• Short-legged cats
• Short-legged cats: origins
• Morphology of short-legged cats
• Psychology of short-legged cats
• Care of short legged cats
• Munchkin dwarf cat, the famous of the short-legged breeds
• Other short-legged cats

Short-legged cats

When we refer to short-legged cats , we refer to feline breeds whose forelegs are slightly smaller in length than the size of the hind limbs. This characteristic, more or less accentuated according to the specificity of the rezza, does not preclude the agile and playful look: short-legged cats have a medium and rather muscular bone structure, which makes them inclined to jump.

Short-legged cats: origins

The Munchkin is generally taken as a reference in the overview of short-legged cats as it was the first of these cats to be recognized in 1983  thanks to its identification and selection by an American breeder, Sandra Hochenedel. Short-legged cats were also counted several years earlier in other countries such as England and Russia. 

Since 2003 the Munchkin has been recognized as a ” championship breed “. The name is a clear reference to the gnomes present in the Wizard of Oz . The Munchkin breed has been kept under control and studied to identify the possible genetic causes and any deficits underlying the lack of development of the limbs, in order to avoid possible spinal diseases.

Morphology of short-legged cats

Beyond the short legs, however, the front ones are slightly shorter than the hind legs, the Munchkin, in particular, is a cat with a muscular body , well structured, small in size: it can reach about 23 cm in height and weigh a maximum of 4. kg, it seems to be the smallest cat in the world. 

The coat of this cat is particularly soft and shiny and you can find variants with long hair and short hair. The color varies, brindle specimens and white, cinnamon, chocolate, black, blue. The muzzle is triangular with very large eyes, the rounded head on which two prominent ears are well spaced. The tail is well structured and generally carried high when walking. 

A funny feature: he can sit on the lower limbs while keeping the front ones free; this posture earned him the nickname of kangaroo cat .

Psychology of short-legged cats

The dwarf cat is generally presented as a  very affectionate and sociable domestic companion . He loves company, being at the center of the family with attention and pampering and he can’t stand loneliness. 

The Munchkin, in particular, is lively and does not realize any difficulties due to the morphology of the limbs and is particularly curious. He loves shiny objects and like magpies he tends to appropriate them and hide them. 

Care of short legged cats

Short-legged cats are  quite long -lived and life expectancy can be up to 20 years. Unfortunately, the Munchkin cat in particular can be prone to various diseases. It is therefore extremely important to take care of their nutrition and physical movement. A balanced and light diet, as it could tend to overweight and a not very sedentary lifestyle, recommended wet foods for this cat, are the must for those who want a
short-legged cat. 

It is recommended to brush it and take care of its ears at least once a week. He could be prone to spinal deformities such as severe lordosis , arthritis , hyperthyroidism , pancreatitis , urinary tract diseases.

Munchkin dwarf cat, the famous of the short-legged breeds

There is a sort of Dachshund even among felines: the Munchkin dwarf cat is characterized by a muscular, well-formed body, an expressive and lively muzzle accompanied by very short legs. In spite of this uncared for structure, the Munchkin is a lively, playful cat, fully capable of all other cats’ activities, except jumping of course. 

In Italy it is not very widespread and there are few specialized farms in this breed. To buy them you have to look in France or in the United States, with the burdens that such a choice entails.

Other short-legged cats

Among the cat breeds with similar characteristics, with short legs and with dwarfism, there are some of particular interest. The dwarfism  that characterizes them is generally due to a hormonal abnormality linked to the pituitary gland, in fact we speak of pituitary dwarfism. There is also a form of selective dwarfism, due to breeders’ selections:

• The Dwelf Cat : it is a cross of breeds, the Munchkin, the Sphynx and the American Curl. The result is a naked, hairless cat with short legs, the hind legs are slightly longer than the front ones, the ears are large and curved inwards, so much so that they look like those of an elf.