The Munchkin cat is a relatively new breed by a random mutation that produced
a cat with extremely short legs. Munchkins have short or long coats in a wide variety of colour. Somewhat surprisingly, because of their short statue munchkins are particularly adept at climbing and jumping. They are usually raised
as indoor cats, although they are reported to be extremely active, agile and fast runners. Those who have spent time around barns have proven to be extremely good hunters. the mutation only affects the lenght of legs.

The breed was begun in 1983 when Sandra Hochenedel found an extremely short
legged black cat living under a trailer in Lousiana. The cat, Blackberry, was
pregnant and half of her kittens were born short-legged. One of Blackberry's
kittens, a tomcat named Tolouse, become the father of a breeding and helped establish the breed in North America.
MUNCHKIN
Genetics
The Munchkin gene is an autosomal dominant one. Thus far to date, there have been no viable kittens that are homozygous for the
munchkin gene (that is, kitten with two copies of the munchkin gene, one from each parent), possibly because of gene lethality.
Kitten that are heterozygous for the munchkin gene (that is, a munchkin gene from one parent and a normal gene from the other)
will be "standard" munchkin.

Because only heterozygous munchkin cats can survive to pass on the gene, all litters with at least one munchkin parent have the possibility of having all munchkin kittens, all normal kitten, all non-viable kitten with two copies of the munchkin gene, or any
combination of the three.

At one time it was theorized that is short legged trait was due to the same locus of gene that cause achondroplasia in humans, however all atempts to prove this to date, have failed. It is now believed to be the equivalent og hypochondroplasia which is much milder than achondroplasia. Achondroplasia affects more than the long bones of the legs.The munchkin cat is shorther than a standard domestic, but in all others respects it is indentical, genetically and in size and overall appearance.