Did someone say munchin cats?????
Posted on 08/09/2006 1:17:33 PM PDT by Slings and Arrows
Could this be the world's smallest cat? The Guinness Book of Records is waiting until this little Munchkin kitten is fully grown to decide if he is a record breaker.
But Heed is well on track. At 14 weeks old he is just 3 1/4 inches tall, and weighs just over 2lbs.
Current record holder, Mr Peebles from Illinois, stands at 6.1 inches tall, and weighs 3.1 lbs. At eight weeks old, Heed could hide behind a tin can and he is still shorter than a roll of toilet paper.
His owner, Tiffani Kjeldergaard, 40, of Potrero, San Diego, explained: "Munchkins are a breed that have the same mutant gene as little people. But they usually weigh 3-5 lbs and stand at around 6 inches.
"Heed was one of a litter of seven and was the only one with this gene. His mother is a Munchkin and his father is a normal sized cat.
"We called him Heed because he was born with a big head and a tiny body and it reminded us of a line in a Mike Myers film called So I Married an Axe Murderer where he shouts in a Scottish accent, 'Look at the size of his heed!'"
Tiffani and her husband Stefan, a computer programmer, planned to have the whole litter adopted, but delayed the rehoming when the kittens all had a tummy bug.
"Then I noticed that Heed was not growing" said Tiffani. "When the others recovered we decided to hold onto him, in case he was still sick. We thought we might lose him." But Heed was soon in good health.
"He eats all day long," Tiffani said. "He even has a pot belly." Tiffani, who breeds cats, birds and horses, and also has a pet llama, contacted the Guinness Book of Records.
"They have sent me the documentation, so fingers crossed.
"Heed is a great little cat. He loves to rub noses with me when he's nervous, but I take him out everywhere with me and he loves it. He'll definitely be staying with us. This guy is kind of cool."
"Are they otherwise unhealthy?"
Good question. I know they had health problems when the so-called breed was created. Honestly don't know their current status. Certainly hope they're more stable today.
I don't breed or show cats but I have a couple of very good friends who've been in "the fancy" for many years. They're highly legit, don't run kitten mills, and truly love the respective breeds they work with. I also know how hard they work to improve the health, strength and temperament of the cats they breed. So as you may imagine, I had a terrible time watching the carnival sales atmosphere at the TICA show I attended. Poor little Munchkins are breed on a fault. That's never a good idea.
"Well, that takes you off my Christmas list."
Darnit, darnit, darnit! Hope you realize you've ruined my evening. I'm absolutely bereft.
I like the rag dolls, which were first bred for companionship.
"I like the rag dolls, which were first bred for companionship."
There you go. They're a very nice breed. I'm a purebred Siamese person but I always stop and visit the Rag Dolls when I see them at shows. Nice choice!
Well, in that case, you're back on the short list.
Hooray and thanks!
I really don't like the practice of breeding these munchin cats.
Did someone say munchin cats?????
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