The breed of munchkin cats can not be confused with any other, because only they have incredibly low and neat paws, which makes them look like a dachshund. The Germans, jokingly, call them a "kangaroo cat", since the animal has a habit of sitting down on its hind legs and inspecting its territory.
The history of the occurrence of the Munchkin breed
The first representative of this species of feline was found in North America. Munchkin cats were the result of spontaneous crossing of several lines of domesticated cats and aroused great interest among breeders and researchers of that time.
In the US, the breed was brought only in 1983, and in Europe it is a rarity so far. Their strange name colored munchkin owed to the characters of the same name from the book "The Wizard of Oz". Existing breed standards were approved in 1995. Based on these, there are several varieties of these cats, and each one has its own external data.
General description of Munchkin
We provide common external signs of purity of the breed:
- very short paws ;
- body weight not more than 4 kilograms;
- the head must have a triangular shape;
- The skull is round, with a flat forehead and broad cheeks;
- ears are triangular and erect;
- widely set and large eyes that do not have to correspond to the main color;
- the trunk and extremities have a strong and developed system of muscles;
- Wool can be both short and half-length, the average undercoat is mandatory.
- Different color variations are possible.
The content of the short-munchkin
Caring for a representative of this breed brings only pleasure, as the cat adores attention to his person and helps the owner to keep himself clean. All that is necessary for the owner to do is to trim the claws of his pet, comb his hair regularly, inspect and clean his teeth and ears. To accustom to all this short-cut kitten of the Munchkin breed is necessary immediately upon arrival at the main place of residence.
More careful care is required by long-haired representatives of the breed, combed out several times a week. The nutrition of short-haired munchkins can be both natural and artificial. Obligatory components of the diet are dairy and meat products, fish, porridge and fresh water. It is recommended to give the vitamin complexes to the pet.
Character of the cat munchkin
Find a more loving, calm and affectionate pet is almost impossible. The cat loves leisurely walks on a leash, which makes it an indispensable companion for the elderly. However, to participate in active children's games, she also does not mind.
The nature of Munchkin is safe and peaceful, which gives the cat an opportunity to feel equally at home and at home.
Folding Munchkin
The breed was not officially recognized because it was bred by forbidden crossing of cats with various anomalies of appearance. Appearance of a representative of this species is extremely comical and attractive to potential buyers, but these cats can not boast of health.
Longhaired Munchkin
This breed received the official status of a separate species, although it was obtained by crossing a short-haired munchkin with ordinary domestic cats. Wool can be a variety of colors. Care consists in careful and regular combing and keeping in a clean condition.
Especially spectacular looks red munchkin. It will be a wonderful decoration for a young lady, a faithful friend and companion for the child, a wonderful companion for an elderly person.