage. Munchkins always breed with other regular cats and the offspring have 50% chances to have short legs and 50% chances to have long legs which means the offspring can be Munchkin or regular cat. It totally depends on the gene.
Although, the debate is still going on their appearance of having short legs. Some says the characteristics is due to mutation and it is totally acceptable while others say it is due to malnutrition or due to poor health.
Sometimes, in their playfulness Munchkins are called as “ferret-like” due to their habits like playing with toys, running and chasing. They also sit like rabbits using their hind legs. As usual cats are ancestors of these Munchkin cats, that’s why they have a lot of personalities similar to regular cats. There are a lot of Munchkin lovers who found them sociable, loving, and playful.
You will need to groom the coat of your Munchkin cat. As you know, they have shorter legs which makes it very difficult for them to self groom on various areas of their coat. That’s why you are advised to groom them on a regular basis.
If your munchkin cat is having short hairs then you should brush it once a week and if it has long hairs then you should brush it twice a week. Brushing the hairs regularly will prevent matting and hairballs. Trim their nails on a regular basis. Brush their teeth about two times a week to maintain oral hygiene and provide veterinarian cleaning regularly.
Munchkin cats are okay with their short legs. They don’t deal with any issue while running and climbing with their short legs. Although they are unable to jump from high height as compared to other long legged cats. They climb and jump as usual cats from an average height so you can provide a cat tree to your munchkin cat so that it can go to new heights safely. These cats are so active and curious so you should spend a little bit of time with them every day. Make them play with some interactive cat toys.
The personality of Munchkin cats are variable with other breeds of domestic cats. These cats are friendly with other cats and older children so it’s safe to let them play with other cats or children. Just make sure other cats are not infected or diseased. You can take some other cats home. There is no issue. If the cat is not going to breed then you should spay or neuter it.
Common Health Problems
As a result of various studies of Munchkin cats, no health issue is found in any older cat due to their structure of short legs. The lifespan of these cats are expected to be normal when they are treated with good immunization, prevention, and care from the veterinarian. As you know, these cats are much identical to other domestic cats so there are possibilities that they can have any of these disorders:
- Hyperthyroidism: It is a condition of hormonal imbalance which results in the inflammation of pancreas.
- Uremia: It is a condition of kidney disorder.
- Feline: It is a disease of the lower urinary tract.
- Lymphosarcoma: It is a usual cancer disease that mostly affects dogs and cats of every breed.
Diet and Nutrition
As we have already told you, munchkin cats are much similar to other domestic cats, so their diets are also similar to other domestic cats. Munchkin cats are normal sized cats having usual mass and size and there is no effect due to their shirt legs. Wet food is the best diet to provide them although you should also provide some of the dry foods as a snack for them.
Keep in contact with your veterinarian to find out the exact needs of your cat. Care must be increased if your cat is old, obsessed or diabetic. Always feed them with clean and fresh water to avoid any infections.
5 Things You Didn’t Know About Munchkin Cats
Now, let’s discuss the 5 unknown facts about munchkin cats:
1. Discovered Accidentally
Have you wondered from where the munchkin name originated? It originated from a munchkin character in “The Wizard of Oz” in which the school teacher of Louisiana in the early ’80s found a pair of pregnant cats that were living under her car. People believe that these two cats are the ancestors of munchkin cats.
2. Have a Natural Seat
A lot of munchkin cats come with a natural seat. As similar to prairie dogs, they also have the ability to pearcg on their hind legs which makes them look like they are sitting on a seat. The reason for this characteristic is that their hind legs are a little bit longer than their front legs. Similarly, there lived a short-legged cat in the 50’s which sat on its haunches that’s why it was named as “Stalingrad kangaroo cat”.
3. All munchkin Cats are Not Alike
The main character of munchkin cats is short legs. But did you know the fact that all munchkin cats do not have short legs characteristics?The leg length of munchkin cats may vary in three different sizes which are “rug hugger”, “super short” and “standard”. Rug hugger is the shortest among them.
If the munchkin cats did not born with the character in which one cell has a pair of different alleles of genes then it will have standard legs. This condition of genes is called a heterozygous gene. If the cat has shorter legs then it may have an autosomal dominant gene.
4. Just Like Usual Cats
Munchkin cats are similar to other typical cats in every aspect. Some people believe that these cats do not deal with spine issues due to short height but various research revealed that cats don’t get any spine or bones issues.The only dissimilarity is in their appearance of short legs and they can’t jump as high as other typical cats with long legs.
5. Common Health Issues of Munchkin Cats
These are some of the most common health issues in Munchkin cats which are claimed by Nationwide pet
insurance policyholder in 2016:
- Lymphosarcoma (Condition of cancer in lymphoid tissue)
- FLUTD Feline lower urinary tract disease.
- Uremia (Condition of kidney failure)
A lot of people are still not aware of another breed of cats which is Munchkin cats. They are like usual cats having short legs which makes their appearance a little bit different from other cats. So, in this article, we have provided you with full detailed information related to munchkin cats.
We have tried to cover all the essential information regarding them like their diets, health issues, care, and history of their mutation. As some people want to domesticate these Munchkin cats and some are curious to know about them. So, here we have a full detailed description of them. Have a look at it.