Munchkin cats

[Sam's My Baby]

Has anyone heard of the breed called a munchkin cat? I was looking through a book and saw one in it. I think they are very cute! They are like the cat form of a dachshund..they have really short legs! Does anyone have a munchkin? They are a fairly new breed. If anything knows about them, please post!:) Here is a picture of one.

[Uabassoon]

Munchkins are supposed to be very friendly cats, but there is a big controversy over them. THey have short legs because they have a form of dwarfism, which can laster case defects in their bodies. The cats can develop a dip in the spine behind the shoulders and it can cause heart and lung problems. The munckin was not bred to look like that. It was a dwarf cat that was born then reproduced so there would be more cute cats. Some people think it's mean to keep breeding these cats because they do have a deformity and it can later cause problems, but they look cute so people keep breeding them. And please don't think that I think every munchkin cat is unhealthy (if anyone here has one I don't want to offend anyone) this is just what I have read.

[moosmom]

I have a munchkin kitty. She was a rescue from a breeder who kept her in a cage for the first year of her life. I saw her at a cat show I was in and asked if I could take her home and socialize her. She was scared, and cowered in the corner of her cage. I'll try and post a picture of her when I get home. She has been with me now for 2 years and is a sweet, loving cat who loves being around people and my other 5 cats.

Munchkins are wonderful cats. Their "shortness" began as a natural mutation. The deformity Ubasoon is speaking of is a result of inbreeding. The dip just behind the neck is called Lordosis and is not present in every single Munchkin.

Here are a couple of links that might help you understand the breed better.

http://www.abcs.com/catoninetail/munchkin/munchkin.html#HEALTH PROBLEMS?

http://www.vetcentric.com/magazine/magazineArticle.cfm?ARTICLEID=1421

While I am not a fan of breeders because of so many unwanted, abandoned and abused cats already out there, I respect their right to live their lives they way they choose. But I do not buy some of the breeders reasoning for breeding, such as "we do it for the love of the breed". If they did it for the love of the breed, why not just adopt them out instead of charging such an astronomical amount of money for them.

Just my two cents. Don't mean to offend anyone.

[toughCookie]

the vet told me they were bred in Colorado and have alot of health problems! beware of getting one of those.

moosmom, I totally agree, so hear hear! I really do not care for breeders! maybe it would be ok if there weren't so many, thousands of homeless sick cats, but unfortunatley there are!

[moosmom]

Right on T.C.!

[Jme3]

I have heard of them. They have really short legs. They seem to act kittenish even when they're full grown adults. I also know that they are attracted to shinny objects. That's pretty much all I know. I read cat breed books all the time, so that's how I know.

:cool: Jme3:cool:

[moosmom]

I was finally able to get a couple of pictures of Faberge (aka "shorty").

[moosmom]

Here's the other one.

[Sam's My Baby]

OMG! SHE IS SOOOOOOOOO CUTE! I COULD JUST HUG HER TO DEATH!!!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D

[moosmom]

Jme3,

Shorty is very kittenish. She's always rolling on her back for belly rubs. At night, if she can't find me she doesn't meow, she wails! I just call her and she follows the sound of my voice.

Sam's My Baby,

Thank you! Shorty is a real cutie pie and I love her sooooooo much!

[moosmom]

I was lying in bed this morning when all of a sudden shorty LEAPED from the cat tree in my bedroom window onto my bed. I got up and measured it. 5 feet she jumped!!!! :eek: I now refer to her as the flying munchkin.

People who say munchkins can't jump simply don't know what they're talking about. :rolleyes: Where the heck is a camera when you need it?:confused:

[Edwina's Secretary]

What a darling face on your Shorty! She does look soooo.... kittenish!

[Cookiebaker]

What a cute baby!! Her coloring is absolutely gorgeous! You learn so much here on pettalk--I had never heard of a munchkin. I think they are so cute, but I also think that it isn't right to keep breeding something if they are prone to extra health problems and would suffer. But that's just my $.02

[wolflady]

Originally posted by moosmom
I was finally able to get a couple of pictures of Faberge (aka "shorty").

OMG what a precious cutie she is!!! YAY!!! We love pics!! I could just squeeze her all day long!! Give her some extra lovins today for me! :D

[moosmom]

Cookiebaker,

Shorty is very healthy and happy. The only problem she had was Pyometria, an infection of the uterus that can kill her and any babies she might have produced. She is now spayed. Irresponsible breeders who in-breed their munchkins can and do run into problems, such as Lordosis. I was very fortunate in that the breeder of Shorty simply had no use for her anymore since she could no longer produce babies. Hey, it was her loss and DEFINITELY my gain. I love her to death!!