Standard Or Non Standard Munckin Kitten

[burgermb23]

Hello there! I'm currently in the process of trying to buy a standard munchkin kitten. With some luck, I was able to find one at a good price but when I received the images, they did not look like standard munchkin kittens. In some pictures they look like standards but in other pictures they don't. I think they're around 12 weeks old.

Their feet look too "long" to be munchkin or am I wrong? Also, do these little guys have a more specific breed name other than munchkin? Thank you!

 

[abyeb]

I'd say the white ones are on standard and the brown tabby kitten is off standard.

 

[burgermb23]

I'd say the white ones are on standard and the brown tabby kitten is off standard.

That's what I was thinking too. But take a look at this picture, don't the legs seem too long?

 

[abyeb]

Yeah, it looks like one of the white kittens has long legs. The two kittens in the last photo on your first post are certainly short legged.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

.
"Munchkin," is the correct breed name. TICA recognises the Munchkin; the CFA does not.

It can be difficult to tell in kittens, and more difficult still to tell from photographs, simply due to perspective. The one white kitten however does, in fact, appear to be a Standard.

That said, "at a good price," has no real meaning, and especially with this breed. Munchkins are prone to spinal malformations, scoliosis, lordosis and several other health concerns linked to their dwarfism. Without making a judgment regarding the intentional breeding of cats with genetic mutations, and the perpetuation of a demand market for animals such as this, I'd strongly advise you - if your mind is made up from long months of intensive research into the breed - to purchase your kitten from a reliable TICA-registered breeder, and to be willing to pay the average price for that kitten. While the cost might be more than non-pedigreed kittens (Munchkins will generally be between $2,200.00 and $3,000.00, with kittens intended for breeding costing generally between $3,200.00 and $5,000.00), the largest portion of the initial price covers vaccinations, medical examinations, testing for various congenital diseases, and excellent care for their first 12 to 16 weeks. Raising kittens can be an expensive proposition, and breeds such as the Munchkin require a much higher degree of initial care.

Welcome to TCS, by the way.

Edit: no doubt others will offer this same advice, but your best bet for finding a Munchkin kitten who will please you is to attend several TICA shows, and to meet the various breeders.
.

 

[abyeb]

.
"Munchkin," is the correct breed name. TICA recognises the Munchkin; the CFA does not.

It can be difficult to tell in kittens, and more difficult still to tell from photographs, simply due to perspective. The white kitten however does, in fact, appear to be a Standard.

That said, "at a good price," has no real meaning, and especially with this breed. Munchkins are prone to spinal malformations, scoliosis, lordosis and several other health concerns linked to their dwarfism. Without making a judgment regarding the intentional breeding of cats with genetic mutations, and the perpetuation of a demand market for animals such as this, I'd strongly advise you - if your mind is made up from long months of intensive research into the breed - to purchase your kitten from a reliable TICA-registered breeder, and to be willing to pay the average price for that kitten. While the cost might be more than non-pedigreed kittens (Munchkins will generally be between $2,200.00 and $3,000.00, with kittens intended for breeding costing generally between $3,200.00 and $5,000.00), the largest portion of the initial price covers vaccinations, medical examinations, testing for various congenital diseases, and excellent care for their first 12 to 16 weeks. Raising kittens can be an expensive proposition, and breeds such as the Munchkin require a much higher degree of initial care.

Welcome to TCS, by the way.
.

1CatOverTheLine has, as usual, made an excellent point and one you should take into careful consideration. Munchkins are predisposed to lordosis, pectus, cranial problems, and poorly articulating joints. Because of these health issues, you need to be sure to get your kitten from a TICA registered breeder. The best place to meet reputable breeders is at cat shows. You can be sure that these are responsible because they're the ones who put the time and money into going to a show. Munchkins do require more intensive care as young kittens (they are slower developing), and often need to be delivered via cesarean section. This extra care will mean you'll have to pay a higher price. Also, be aware that you'll have to pay more for a short legged kitten.

 

[burgermb23]

.
"Munchkin," is the correct breed name. TICA recognises the Munchkin; the CFA does not.

It can be difficult to tell in kittens, and more difficult still to tell from photographs, simply due to perspective. The one white kitten however does, in fact, appear to be a Standard.

That said, "at a good price," has no real meaning, and especially with this breed. Munchkins are prone to spinal malformations, scoliosis, lordosis and several other health concerns linked to their dwarfism. Without making a judgment regarding the intentional breeding of cats with genetic mutations, and the perpetuation of a demand market for animals such as this, I'd strongly advise you - if your mind is made up from long months of intensive research into the breed - to purchase your kitten from a reliable TICA-registered breeder, and to be willing to pay the average price for that kitten. While the cost might be more than non-pedigreed kittens (Munchkins will generally be between $2,200.00 and $3,000.00, with kittens intended for breeding costing generally between $3,200.00 and $5,000.00), the largest portion of the initial price covers vaccinations, medical examinations, testing for various congenital diseases, and excellent care for their first 12 to 16 weeks. Raising kittens can be an expensive proposition, and breeds such as the Munchkin require a much higher degree of initial care.

Welcome to TCS, by the way.

Edit: no doubt others will offer this same advice, but your best bet for finding a Munchkin kitten who will please you is to attend several TICA shows, and to meet the various breeders.
.

Thank you for the heads up! I was already shopping around for the expensive munchkin kittens. Now I actually feel bad for even considering to buying these kinds of breeds since they're likely to have some kind of spinal problems.. Don't want them to suffer like that.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Thank you for the heads up! I was already shopping around for the expensive munchkin kittens. Now I actually feel bad for even considering to buying these kinds of breeds since they're likely to have some kind of spinal problems.. Don't want them to suffer like that.

B burgermb23 - That's a wonderful attitude, and although I genuinely wasn't trying to dissuade you, I applaud your thinking here. There's a very short article here:

Why I Can’t Stand the Hype Over Dwarf Cats

which addresses a few of the reasons that veterinarians (and the other three main cat fancy organisations) are opposed to the breeding of Munchkins.

Another edit, because I'm behind in my coffee consumption this morning: "expensive" truly is relative, and again, you're really just paying for a good breeder raising them with proper care - as opposed to purchasing a fabulous F¹ Savannah female for breeding purposes, where your $30k to $50k cost for a kitten is really just a shot in the dark. With established breeds - even with young breeds such as the Munchkin - you have a clearer path to getting a healthy, well-pedigreed kitten.
.

 

[abyeb]

That's a wonderful attitude, although I genuinely wasn't trying to dissuade you. There's a very short article here:

Why I Can’t Stand the Hype Over Dwarf Cats

which addresses a few of the reasons that veterinarians (and the other three main cat fancy organisations) are opposed to the breeding of Munchkins.

Another edit, because I'm behind in my coffee consumption this morning: "expensive" truly is relative, and again, you're really just paying for a good breeder raising them with proper care - as opposed to purchasing a fabulous F¹ Savannah female for breeding purposes, where your $30k to $50k cost for a kitten is really just a shot in the dark. With established breeds - even with young breeds such as the Munchkin - you have a clearer path to getting a healthy, well-pedigreed kitten.
.

Same here- I just wanted to be sure that if you spend up to $5000, you're informed about the breed and some of the potential health issues.

 

[burgermb23]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask but, do you guys recommend any websites where I can adopt kittens instead of buying them? I don't really care what breeds they are. Canada is very limited, and I know they have many more options in the US.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask but, do you guys recommend any websites where I can adopt kittens instead of buying them? I don't really care what breeds they are. Canada is very limited, and I know they have many more options in the US.

What Province are you in? Naturally, Ontario will have far more options that will YT, and some of the folks who read the threads in this forum have some knowledge of our neighbours to the north eh?.

Are you familiar with RescueMe?

► Cat Rescue ► Canada

.

 

[abyeb]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to ask but, do you guys recommend any websites where I can adopt kittens instead of buying them? I don't really care what breeds they are. Canada is very limited, and I know they have many more options in the US.

Do you have animal shelters in Canada? I think this would be a better option than adopting online, because that way you can meet and interact with the cats, to see if they would be a good personality match.

 

[burgermb23]

What Province are you in? Naturally, Ontario will have far more options that will YT, and some of the folks who read the threads in this forum have some knowledge of our neighbours to the north eh?.

Are you familiar with RescueMe?

► Cat Rescue ► Canada

.

I live in Ontario but I've only recently started looking into adopting a furry little friend. I've started by going to stores but I found out that adopting is wiser and better for the cats. I'll check out the website you sent thank you!

 

[burgermb23]

Do you have animal shelters in Canada? I think this would be a better option than adopting online, because that way you can meet and interact with the cats, to see if they would be a good personality match.

We should have animal shelters, not sure if there are any around me. Nonetheless, I will find one this afternoon and check them out. I've been to a few stores before where they didn't let me interact with the cat so it was a little sketchy haha. Thanks for the suggestion

 

[abyeb]

Are you familiar with RescueMe?

► Cat Rescue ► Canada

.

Bengals and Ragdolls for rescue in Canada? 1CatOverTheLine, is there more of a pedigreed culture in Canada than in the US? In my local shelter, we've only had DSH/DMH/DLH cats, with no purebred influence I could identify.

 

[1CatOverTheLine]

Bengals and Ragdolls for rescue in Canada? 1CatOverTheLine, is there more of a pedigreed culture in Canada than in the US? In my local shelter, we've only had DSH/DMH/DLH cats, with no purebred influence I could identify.

I've always perceived that to be the case - especially in Toronto and in Vancouver, where large numbers of apartment-dwellers seem intent upon keeping an F¹ Bengal or Savannah in a 75 m² flat, and then realise their mistake.

This is one of my favourites - northwest of Toronto, near Orangeville:

Cats Anonymous: Welcome to Cats Anonymous

.

 

[Willowy]

It sounds like you've decided against a Munchkin, but just pointing out---in any Munchkin litter, not all of the kittens will be short-legged. If both parents are short-legged, 2/3 of the surviving kittens (homozygous embryos will not develop) will be short-legged. If a normal cat is bred to a short-legged cat, half the kittens will be short-legged. So it would be absolutely normal to have short-legged and normal kittens in the same litter.