Munchkin

History
The Munchkin is a domestic cat breed, which is popular for its unusually short legs. These short-legged cats have been recognized in 1930s in England. But World War II took its toll on the cat and they were suddenly disappeared. These cats were rediscovered in Europe in 1983 when Sandra Hochenedel found an extremely short-legged black cat living under a trailer in Louisiana. Sandra named this cat, Blackberry. When she found Blackberry, the cat was pregnant and half of her kittens were born short-legged. One of Blackberry's kittens, named Toulouse, became the father of a breeding program that established the breed in North America. Recently, it has been accepted as a breed by TICA. Munchkin was previously tagged as a Kangaroo cat until 1953.

Appearance
A Munchkin can easily be distinguished from other breeds of cats because of its physical appearance. These cats have extremely short legs. But it does not make any difference in their activities as they can do everything that other cats do. They can range high counter tops and can even run as fast as any other cat. Munchkins also come in different hair lengths, but the longhair Munchkin has an extraordinary beautiful plumed tail. Munchkins are generally found in medium size with well-rounded chest. They have plush and resilient coats with a lustrous, silky appearance. They come in a variety of colors and patterns. Munchkins have large walnut-shaped eyes, which are generally found in deep and dark colors.

Personality
The Munchkins are affectionate and well-balanced cats. They are very friendly and easily feel at ease with anybody, even with other pets. They love human company and do not prefer to be alone. It has been seen that the more companions they have, the happier they will be. These cats are adventurous, self-assured, playful and outgoing in nature. A Munchkin is said to be the ideal indoor pet, because of its outgoing and social personality. Because of its adventurous nature, the Munchkin cat loves playing with little kids.

As they are considered intelligent cats, they can easily learn to play fetch and can learn to obey simple voice commands in a short time. One of the rare temperament of Munchkin which is not found in other breeds is, they are collectors in their own way and have an eye for little things in rooms, such as, jewelry and small toys. They even have the habit of hiding their collections under the sofa, bed or even in appliances, which according to them are appropriate hiding places.

Genetic Disease
The genetic mutation, which is the reason for the short-legged trait in munchkin cats, is often referred to as achondroplasia. But it has not been proven yet, as achondroplasia is typically associated with an enlarged head as well as short legs, and this combination of features is not seen in munchkin cats. Thus, the reason for the short legs is sometimes been referred to as hypochondroplasia. Munchkin Cats are also said to be prone to lordosis and pectus excavatum, and they may have a particular affinity to these conditions.