Minskin
| Minskin | |
|---|---|
 Female Minskin kitten | |
| Other names | Teddy Rex |
| Common nicknames | Teddy Rex |
| Origin | United States |
| Foundation bloodstock | Munchkin, Burmese, Sphynx, and Devon Rex |
| Breed standards | |
| TICA | standard |
| Domestic cat (Felis catus) | |
The Minskin is a breed of cat derived from intentional cross-breeding between the Munchkin and Burmese cat breeds, with the addition of Sphynx and Devon Rex. It has a unique coat description specific to the breed, described as "fur-points" on the mask, ears, legs and tail with a sparsely coated torso, they are not hairless.
History
Origin
In 1998, Paul McSorley began developing the breed in Boston. Paul wanted a breed with the short legs of the Munchkin but with soft rex fur "fur-points" on the extremities of the cat. To achieve his desired breed he bred his international award winning Burmese with Munchkins, then later introduced a limited number of Sphynx and Devon Rex to develop their desired furpointed coat. The first cat that met the desired standard was born in July 2000. By early 2005, roughly 50 cats met the criteria.[1]
Appearance
The Minskin is notable for the furpoints of their wavy rex coat, as well as the short stature of their front and rear legs. The head of the Minskin is rounded, the ears are large, wide at the base with slightly rounded tips. The eyes are large and round, set wide apart. The body is semi-cobby without being bulky in appearance.[2]
Coat
The coat of the Minskin is short with rex fur-points covering the mask, ears, legs, tail, and scrotum. Fur-points are where the fur is more densely coated compared to other areas where it is sparser such as the torso. The cat may or not may not possess whiskers (vibrissae).
Health
The Minskin's short statute is a form of chondrodysplasia.[3] Due to having the hairlessness of the Sphynx and the dwarfism of the Munchkin, the Minskin is susceptible to several health issues of those breeds.[4] The genetic disorder responsible for the breed's shortened stature can result in an undersized jaw, thick-looking joints, curved spine, and a bow-legged or knock-kneed posture.[5] The shortened legs make the Minskin more susceptible to feline osteoarthritis.[6][7]
Munchkins have a higher incidence of lordosis and pectus excavatum.[8]
See also
References
- ^ "Minskin". TICA.org. The International Cat Association. 2024. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
- ^ "Minskin Standard". The International Cat Association. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ^ Scott, Harry (2021). Feline Orthopaedics. Boca Raton: CRC Press. p. 296. ISBN 978-0-429-09153-7.
- ^ "Minskin". International Cat Care. Archived from the original on October 23, 2019. Retrieved January 20, 2024.
- ^ "Feline Dwarfism". Basepaws. March 6, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
- ^ "Genetic Welfare Problems of Companion Animals, Munchkin - Limb Deformity". Universities Federation for Animal Welfare (UFAW). Retrieved July 15, 2020.
- ^ Ettinger, Stephen J.; Feldman, Edward C.; Bennett, D.; May, C. (1995). "Joint diseases of Dogs and Cats". Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine (4 ed.). Philadelphia: Saunders. p. 2053. ISBN 978-0721667959.
- ^ Hubler, M.; Langley-Hobbs, S.J. (2009). "Hereditary and congenital musculoskeletal diseases". In Montavon, P. M.; Voss, K.; Langley-Hobbs, S.J. (eds.). Feline Orthopedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Disease. Saunders Ltd. pp. 41–53. doi:10.1016/B978-0-7020-2986-8.00010-0. ISBN 978-0-7020-2986-8.
There may be a familial tendency to thoracic wall deformities (pectus excavatum, unilateral thoracic wall concavity) in Bengal kittens, and chondrodystrophic Munchkin cats may also have an increased incidence of pectus excavatum and spinal lordosis.
External links
- Minskin Breed Introduction The International Cat Association.
