LaPerm Fanciers International

where the LaPerm comes first!

By Jerrie Wolfe, LaPermCats.info

TICA has accepted both the LaPerm and Munchkin breeds, and in February 2006 TICA granted registration status to Skookums as an experimental breed. But breeding a LaPerm to a Munchkin is a non-allowed out-cross for both the LaPerm and Munchkin.  Skookums at one time were recognized in registries of other countries and a few of the lesser  known registries here in the USA, but they have now been dropped.   This may change at some time in the future.

CFA does recognize LaPerms, it does not recognize Munchkins as a breed.

When the LaPerm Breed Committee sought championship status, it was very clearly stated that Munchkins and LaPerm should not be crossed, nor should any of the other rexed or hairless breeds.  Non-Standard cats (that is cats that look like LaPerms, long legged and curly coated) that are being produced from the crossing of Munchkins and LaPerms should NOT be bred to LaPerms!!

Potentially, any of the Rex breeds could be crossed with any other breed of cat to produce Rexes with bobtails, no tails, extra toes, different ear shapes, Abyssinian Rexes, Hemingway Rexes, Rex-Bobs or any other combination of physical traits. Whether these are desirable is another matter entirely and many experimental cross-breedings are not pursued as breeds.  None of these crosses should be bred back to the LaPerm even if they look like a LaPerm!!!

Before purchasing a LaPerm kitten from someone who breeds other breeds, besides LaPerms, ask to see the registration certificates of the parents.  If the breeder will not allow you to see these, then they have something to hide from you!   If any where on that certificate you see the abbreviation EXP or MK, you are not buying a LaPerm, you are buying an experiment that looks like a LaPerm.   There are exceptions to the EXP, for a while the CFA did allow Ocicats to be crossed with LaPerms, so these will be shown as EXP in TICA, also LaPerms bred from their ONLY allowed out-cross, the domestic cat, will also sometime have an EXP on the certificate.   If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.

Besides creating the Skookums, Munchkin breeders seem intent on making a short-legged variety of all recognized breeds and have crossed them with several other breeds, simply to produce kittens for resale, with no intent in developing these cats as a breed.  

Each established breed has a Breed Committee which dictates which breeds can be used as allowed out-crosses to help further the development of the breed.   At this time in the USA the only allowed out-cross for Munchkins and LaPerms are domestic cats (barn cats, alley cats, feral cats, moggies, etc.)

"Breed Name"

Description
Bambino  A deliberate hybrid of Munchkin and Sphynx to create a short-legged, hairless cat. The name "bambino" (Italian for "baby") alludes to their kittenish personalities. Long-legged variants (Bambino Long-Legs) occur.  The coat ranges from hairless to peach fuzz in any colour or pattern. See also: Minskin, Sphynxkin
Dwelf Breed developed by crossing Sphynx, American Curl, Munchkin, Minskin mixture, a short legged, curled ears and hairless.
Elizabethan Apparently a new breed being developed by a Munchkin breeder. No details.
 Genetta Cat Munchkin x Bengal - a short legged cat with spots

Kangaroo Cat

See Munchkin

Kinkalow

American Curl x Munchkin - a short-legged cat with curled ears.

Knooks Kinkalow with a LaPerm/Skookum-type curled coat.

LaMerm

LaPerm x Munchkin (curl-haired Munchkin).
See Skookum.

Louisiana Creole Cat

See Munchkin.

Manxkin

Manx x Munchkin, tailless Munchkin.

Mei Toi

Advertised as genetically miniature cat, currently mature cats are a similar size to Singapuras. Other information was suggestive of Munchkins. Current advertising refers to 'Mei Toi Munchkins'.

Mini-breeds

Genes for miniature cats appeared relatively recently in America (possibly in Japan). These are being bred in their own right e.g. Toy Persians and are also being used to found miniature versions of existing breeds. Crossbreeds with Munchkins (short legged) are sometimes also given the "Mini-" prefix.  There has been reports of a breeder in Canada trying to develop "Tea Cup"  LaPerms.  These extra small curly coated cats have also been reported to have health issues. Do not be fooled into buying these cats.

Mini-Munchkin

Reputedly being developed by breeder of miniature Mei Toi cats.
MiniPers The MiniPers are Tea Cup & Miniature Persians & Exotics, for those who prefer a smaller baby to hold. The MiniPers are not Achondroplastic-type dwarves, as are most of our hybrid breeds here, they are Primordial Dwarves, proportionate in all aspects, just smaller overall than a "regular" Persian or Exotic.
MiniPaws The MiniPaws are Tea Cup & Miniature Persians & Exotics. The MiniPaws are a hybrid carrying both the Achondroplastic-type & Primordial-type dwarfism, they are proportionately small with shortened legs.

Minskin

Breed developed by crossing Munchkins, Sphynx, Devon Rex and Burmese. It is neither a short-legged Sphynx nor a hairless Munchkin, but apparently has its own unique look. A Sphynxkin is also reported as a crossbred, but with no apparently intention of establish a breed.

Munchamese

Munchkin x Siamese (described as having a 'wedge' head and oriental shape i.e. a short-legged Siamese rather than colorpoint Munchkin)

Munch-Bob

Munchkin x Pixie-Bob. Short-legged breed with bobtail and preferably polydactyl. The ultimate aim appears to be a bobtailed polydactyl Munchkin with folded-ears.

Munchkin

Breed with short legs akin to a dachshund dog and ferretlike gait. The name Louisiana Creole Cat was an alternative suggestion when the breed was being named. Occurs in shorthaired and longhaired varieties. Unlike short-legged dogs, Munchkin is apparently supposedly free of back problems, however it may be prone to chest/ribcage problems.
See also Kangaroo Cat.

Munchinese

Miniature or short-legged Siamese, bred for a while in South Carolina

Munchkin Polydactyl

Munchkin x polydactyl - basically a short-legged cat with extra toes (no breed name available but possibly associated with Munch-Bob development).

Napolean Cat

Originated from Munchkin X Persian and Munchkin x Exotic Shorthair crosses combining the Persian/Exotic looks with short legs. Essentially a shortlegged Persian or Exotic. A "pure" Napoleon is 75% Persian/Exotic and 25% Munchkin. Because the short-leggedness is a dominant gene, long-legged Napoleons occur as variants.
Nanus Rex Selkirk Rex x Munchkin - curly-haired Munchkin-type cat.

Poodlekin

Poodle Cat x Munchkin to produce short-legged versions of the Poodle Cat. So far remains theoretical since Munchkins are not present in Germany and German animal welfare laws would prohibit breeding for 'defects'.

Skookum

 Munchkin x LaPerm - curly-haired Munchkin-type cat.

Sphynxkin

Sphynx x Munchkin crossbreed. See also: Minskin

Banned. In parts of Europe certain breeds are prohibited because their breed traits are considered harmful deformities. These include Manx/Cymric (spinal problems related to tailless mutation), Munchkin (dwarfism), Scottish Fold (skeletal problems), Sphynx (hairlessness is considered detrimental to the breed) and Blue-Eyed Whites in any breed (deafness).

The above table is thanks to:
messy beast dot com

Read more about dwarf cats