Munchkin cats are known for their diminutive size and unique appearance. Because of their dwarven appearance, this breed of cat has gained somewhat of a cult status among cat lovers. As a result of this breed’s history and background, you may wonder if the Munchkin cat has the same lifespan and quality of life as other cat breeds.
In this article, we take a look at the Munchkin cat’s genetic history. as well as what you should expect in terms of their lifespan and health if you choose to adopt one of these adorable cats for your home.
The History of the Munchkin Cat Breed
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The Munchkin cat is one of the most interesting cat breeds on the planet, so it’s no wonder that people are often curious as to its origins. It’s disproportionate limbs give it an almost cartoon-like appearance, so how did this incredible cat come to be?
In this article, we will explore the history and origins of the Munchkin cat, and how it became one of the most popular breeds in the world.
Are Munchkin Cats Real?
Munchkin cats are absolutely a real and recognized breed and not just a name given to cats with short legs. While it is rumored that there were sightings of cats that match the appearance of today’s Munchkin cat throughout history, the breed itself was officially showcased by The International Cat Association (TICA) in 1991 in a televised cat show.
TICA is considered to be the largest registry of pedigreed and domestic cats, where breeds can be registered and formally recognized.
Due to the concern among breeders about potential health conditions that their short stature would bring, it would be a little over 10 more years until the breed was fully incorporated into TICA’s registry in 2002.
While Munchkin cats are an exceptionally new breed of cat, they are a formally recognized breed with specific standards making them as real of a cat as they can possibly be.
Where Did Munchkin Cats Come From? A Timeline
The line of where Munchkin cats began is a bit of a blurry one. There have been documented reports dating back to the 1940s all around the world that depict cats with a strangely short stature.
1940s: Short-Limbed British Cats
The signature short stature of Munchkin cats was found between four generations of British cats in 1944 which supported the theory that this was an inherited genetic trait, and not just a one-off mutation.
1950s – 1980s: From Stalingrad to Blackberry
There are reports of these short-statured cats ranging from Stalingrad in 1956 to the New England portion of the United States in the 1970s and down to the southern Louisiana area in the 1980s.
Sightings of these cats continued and have been noted worldwide, but there was not a name for them. It wasn’t fully known why these cats existed, only that they were a known occurrence.
In 1983, a person named Sandra Hockendel came across one of these cats with a short stature that also appeared to be pregnant. This is widely regarded as the cat that would become the cornerstone for the Munchkin breed that people recognize today.
Hockendel named the cat Blackberry, took her in, and raised the litter.
One of the cats born from the litter, a male named Toulouse, was given to one of Hockendel’s friends: Kay LaFrance.
These two cats are considered to be the ones that established what would become the Munchkin breed as domestic cats. It is heavily believed that all of today’s Munchkin cats descended from these two cats.
1990s – 2000s: Becoming an Official TICA-Recognized Breed
More time would pass, and while it is not exactly clear the path the soon-to-be Munchkin breed would take, it was shown in a broadcast from TICA in 1991 and would then be added into TICA’s “New Breed Development Program” in September of 1994. This program tracks pedigrees of cats that are looking to become their own separate breed, monitors the statistics, and the committee of people who manage genetic research at TICA isolate what makes the cat its own breed.
In 2002, it was accepted during another showing and in May of 2003 the breed received Championship status from TICA. This status refers to the cat’s appearance, temperament, and other aspects of the cat, with Championship being the lowest of the titles that a cat can earn, aside from beginning titles such as Novice.
How Are Munchkin Cats Bred?
Breeding Munchkin cats is a little bit tricky because of the genetic mutation that gives it its short legs.
The gene has been found to be an autosomal dominant trait, meaning that there only needs to be one copy of the gene for it to activate. However, when there are two copies of the dominant gene in a cat, the cat will not survive birth.
Homozygous embryos of Munchkin cats, or in other words, cats that have two copies of the gene that creates Munchkin cats, do not gestate at all resulting in stillbirths.
As a result, in order to breed a Munchkin cat a breeder must take a standard Munchkin cat and breed it with another cat that does not have any copies of the gene to ensure that the breed survives.
This is a process known as outcrossing, as you are taking a cat that has no genetic similarity to the Munchkin cat or any relation to it (a cat outside of the breeding focus) and crossing it with the Munchkin.
Due to outcrossing, the appearance and personality of Munchkin cats (aside from their short stature) varies widely as the cat takes on the appearance of both the parent Munchkin and whoever the outcrossed cat was.
Most cats will bear a strong resemblance to your standard domestic housecats in terms of their face shape, their coloration, and aspects aside from their height. Some cats will have longer fur, other cats will have shorter coats.
Most cats are considered plush, meaning that their fur is not silky.
Munchkin cats that have long and silky coats are technically considered a separate breed known as the Munchkin Longhair, but unless you are planning on taking your cat to a show, this is unimportant.
The Genetics of a Munchkin Cat
Now that you are aware that the characteristic height of a Munchkin cat stems from a genetic deformity (not unlike the ones that cause Corgis and Dachshunds to look the way they do), it is important to note the genetic health of a Munchkin cat as well.
When all is said and done, the Munchkin cat is a considerably newer breed compared to other common designer breeds such as the Persian. This means that it is not fully known how much their genetics affect their long-term health, as there has only been enough time to pass for one or two generations of a Munchkin cat to have lived.
While breeding Munchkin cats does promote the genetic deformity that gives them their characteristic height, it should be noted that the Munchkin is an otherwise healthy breed.
There are still the risks of inheriting genetic conditions that are commonplace in the world of purebred animals, but depending on how healthy the outcrossed cat is, there may be a lesser chance of the Munchkin cat even developing those conditions.
Aside from its shortened stature, there are very few conditions that have been associated with the health of a Munchkin cat. There are some skeletal problems such as spinal issues and chest deformities that can happen, and there is always the risk that comes with breeding them due to the gene’s nature, but aside from these, the Munchkin cat is relatively healthy.
These cats are also relatively mobile as well, as they learn to adapt to their small legs. While they may take a little bit more time to get where they want to go, such as having to make smaller jumps or resort to climbing, they do not seem to be hindered by their short stature.
Because it is a condition that they are born with, they learn how to adapt to it and they make do with the resources that they have.
Ultimately, the Munchkin cat is a real and recognized breed of cat. The deformity that causes their appearance has been documented throughout time, coming to light sometime in the 1940s.
During the 1980s, the cats that would become the cornerstone for what the breed is today were born and cared for, and during the 1990s and early 2000s, the breed was further developed and recognized as being an official breed that is registered with TICA, the main organization that works to register breeds of cats.
Munchkin cats, while being a young breed of cat when speaking in relative terms, are healthy and seemingly unbothered by their stature.
In many ways, the Munchkin cat is fairly different than most other types of cats out there. A New Breed
The Munchkin is a relatively new breed of cat, only being officially recognized by the International Cat Association (TICA) in 2003.
The way that these cats are bred is also markedly different than with other breeds, as it involves outcrossing. Outcrossing is the practice of using another parent that is not of a specific breed or history as one of the parents
By breeding standards, the other parent cat of a Munchkin cannot be of any officially recognized breed, which is considerably different from the usual purebred standard of having two pedigreed animals bred for their young.
Now that you know a little bit about what sets them apart from other cats, you should learn more about how they live, how their lives are affected by their short legs, and other aspects of their care that will help you care for them properly.
How Long Do Munchkin Cats Live?
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One thing that people may worry about when adopting a purebred cat is the potential life span of that cat. After all, purebred animals have a history of inheriting hereditary conditions that can drastically reduce the lifespan of a pet compared to a mixed breed.
Munchkin cats have a surprisingly lengthy lifespan of about 12 to 15 years compared to the average mixed breed cat living for about 15 to 20 years. This is mostly due to the outcrossing that is involved in breeding Munchkin cats.
Why Are Munchkin Cats Outcrossed?
The biggest reason why Munchkin cats must have an outcrossed parent is because of the gene that causes their short legs. This gene is considered a heterozygous dominant gene, or in other words, there only needs to be one copy of the gene for it to be active and affect the cat’s appearance.
When there are two copies of this gene present, the embryo does not gestate. There will either be no kittens born at all, or they will die during birth.
As such, to have a healthy set of Munchkin kittens, a cat that has no chance of having that gene in it needs to be one of the parents.
This eliminates much of the risk that comes with the process of creating purebreds. Because you are not repeatedly using cats that come from the same line of genetics, there is a much lower risk of having those hereditary conditions pass down.
Do Munchkin Cats Stay Small?
The trademark appearance of the Munchkin cat is something that many people are drawn to and one of the main reasons they choose to adopt one.
Because of this, some people may want to know whether or not the Munchkin cat actually keeps its short stature into adulthood.
The truth is that it depends on the genetics of your cat, but as a whole, Munchkin cats will always be at minimum two inches shorter than your standard cat’s height. When measuring and comparing Munchkins, the “standard height” of a cat being compared is usually about 10 inches tall at the shoulder and not including the head.
Munchkin Cat Sizes
Three different sizes, all denoted by the length of their legs:
- Standard Munchkin
- Super Short Munchkin
- Rug Hugger Munchkin
Standard Munchkin
The standard Munchkin is going to be the tallest, being about one to two inches shorter than your standard cat. Because of how close this can get, many official breeders and showers will use centimeters to determine if the cat can be considered an official Munchkin cat or not.
There is some chance that a cat may just be short and doesn’t carry the gene necessary for the cat to be considered a Munchkin at this height.
Super Short Munchkin
The super short Munchkin is typically what people envision when they imagine a Munchkin cat. These cats tend to be two to three inches shorter than your average cat and it is notable enough that people tend to stick to just using inches.
These cats definitively carry the gene to be passed down to offspring. Again, there is no true classification of this and it is considered to be a general consensus among people who breed Munchkin cats.
Rug Hugger Munchkins
Finally, there are the rug-hugging Munchkin cats. These are going to be the shortest cats and are often considered to be the most popular variant of the Munchkin cat because of just how noticeable their shortness is.
These cats are typically three to five inches shorter than your standard cat and they definitively carry the gene that relates to their leg development.
Their name refers to the fact that they often look as if their chest fur is hugging the ground because of how short they are.
Another aspect to note about the Munchkin cat size is that they typically have the trunk of a standard sized cat, which gives their breed the affectionate nickname of “Sausage cat.”
Their trunks tend to be the same width, length, and proportions of your standard cat, regardless of how short your cat’s legs are. The same applies to the tail and head of the Munchkin cat, often being the same size as your standard cat’s tail and head and the same proportions as well. This is not a part of their body that is affected by their genetics.
As a whole, Munchkin cats start out small and they grow up to be much smaller than most other cats, staying that way throughout their lifetime.
Behavior of a Munchkin Cat
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It is always important when adopting a cat to make sure they have a temperament that is compatible with you. If you are looking to adopt a Munchkin cat, you’d think from their appearance that they are sweet and cuddly, but is that always the case? We will explore this question and more in this article.
It can be hard to determine what kind of personality your cat is going to have, as all cats are different.
Cats that are adopted through rescue or taken to a new home away from abusive or dangerous situations are going to have drastically different personalities and hurdles to overcome than cats that are being raised as kittens. Cats taken in under these circumstances require an additional level of support and understanding than ones you adopt as a kitten.
With that being said, personality tends to vary by breed. Just look at cats that have notable personalities attributed to their breed, such as the vocal Siamese cat or the Ragdoll that loves to be held and carried. The same would apply to the Munchkin cat, right?
While most people would think this to be the case, Munchkin cats experience a lot more variety in their personality than other cats do, mostly due to the way that they are bred involving a cat that is not part of any other breed.
This kind of cross-breeding can lead to considerable variation in personality types, although one thing is clear for all Munchkin cats: they love their people!
Are Munchkin Cats Affectionate?
Munchkin cats tend to be extroverted and loving animals that care about their caretakers and develop deep social bonds with them. They tend to be more outgoing than other cats and will love to seek you out to spend time with you.
Happy Cats
Individual personalities will vary, but most Munchkin cats will be happy just to be in the same room as you, and the closer to being on your lap they can be, the happier they will get.
Many cats seem to become a little bit colder as they develop into adulthood, and while many Munchkin cats do tend to have an independent streak, it is a known fact that the Munchkin cat tends to retain that same kitten-like curious nature and playfulness well into adulthood.
Independent, Yet Sociable
Other qualities of the Munchkin cat that most people appreciate are that the Munchkin cat is a good blend of social yet independent. This means that the cat tends to be open to meeting new people and will be affectionate toward them, but you do not necessarily have to go out of your way to make sure that you have spent most of your day with the Munchkin cat, as they can make entertainment for themselves.
Quick Learners
Munchkin cats tend to be intelligent and trusting as well, which are both good traits to have in a cat that is going to be part of a family. They are quick to learn about individual people and will be outgoing enough to come to strangers and investigate them without necessarily lashing out or being aggressive toward them.
They love to play games and chances are that if a stranger approaches a Munchkin cat with toys, the Munchkin will quickly come to love the person.
Are Munchkin Cats Good With Children?
Because the Munchkin cat is a newer breed, they haven’t yet been officially recognized as being a breed that is good to have around children, but most people who have raised Munchkin cats agree that if a child is old enough to be around cats, the Munchkin cat is as playful and affectionate with them as other kid-friendly breeds.
Of course, babies who are too young to know better than to pull a cat’s tail may not be the best for being around the cat, but this applies to all breeds.
While every cat is different, most Munchkin cats are not likely to lash out aggressively if a well-meaning toddler thinks that their tail is something to pull on.
However, you should always monitor interactions between young children and pets to ensure the safety of both of them.
Do Munchkin Cats Like to Cuddle?
Yes, Munchkin cats are known for being quite affectionate cats and love to cuddle up with their favorite people. Munchkins make for a great companion and lap cat as they are quite keen on spending a lot of time laying with their cat parents, especially as they get older.
Keep in mind that all cats are different. Some cats are not going to want to be quite as physically affectionate as others, meaning that they may not always want to be picked up and carried to the couch.
Most Munchkin cats are lap cats already, with very few needing to be trained and rewarded for sitting on your lap and spending time with you. Most Munchkin cats, especially those raised by reliable breeders, will also be pretty comfortable with being handled as long as you are holding the cat properly.
Can Munchkin Cats Be Left Alone?
Some people worry that highly affectionate cats can’t be left alone or else they will become depressed. This is a valid concern if you are someone who spends a lot of time away from home due to work or other obligations.
The good news about Munchkin cats is that they do have a somewhat independent nature and are perfectly fine spending time alone for much of the day. You should always make sure to give them attention when you come home, but aside from this, they can typically be left alone for long periods of time.
As is the case for most pets, if you plan on going away for an extended period of time, you should have someone check in on the cat to make sure that food, water, and litter are all taken care of.
They will be sad and may become depressed if you leave them alone for extended periods of time without giving them love and affection when you come home. However, you generally do not need to go out of your way to give them more care than you would give any other cat that you are leaving home alone for days at a time.
Separation Anxiety
Some Munchkin cats may be prone to developing separation anxiety, but this is not something that is exclusive to Munchkins. This is something that all cats have a chance of developing.
If you notice that your cat is exhibiting behaviors that are indicative of separation anxiety, you should begin working with your cat to try and reduce its fear and stress. If you do not get on top of the problem and show your cat that it is okay for you to leave your house, you run the risk of potentially making the problem worse and having it escalate to the point where the cat is going to be destructive to itself or your home if you leave it alone for too long.
Signs of separation anxiety to look out for include inappropriate urination and elimination when you are gone, the cat wailing when it cannot see you (beyond typical cat behavior), and otherwise destructive and worried mannerisms when you come home.
How Big is a Full Grown Munchkin Cat?
Despite the Munchkin cat being known for its diminutive stature, you might be surprised to learn that Munchkin cats are actually still considered to be medium-sized breeds, as their upper body is still the same size as your standard domestic housecat.
As a result of the highly specific nature of Munchkin cat breeding, their exact height tends to have a lot more variability than most other cat breeds. However, there is a lot of information regarding Munchkin growth and average sizes that will help us get a better understanding of just how big we can expect a Munchkin cat to grow.
The Size of a Full Grown Munchkin Cat
As a general rule of thumb, most Munchkin cats are going to be at least two inches shorter than most standard-sized cats. This is not including breeds that are considerably larger than others, such as the Maine Coon or the Norwegian Forest Cat.
So, just how big is a full grown Munchkin cat?
A Munchkin cat’s height will usually range from five to nine inches tall, compared to the “standard” cat height of about 10 inches to the shoulder. Munchkin cats also typically weigh somewhere between six and nine pounds.
The “trunk” of the cat, or the torso between the head and tail is about the same size as your standard cat. It has roughly the same thickness and proportions as standard cats, which is what gives Munchkin cats such an elongated appearance.
Their legs, however, are not proportional to their trunk which is what gives them their Munchkin appearance and the nickname of “sausage cats.” (similar to a Dachshund in the canine family)
This is also why Munchkin cats are not technically considered “dwarf cats” because of how proportionate the rest of the cat is.
Likewise, their heads will be about the same size and proportion as any other standard cat, typically taking after some of the traits of the outcrossed parent cat. The tail will also depend on the outcrossed parent cat, but it is also typically proportional.
The Length of Munchkin Cats’ Legs
Some Munchkin breeders try to focus on getting the shortest legs possible, and while controversial, it leads to the given name of “rug-hugger” leg length.
As you can imagine, cats with this leg length tend to “hug the rug” with their chest fur. This leg length for Munchkin cats is one of the most popular because of the inherent cuteness of their appearance, although you will need to be more mindful of making sure the Munchkin grows up to be healthy.
The second shortest leg length is given the name of “super-short.” These cats are typically about two to three inches shorter than your standard cat size, referring back to the typical 10-inch height that most medium cat breeds are.
Much like the category above, there isn’t necessarily a consensus on what height designates a cat to be in the “super-short” category. Chances are that if it is noticeably shorter than a typical cat but not quite hugging the rug, it will fall into this category. This is also the size that most people think of when they first think of a Munchkin cat.
Finally, there is the size designated as “standard.” The name of this size can be quite deceiving, as you may not know whether the standard refers to a regular cat’s size or to a Munchkin cat’s size.
This category is one where the lines are blurred the most, as these are the cats that may or may not have inherited the gene strong enough for them to pass down to potential kittens. This leg length will range from leaving the cat slightly shorter than the standard cat height to being around two inches shorter.
Some breeders will often use centimeters to measure these limbs because of how specific breeding guidelines can get.
There is also some question as to whether or not a cat in this category truly counts as a standard-length Munchkin or if it should be considered a “non-standard” Munchkin and is typically left up to the breeder’s discretion. After all, it’s pretty hard to determine how tall a cat is going to be when it is just a kitten and hasn’t grown into its full body yet.
What Makes Munchkin Cats Different?
To breed a Munchkin cat, breeders focus on a specific genetic mutation that is responsible for the shortened legs. Researchers have found that the gene that causes this in cats is quite similar to the same gene that gives Corgis and Dachshunds their height and stature as well.
In cats, this gene is known to be a heterozygous dominant gene. This means that there only needs to be one copy of the gene from one parent for the cat to be affected by it.
In fact, when there are two copies of the gene, an embryo cannot gestate and it either dies in utero or won’t survive long after birth.
In order to successfully breed a Munchkin, breeders must introduce a breed of cat to the gene pool which does not share this specific gene.
In breeding terminology, this is known as outcrossed, since you are taking a cat that is outside of the crossbred cats for pure breeding purposes. By show standards, the cat that is outcrossed cannot belong to any recognized breed, so it is typically a mutt cat.
Even though the Munchkin cat has the copy of the gene that will give it its shortened legs, it will also have genetic information from the other parent cat that will not be nearly as fine-tuned.
This is what leads to the wide variation in coats, temperaments, colors, and sizes of Munchkin cats and it is one of the aspects of the breed that makes it more unique than any other purebred cat.
Generally, all Munchkin cats will fall into a range of heights, although this range of height will be a fair bit larger than the standard size ranges for other purebred designer cat breeds.
Munchkin cats are as sweet and friendly as their appearance hints at. Adopting a Munchkin will bring much needed love and warmth to your home for a very long time while giving you a loyal companion who loves to cuddle with you, while not being so clingy that it becomes problematic if you spend some time out of the house.
Health of a Munchkin Cat
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Known Munchkin Health Conditions
Some conditions that are tangentially associated with the gene that affects leg length will also affect a Munchkin cat’s health. The two most prominent conditions are lordosis and pectus excavatum.
Lordosis is a spinal deformity that refers to the spine dipping inward against the organs in the thoracic cavity, such as the heart and lungs.
Pectus excavatum is a condition where the breastbone is sunken in and affects the surrounding organs.
Both of these conditions only have a small chance of developing and they can also present very mildly, to the point of not causing issues for the cat even after it has grown.
However, just as there is the chance for the condition to not manifest at all, there is also the chance for it to be severe. These conditions present themselves at their worst as the kitten develops into its adult size where the bone deformity will press into their organs and impact their function.
If you do have a Munchkin that seems as if it will have a severe variant of these conditions, the good news is that both of them can be surgically corrected. If they aren’t though, a severe version of one of these conditions will have a negative impact on the quality of their life.
Aside from the risk of those conditions, Munchkin cats are fairly healthy and even robust cats, mostly due to the presence of an outcrossed parent.
They tend to live healthy lives and are generally unbothered by their leg length. More often than not, once they are fully grown (at between two and four years of age), they will live their lives as healthily as your standard cat does.
Do Munchkin Cats Have Health Problems?
As mentioned above, Munchkin cats tend to be fairly healthy animals. There are a few problems that seem to be slightly more prevalent in the Munchkin breed than with other breeds, including the two conditions mentioned. However, the general consensus is that they are healthy and live with little risk of developing conditions that affect their health.
One thing to keep in mind is that the Munchkin cat is an exceptionally new breed of cat. It has been formally recognized as a breed for barely long enough for one or two generations to have lived their lives.
This means that there simply isn’t a lot of data to go by in terms of what conditions they can develop, especially when you factor in the unknown and random component of having that outcrossed parent.
Unfortunately, it is simply not as well-known whether or not there are definite risks you take when bringing a Munchkin cat into your home. Even the conditions that have shown slightly increased prevalence in Munchkin cats are rare enough that it could simply be the same baseline risk that all other breeds have, although there is increasing notion that both of the conditions are related to the gene that brings about their shortened legs.
The health of the outcrossed parent also plays a highly variable role in this. Some of the cats that may be used to help breed more Munchkin cats are healthy and have no hereditary conditions to pass down, leaving the kittens about as healthy as a kitten of a purebred animal could possibly be.
Other times, not a lot of research is done on the outcrossed parent, and they may pass down conditions that the cat would not otherwise develop, leading to more health problems.
Use a Reliable and Ethical Munchkin Cat Breeder
A reliable breeder will be more than happy to show health records of the parent cats and the best breeders will go out of their way to do some testing to see what conditions both parents of the kitten are going to be carriers of. Make sure not to work with a breeder who tries to hide the information of a cat’s health or pedigree.
Some conditions may not even develop fully or “activate,” even if your cat is a carrier for these harmful genes. Likewise, some conditions may develop later in life. Testing only shows the possibility of those conditions being passed down.
Is Your Munchkin Cat at Risk?
Whether or not your Munchkin cat is at risk for developing a number of health conditions depends heavily on the health of both the parent Munchkin as well as the parent of the outcrossed cat.
In many ways, the Munchkin is one of the most variable purebred cats out there because of the outcrossed parent. This can be a wonderful thing when you have so many colors, patterns, and fur coats to choose from, but it can also be problematic when you are faced with trying to discover whether or not your cat is going to be at risk of developing various conditions.
Do Munchkin Cats Have Health Problems?
As a result of their breeding and dwarven appearance, many people believe that Munchkin cats might have serious health issues that inhibit their ability to lead a long, comfortable life, but is that really the case? In this article we will explore the genetic background of the Munchkin cat breed and how that affects their health throughout their life.
Are Munchkin Cats Just as Healthy as Other Cats?
Since the Munchkin cat breed is a relatively new breed, there hasn’t been time to assess the overall health history of Munchkin cats compared to other breeds, but from the amount of research we currently have on the breed they don’t appear to be at any more risk for debilitating health conditions than any other breed of cat.
Despite the deformity that causes the shortened appearance of their legs, Munchkins are not at an increased risk for hereditary conditions compared to other purebred cats.
Keep in mind that purebred cats will always be at an increased risk for hereditary conditions, as this is the nature of breeding them. They do not suffer from increased risks the ways that other breeds with known deformities do, such as Persian cats with their flat faces.
But What About Their Legs?
They do have some health conditions that are related to their shortened legs, but some vets argue that because these conditions can develop in cats with normal legs that it is not a breed-specific issue.
Vets who argue that Munchkin cats should not be bred the way that they are claim that there are correlations between the genetic mutation that causes the shortened legs and the conditions that the Munchkin cats can develop.
Again, Munchkin cats have only been recognized as a breed for one or two full generations of cats, so it is hard to get information on breed-specific illnesses because it is such a new breed.
The Genetic Abnormality Behind the Munchkin Cat Breed
Prior to becoming such a popular cat breed, extremely short legs were considered to be a deformity. Consider dwarfism in humans, how that often resorts to an elongated torso and shortened limbs.
Cats are commonly kept as companion pets rather than being the vermin-hunters that people kept them to be long ago, so these shortened legs were seen as heightening the cuteness of the cat.
After the mutation and deformity was being noted around the 1940s, interest in them began to grow until people were breeding them specifically to have shortened legs. It was around the early 1990s that the Munchkin cat, with its short legs, was officially recognized as a specific cat breed.
Are Munchkin Cats in Pain?
It is difficult to determine if Munchkin cats are in pain for a few different reasons.
For one, cats are notorious for hiding their pain from everyone around them, including from their owners. So even if your cat is in mild pain or discomfort, you may not know it no matter how closely you pay attention to your cat.
Conditions that cause pain for Munchkin cats do seem to be of a somewhat higher prevalence.
Lordosis
One of the more problematic and more common conditions that these cats can develop is a condition known as lordosis.
Lordosis refers to the spine having a curvature that dips “inward” toward the heart, lungs, trachea, and all the other organs in that area. Depending on the strength of the curvature, the condition can range from mild discomfort with movement to being fatal as the spine presses on the organs as the cat grows up.
This condition can be seen on an x-ray and it is possible for corrective surgery to be done, though it is expensive and the recovery time is long and difficult.
Pectus Excavatum
Another condition that Munchkin cats can develop is a condition that is known as pectus excavatum.
This refers to the chest being caved in and with a sunken appearance. For some cats, it is congenital and other cats develop it as they grow into their adult-sized bodies. Mild deformities may only impact how well the cat can run and play, as it may tire easily due to the decreased cardiac and pulmonary function. More severe deformities can affect its lifespan and may need to be treated surgically.
While it is not “painful” per se, this condition is known for causing trouble breathing, coughing, and other issues that can reduce the cat’s quality of life.
Can Munchkin Cats Climb Stairs?
The size of a Munchkin cat’s legs definitely impacts its speed and agility. Some cats will have legs that are only three inches in length while other cats may have legs that are vaguely more proportional and are not quite as debilitating.
For the cats that have legs that are so short that their chest fur brushes along the ground, they may have trouble with steep stairs.
For cats that have slightly longer legs, there’s a good chance that they will be able to climb up the stairs, though it may take some effort for younger cats.
Do Munchkin Cats Need Special Care?
Whether or not a Munchkin cat needs special care is heavily dependent on how pronounced the genetic mutation is. Munchkin cats that have the shortest legs will need a lot more special care than Munchkin cats that are only somewhat shorter than your standard cat.
A good rule of thumb to follow will be that the shorter your Munchkin’s legs are, the more assistance it will need.
Shortened legs are something that Munchkin cats are born with, so they will quickly learn to adapt to living life with them. As a result, they are far more likely to develop alternative methods of getting where they want to go and moving around the house, rather than struggling and needing assistance.
For example, they will not be particularly good at jumping, so instead, they will resort to climbing surfaces to get to where they want to go. While this may cause damage to your walls and furniture, it means that the cats won’t necessarily need “special care” to reach their destination.
There are ways that you can make things easier for your cats, though it is not fully required for them to live their best life.
One way that you could do this would be to choose to purchase cat trees with climbable poles, rather than trees that encourage the cat to jump. This way, if your cat is in the mood to sit in the cat tree, it can climb itself up there.
If your cat is determined to sit in a particular spot that it needs to climb to reach, and it ends up tearing your furniture in the process, you can choose to either place something to help it climb without destroying the wall or you can choose to teach it not to do that, depending on where the cat wants to go.
For the most part, healthy Munchkin cats will learn to work around their deficits and will be able to get to where they want to go, even if it means climbing or having to jump a few times to reach the destination.
Cats that are more severely affected by the condition that leads to the shortened legs may need some special care though, as they may have trouble getting around as nimbly as other cats do.
While Munchkin cats may be prone to a few more problematic health conditions than some of their other cat counterparts, by-in-large Munchkin cats are still able to lead long, fruitful lives and will not be overly limited by their limb deformity
That being said, as a loving cat parent you will need to make certain accommodations to ensure they are as comfortable as possible, such as avoiding storing food in hard to reach places or using items like top-entry litter boxes and cat trees that require your cat to jump to higher surfaces.
Cost of Munchkin Cat
History | Life | Behavior | Health | Cost | Names
Millions of people around the world adore the short, characteristic stature of the munchkin cat, but this feature comes at a price in a very literal sense.
The average munchkin cat price can vary immensely depending on where you are adopting and purchasing the cat from. If you are purchasing the cat from a shelter, and that cat has an unknown background and history, the shelter may increase the price simply because munchkin cats are a designer breed.
When adopting from a shelter, the munchkin cat can cost between $75 and $100 USD, sometimes more depending on the specific standards set by the shelter.
On the other hand, if you choose to purchase a munchkin cat from a reputable breeder who will provide genetic histories, a pedigree, and ancestor charts of the cat, often for the purpose of showing the cat off, the price of a munchkin cat can skyrocket into the $1,000 to $2,300 USD range.
It takes a lot of work to breed these cats to reach the stature that gives them their name, and that effort and time is reflected in the price from a reputable breeder.
Keep in mind that often, when a breeder is charging this much for munchkin cats, it means that these cats will also have an extensive history of ancestors and the ancestors’ health, allowing you to plan for any hereditary conditions that the cat can develop.
Adopting a cat from a shelter will not provide you with such information.
Why Are Munchkin Cats So Expensive?
The munchkin cat is what is known as a designer breed. These are breeds of animals that are created solely for the sake of appearance, with secondary thought into making sure that the cat’s temperament isn’t too moody or aggressive.
In a sense, it is a breed of cat that one is meant to show off, much like designer apparel. Similar to designer apparel, much of the price goes into the sake of being able to call your cat a munchkin cat by show standards.
Show standards tend to be strict, meaning that the breeding process is equally as strict. The amount of work that the breeder will have to go through is often reflected in the price.
On top of all of this, the color of the cat’s fur will also play a role. While this doesn’t affect anyone aside from people who are planning to show their munchkin cats off in a show, it will affect the overall price.
Rare colors, as well as colors that can only be obtained through rigorous breeding and genetic selection, are going to be far more expensive and closer to the multi-thousand-dollar range of price.
After all, these cats will be both in high demand and hard to get, which inflates the price drastically.
Colors that are considered “undesirable” by these standards are going to be far, far less expensive. These may be colors that are very common and easy to breed, or they may be color patterns that are considered “imperfect” by show standards. Because these cats will not reach the strict “show standards” some breeders may consider them to be unacceptable cats, thus selling them at a much lower price.
Depending on where you are and how lucky you can get, you can find a munchkin cat in the price range of $600 to $800. While this is still considerably expensive, it is far less than the show-perfect $2,000 that one would pay.
Can You Decrease the Price of a Munchkin?
There are a few ways that you can try and find a munchkin cat for less than several thousand dollars.
One good way is to search for retired show cats. These will be cats who have run their career and are ready to settle down in a home. Because these cats will have no more appeal to cat shows, their price will be far lower as the demand (and subsequently the demand for quality) will not be as high.
In that same line of thinking, you can also search for older munchkin cats. Young cats are more desired as they are easier to train and teach in the ways of show business, if they are going to be used for such a purpose.
Older cats tend to be more stubborn, making them unwanted for show business, and lowering the overall price in a similar fashion.
If you are up for the task of wrestling with a cat with a bad temperament, you could also consider looking for a cat who is not considered show-ready due to behavioral issues.
These cats may be fearful, aggressive, or even just too stubborn to be trained.
These are all ways that you may be able to adopt a munchkin cat at a lower price than the several thousand-dollar price of a show-ready cat.
Looking For the Right Breed
As with many different types of pets, there are times when you realize that you may want something more than a standard mixed breed cat that you can find at a shelter.
It could be that you want to begin showing your cat off at local shows, or it could be that you simply want an animal that looks a specific way.
For some people, the search for a certain breed is due to a desire for specific traits. For example, someone who lives a busy life may want to adopt a cat that is known for being independent and doesn’t require constant attention.
A family with younger children may want to search for a cat that is known for being laid back and able to get along with children who may not realize that cats don’t appreciate certain behaviors. These are just a few of the many, many reasons why people may want to search for a certain breed of cat.
With all of that being said, there are a few downsides that come with searching for a purebred cat.
As many people know, there are a variety of hereditary health issues that can come with the pure-breeding process.
If you are worried about the cost of a purebred cat, you will need to factor in the costs for potential health problems that your cat might encounter.
Speaking of cost, this is another major hurdle that people come across when planning to adopt a purebred cat. By the nature of it, purebred cats are going to be more expensive than standard cats that you can adopt at a shelter.
Top 3 Munchkin Cat Names
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SHORTY
SMALLZ
MINNIE