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Munchkins love to wrestle and play with their
long-legged feline friends, happily unaware that there’s anything different
about them. Nor do their feline companions treat them like members of the
vertically challenged. Munchkins also adore dogs both big and small. One
owner reported that her Munchkin likes to hide and then jump out onto her
dog’s back and manages to hang on for a few seconds while the dog races
round the room!
Munchkin owners report that their cats can do anything an ordinary cat can
do, except leap to the top of the bookcase. (Well, that is until recently
when it was reported that one Munchkins spied an Ostrich feather on the top
shelf of a six foot bookcase and shimmed up there without any trouble
whatsoever, although her descent was not quite so graceful!) Most of them
can jump on the kitchen counter too, but some prefer to take the scenic
route.
Personality: Munchkins, oblivious to the controversy surrounding
them, go on being just what they are—cats—self-assured and outgoing.
Munchkins are also known as “magpies,” often borrowing small, shiny objects
and stash them away for later play.
As well as having sweet natures, Munchkins are affectionate, outgoing and
intelligent. They love company, especially that of children with whom they
seem to be especially popular. They are exceptionally playful and get along
well with other cats, dogs and pets. And yes, they are amusing to watch
which is a real bonus in anyone’s life. Proficient hunters, Munchkins love a
good game of catnip mouse or feather teaser, but when playtime is over, they
want a warm lap to snuggle into and strokes from a loving hand, like any
other domestic cat.
A certain amount of controversy surrounds the Munchkin – mainly from those
with preconceived ideas or who have never met one. They will even tell you
that they are deformed and handicapped. Five minutes in the company of a
Munchkin will convince you that this is quite untrue.
History: Munchkins are naturally occurring dwarf cats, which means
they have unusually short legs.
Cats with short legs are not new to the scientific world: An English
Veterinary Record of 1944, contains an entry by Dr H.E.Williams-Jones who
describes four generations of cats with short limbs, including an 8 1/2 year
old black female, documented as having had an extremely healthy life. Her
dam, great dam, and some of her progeny were similar in appearance. The
cat’s movements were described as ferret-like, but other than the short legs
the cats were reported to be normal in every way. Unfortunately, these cats
seem to have disappeared during World War II, not surprising in that many
feline bloodlines, even established ones, disappeared completely during this
period of deprivation.
In 1956, Max Von Egon Thiel of Hamburg, Germany, described a cat that he had
first seen in Stalingrad in 1953. The cat had unusually short legs but was
in no way functionally hindered and was seen playing among its normal
siblings and other young cats. At times it was noted to sit on its haunches
with it’s front legs in the air, similar to the alert stance of a rabbit.
Because of this behaviour, the cat was dubbed the “Stalingrad kangaroo cat”
by the author. The day before he was to return to Germany, the cat was taken
away by a Russian physician and there is no further information about the
cat available. However, based on the description, this undoubtedly
represents the same trait seen previously in Great Britain.
But the breed as we know it today began in Rayville, Louisiana in 1983.
Music teacher, Sandra Hochenedel discovered two cats hiding under a pickup
truck where they had been cornered by a bulldog. Hochenedel rescued the cats
and took them home, later noticing two things—both were pregnant, and both
had short, stubby legs. She kept Blackberry, the black cat, and gave away
Blueberry, the gray. When Blackberry produced her first litter, Hochenedel
gave one short-legged kitten, named Toulouse, to her friend Kay LaFrance,
who lived in Monroe, Louisiana. Since LaFrance’s cats were allowed free
access to the outdoors and were not altered, a feral population of Munchkins
occurred around Monroe, where they apparently competed very well with their
long-legged friends for prey and mating opportunities.
Hochenedel and LaFrance contacted Dr. Solveig Pflueger, chairperson of
TICA’s genetics committee. Her studies determined that the short legs were
the result of a dominant genetic mutation affecting the long bones of the
legs. This mutation apparently occurred spontaneously within the feline gene
pool. Any cat that possesses this gene will exhibit the short legs. A cat
that has received the Munchkin gene from one parent will produce Munchkin
kittens at an approximate ratio of one Munchkin to one normal kitten.
In a paper published by Dr Pflueger, (Jan ’99), she states: “One concern I
had when I first began working with Munchkins in 1990, was that there might
be a risk for malformed homozygous kittens. This was not an unreasonable
fear based on the lethality of homozygous achondroplasia in humans. However,
I have bred Munchkin to Munchkin, including very close inbreeding, without
producing anything vaguely resembling the phenotype of homozygous
achrondroplasia. There is sufficient data at this point to suggest that
abnormal homozygotes similar to human achondroplasia are unlikely to appear
with future breedings.”
She further states, “ As Chairman of the Genetics Committee for TICA, I have
the responsibility of advising the Board of Directors on conditions that
affect cat health. I am obliged to inform the Board of any research, which
would indicate non-viability of the Munchkin as a breed. Although I raise
Munchkins, I have no personal vested interest beyond seeing to it that the
gene is preserved. I believe that Munchkins are happy healthy cats and that
they have a future as a Championship breed. I am not aware of any reason
that would lead me to believe otherwise.”
Other breeders joined the cause, and in 1991 breeders tried to gain
acceptance from TICA for the Munchkin, named after the little people in The
Wizard of Oz. They were turned down on the basis that not enough was known
about the breed. They tried again in September 1994 and this time were
accepted. As of May 1, 1995 the Munchkin was recognized for New Breed and
Colour status in TICA. When the acceptance was announced, TICA member
Katherine Crawford resigned her ten-year position as judge, saying that the
breed was an affront to any breeder with ethics. Others shared her
sentiments, feeling that the short legs will cause crippling back, hip, and
leg problems in the future, although no evidence exists that the Munchkin is
prone to such problems. Breeders had their oldest Munchkins X-rayed and
examined for signs of joint or bone problems. No problems were found.
According to Laurie Bobskill, breeder and president of the International
Munchkin Society, 19 separate Munchkin-like mutations have been found in the
United States, all unrelated to Blackberry’s lines. Breeders find this
encouraging, because it gives credence to the contention that this mutation
is a viable variation of Felis catus.
Ironically, the controversy surrounding the breed has contributed to its
growing popularity. Because of articles in The Wall Street Journal, People
Magazine, and other publications, public demand for Munchkins has been
great, the waiting lists long, and the supply limited. The sports car of the
cat fancy is commanding sports car prices, too, and breeders want to ensure
that disreputable people don’t take advantage of the Munchkin’s popularity
by using unethical breeding practices.
Information Supplied By Twink McCabe -
www.purrpetualcats.co.nz
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