The Munchkins are remarkable with their short legs and long body. Their movement is commonly described as a ferret because of their low height yet fast speed. They are energetic and friendly and have a warm affection for their owner. Assessing their physical and behavioral attributes will allow you to determine if your kitten is a Munchkin.
Table of Contents
Things you should know about Munchkins
The below-mentioned checklist will surely help you identify your Munchkin kitten. Let’s dive into the things you need to know about Munchkin cats.
Physical Characteristics of Munchkin cats
Short legs
Munchkin cat has short legs: the front legs measure averagely three inches long while the hind legs may be slightly longer. The legs must show the right balance and have no features that can hinder walking.
Long Body
The body size of Munchkin cats can be compared to a medium-sized cat. They may weigh between four to eight pounds.
Walnut-shaped eyes
The eyes of Munchkin are large, walnut-shaped, and wide-set eyes. All eyes’ colors are accepted, but mostly blue/aquamarine, yellow, golden, and green.
Two varieties coat
Munchkin cats can be long-haired or short-haired. They can be any color, but Munchkin’s typical color is black, seal/blue, slate grey, chocolate, lilac, cinnamon, fawn, red, and white. Its coat patterns may be solid or plain, tabby, striped, bi-color, calico, mink, sepia, or all patterns, except amber.
NOTE: There is no link between eye color and coat color.
Strong/Robust
The Munchkin cats are hardy, and these feline’s unique built is not a hindrance for them.
Other features
They have a broad, round head and are considered to be a modified wedge. The ears are medium-sized and triangular-shaped, and their tail and neck are medium thick. Munchkins have a well-developed chest.
Behavioral qualities of Munchkins
Affectionate
Munchkin cat loves to show their affection by kneading, clinging to their fur parent, or cuddling and sleeping on your lap. They also love to be petted by their owner.
Energetic and fast
They are fast and often can be seen running around. Munchkins love to chase things, and even they have short legs that don’t stop them from climbing and jumping, although it may take some time. These cats need to have regular periods of activity.
Outgoing and friendly
Munchkin cat can be seen playing with people, their fellow cats, and those cat-friendly dogs. Thus, this breed is a very social animal. They are generally sociable and friendly with visitors.
Glutton
These short-legged Munchkins can be greedy or glutton compared to any other breed. So you have to keep an eye on what they eat, especially their caloric input, and maintain a healthy weight. You may want to avoid “free-feeding” and give them two separate scheduled meals per day.
Munchkins need a break time.
Even a Munchkin is energetic and active; they always have periods of rest throughout the day. This can be sleeping or a minute of a nap.
Independent
Although they love cuddling and to have company while playing, a Munchkin cat don’t mind to be left alone while its owner is not around.
Intelligent
They are considered intelligent to analyze situations just like jumping from one high place to another, although they have short legs. And also they are trainable.
Must-know facts about Munchkin
- Munchkin is named after the Wizard of Oz character.
- Munchkin reaches adult size at between 9 and 12 months.
- Their life expectancy is between 13 and 20 years.
- They stand on their hind legs to investigate the surroundings.
- Munchkin is called a “magpie,” for they love shiny objects, and they will steal and hide it from you.
- They are known for hiding their toys in a place where they can find it later.
- They hold the world record as the shortest living cat.
- Munchkin cat is a non-hypoallergenic breed.
- Its short legs are caused by a natural genetic mutation.
- Munchkin comes from three leg sizes: standard (10cm shorter than the normal cat), super-short (2 and 3 inches long), and rug hugger (shortest legs: 2 inches).
Common questions about munchkin cats
Does my Munchkin cat need grooming, brushing, and clipping?
Yes, weekly brushing is recommended for the short-hair variety, and twice a week for the long-haired variety. Brushing cat’s teeth should every two to three days. And clipping the claws should be once every three to four weeks. Aside from that, ears and eyes should be inspected every week. These things are crucial and necessary for your cat’s welfare and protection.
Are Munchkin cats finicky eaters?
Munchkin cats are not fussy eaters. However, we must give them meat or food with meat products for fat and protein. Remember that dog food should not be fed to Munchkin for its deadly for them due to high carbohydrates contents that they can’t digest quickly. Hence, they must avoid carbohydrates at all costs. Aside from that, they have the tendency to put on weight. Thus, it is advisable to consult your vet for the appropriate portions of food.
How to breed a Munchkin cat?
To breed a Munchkin, you must choose the breeding cat well and check the genetic features. A Munchkin cat should be mated to a normal-length legs cat. The gene of a Munchkin cat should be dominant, and the usual cat should be recessive. Keep in mind that breeding two Munchkin cats are not recommended for it produced lethal gene and they will just die eventually.
Final Thoughts:
You can quickly tell if a cat is a Munchkin from a mile away because of their striking short legs, long body, their round head, and triangular-shaped ears. These short-legged felines are small but mighty. They are active and agile with an outgoing personality.
