Small kitteh with cataloons

I actually feel sorry these poor munchkin cats…with those stubby legs, how is he supposed to jump around like a cat is meant to do? Those ears won’t help much if he ever gets out of the house, pretty much any wild beastie could catch it and seriously harm it. Selective breeding has taken away every practical survival trait this cat has!

That’s Puss in Boots from Shrek, isn’t it?!

lol @ emma — i came here to say the same thing, but you beat me to it

great minds, and all that…

Mello, they aren’t a common breed, but they do turn up in shelters. You can also google ‘Scottish Fold Rescue’ to help find rescue organizations in your area.

Hmmm, is he a munchkin cat? I think his legs are normal looking. He’s a lovely little Scottish Fold, fer sure! (Yeah, the Munchkin cats are just sad.)

agreez wiv all a u. dis scottish fold is de cutest absolutely deee cutest dere iz. barrr none.

Cats with short legs can do just fine. I used to know a sweet kitty we called “Stubby” because of her short legs. She could run, jump, and do all the things kittehs do, and didn’t seem the least bit hampered. So why feel bad for this loved little bundle of fur?

I used to feel sorry for Munchkin cats, until I read up on them and discovered that they have no issues getting around. They can run and jump and do everything “normal” cats can, and unlike some of the long-backed short-legged dogs, they don’t have spinal problems due to their mutation.

Every time a Munchkin is posted here, people talk about how they can’t do certain things, so on and so forth. And again, I have to say that Munchkins are healthy, happy and able to do everything that long-legged kitties can do. Trust me, my Munchie is able to hop up on the counter just like his long-legged companion. Like Ivy said, they don’t have any back problems. They’re just shorties!

for the nuffs – short legs aren’t always designer kitties (in fact, those that I’ve had have always been part of a “normal” litter (I live in the country, so have had a lot of pregnant mommas that I’ve taken in) – as far as jumping ability, they can jump higher than their “normal” siblings a lot of the time – they can also climb just as well (I’ve been a climbing tree lots of times and have the claw pokes to show). It does seem the ones with scottish fold ears are more likely to have the shorter legs – just like a Manx has longer hind legs. A persian has shorter legs than a Siamese – a Russian blue is inbetween – does that mean either one is “designer”? For that matter, a lynx has shorter legs than a bobcat – I don’t think either of those are designer.

Psst Teho, do you know your name means ‘power’ and ‘efficiency’ in Finnish?

[In fact, I do! Just recently learned that the *ahem* misspelled version of my name is also a Finnish energy drink, even. Trying to figure out how I can buy a can of it... - Ed.]

I want a cool cat like that…

A marmie Scottish Fold sitting up and going “ehn”!

Yes, I am pwned. pwnt. whatevs.

This little kawaii neko doesn’t seem to have any problem getting around either. Methinks the British cat fancy hasn’t kept up with the better breeders.

(It’s probably the English who don’t want to admit that something Scottish is cuter than what they’ve been able to produce!)

NO JOKES NOW THAT IS PUSS IN BOOTS I JUST CHECKED. YOU CAN IMAGINE HIM WITH THAT HAT AND THOSE SAD EYES. GORGOEUS CAT I WANT HIM/HER

http://www.animaloverdose.com/

omg. that is too cute for words. seriously. i’m dying. scottish fold’kins! I love the little things!

Have you checked out the 2nd clip? It’s even better then the first.

Cute cat, and interesting info from the “nuffs/thinkers.” Sometimes we don’t see the animals that are culled or PTS as a side-effect of breeding for a specific trait, such as folded ears. Breeding certain colors of rats (“high whites”) can result in babies that die of megacolon, and many hairless rats cannot lactate. The link from Ioda indicates that the same genetics that result in the Scottish fold traits are also associated with arthritis and other problems with their limbs. Sounds like this was used to create the “munchkins,” which I have never heard of before.

I just wanna stroke its belly when it stands up. ahhh!
anyone know how much these cuties are??

http://www.animaloverdose.com/

HAhahah. Normally I just look at the pics/vids on this site and go…. Hehehmmmmmmm… with a silly smirk on my face…

But throughout this video I was giggling like I was high on some top quality sticky icky

This video is just…ridiculous.
Really there is no other word for it.

Perfect end to a boring day at the office. Off to my own zoo! Thanks meg! paws up.

I believe that is Foldy McFolderson of the clan McFolderson.

Nuffers need to shaddup. Sometimes these things just occur in nature, and thank God there are people out there that take them in and love them and cherish them.

Still. I agree it must be hell finding pants for those short little legs.

For once I won’t disapprove of intentionally producing munchkins, but DANG!!

That collar looks tight.

OK, I have to ask, what is a nuff(er)?

Or http://www.squidgrid.com/cute/Glossary.htm#Nuff
(sorry, Teho, only thought to check the glossy-ry after I posted).

Teej, you didn’t read the post. Kitteh HAS built-in pants, doesn’t need to BUY them. Has his own natural tailor.

Which is good since he’d never get off-the-rack. Designer cataloons for designer kitteh.

Oh my god, it IS Puss in Boots! Just imagine him standing up with a little hat in his hands. Hahahahaha!

that cat is so damn cute. he does a little paddle at the toy near the end and he makes a feeble attempt to paw the other cat as it walks by……i want a foldy!

So a Scottish kitteh’s legs aren’t Bread to be Short? Good to hear.

And one thing that nuffs are not: “Anyone who says anything I disagree with.”

(Aubrey, if they were, they’d have to be bannocked…)

It’s working now…go fig, but it was gone a moment ago:)

Btw, kitty adorable…wish our cat would let us get a kitty like that…

The world’s innieist hammy!

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_yorkshire/3223403.stm

Awww. That lil’ kitteh is adorable. I adopted a fold this summer ( http://www.flickr.com/photos/40406967@N00/tags/cliodna/ ). She is often doing the Buddha squat or standing up when investigating.

When she was a wee lass I thought she was a munchkin too, but it appeared to be an optical illusion. She’s quite tall now and in to everything. ;D

My intention is not to nuff, just to make people aware of the facts.

OK, here is the entire piece regarding bone deformation from the International Scottish Fold Association.

“Osteochondrodysplasia is a disease that is unique to Scottish Folds. It was discovered that if a folded ear Scottish fold was bred to another folded ear, many of the offspring developed a severe crippling lameness early in life. Cats affected had shortened, malformed legs and tail as well as abnormalities affecting the growth plates and spine. As a result, the breed is outlawed by the Cat Fancy in the UK, the GCCF, and has strict breeding rules and regulations with another European Cat Fancy, FIFe.

The breed was continued in the United States, however, and breeders determined that offspring of cats with folded ears to cats with normal ears did not have arthritis at an early age, and that half of the kittens (on average) had folded ears. Thus, if the cat has only one copy of the folded ear gene (heterozygous) they did not show the arthritis that the cats with two copies of the gene (homozygous) did.

Research conducted in Australia in February 1999 suggests, for the first time, that even heterozygous Scottish Fold cats may also become afflicted with progressive arthritis. It suggested that cats homozygous for the Fold gene develop crippling arthritis at an early age and that heterozygous Folds also develop arthritis but more slowly. Indeed, this study suggests all Scottish folds with folded ears will eventually develop arthritis of various severity. Of course, the straight ear version of the Scottish Fold will never develop any arthritis as it does not have the folded ear gene.

Many reputable United States Scottish fold breeders believe that with very careful breeding practices the heterozygous Scottish fold can be free from osteochondrodysplasia. Australia, where all the studies have been performed, has different breeding stock of the Scottish fold and United States breeders have been breeding out the arthritis for many generations. Dr. Leslie Lyons of UC Davis is working with Scottish fold breeders to genetically map the Scottish fold gene that is responsible for the folded ear. If you are a breeder and interested in joining the research, please contact her lab.

In the meantime, PLEASE BE AWARE that Scottish folds should be bred ONLY folded ear to straight ear and are not to be bred by people who are not dedicated to the health and well-being of these animals. Make sure that if you are purchasing a kitten that it’s tail is long and flexible. Watch it run and play and make sure it does not show any signs of lameness or pain.”
again from:
http://www.isfaorg.com/isfahealth.html

So Ioda…are you gonna coo over the cute or just lecture non-breeders on how to properly breed Scottish Folds?

So Bleh…are you gonna coo over the cute or just lecture other commenters on how to properly comment about Scottish Folds?

(you SO left yourself open to that)

Thanks Theo

Maybe you could ask someone at the International Scottish Fold Society to write a piece briefly explaining the genetic problems associated with the this breed, what is being done to breed the ‘bad’ traits out, and what to look for if you’re thinking of getting a Scottish Fold.
Oh, and not forgetting plenty of super cute kitty pics!

Bleh, who died and made you the site owner?

Any comment is allowed here, as long as it is civil.

I thought it was interesting. And the comment that they are “not to be bred by people who are not dedicated to the health and well-being of these animals” goes for any breeder of any kind of animal.

Please don’t get into personal insults.

I often just look at the cute pictures, because it makes me feel better. I only posted the info because I saw it was a contentious issue and think that it’s better to make an informed decision on the matter. If you don’t want or have time to read the comments… well, you don’t have to!

bleh, I hope you feel better soon.

OH MY GODS! I want that kitten. The cataloons, the EYEBALLS, the paddling…Is that the cutest thing EVAH?! I’ve always said, “Oh, Scottish Folds, yeah, they are cute” but NOW! NOW this little kitteh has stolen mah heart! (Let us refrain from telling the other two cats in my household this for the time being, however…)

HAHAHA! thanks teho! that made me just as happy as the video itself.

i loves this kitteh, and it needs to be snorgled regardless of what its body is shaped like.

so why isnt anybody on that?

SOMEBODY SNORGLE THE KITTEH!!!!

I LOL’ed, and SQUEE’ed!!!!

Wonderful antidote to being sick…

(Speaking of sick, bleh, I say this with no malice or judgement, but if you’ve been depressed for three weeks you probably ought to see somebody. Two weeks is one sign of clinical depression. And loda, thanks for the updated in-context info. That plus other anecdotal testimonies here tells that nuffers needn’t worry so much.)

Now. Jenben, you have made a difficult and serious and highly important request, but I feel myself up for the challenge.

*I* SHALL SNORGLE THE KITTEH!!!!!

I SHALL TAKE IT UPON MYSELF, FOR OUR NATION AND OUR BOYS IN UNIFORM, TO PLACE MY NOSE AGAINST ITS FLUFFY BELLEH AND VIGOROUSLY SHAKE MY HEAD! FOR THE PEOPLE AND THE KITTEHS, SNORGLE, SNORGLE, SNORGLE!!!!!!!

Oh and the wrestling video is totally brilliant. Because you get the combination of kitteh wrestling AND kitteh wriggling in a bag, AND Davidkitteh and Goliathkitteh. Teeny Davidkitteh is totally undeterred! Kind of a cute or sad moment when it squeaks under Goliathkitteh, but an awfully squee-worthy noise nonetheless, and it’s clear that the two like each other and are just playing.

I can’t believe no one has mentioned this, but not ONLY is this kitten Shrek’s Puss in Boots, but he’s also mimicing the “I made you a cookie but I eated it” cat. TWO IN ONE!

OMG YES YUBI YES!!! FTW!

I think it’s important to breed incredibly carefully in any case, but this sentence in the article troubled me:

“Of course, the straight ear version of the Scottish Fold will never develop any arthritis as it does not have the folded ear gene.”

Really? Arthritis is far from unique to folds. You absolutely should be aware of all the health risks particular to a breed, I think it’s a bit counterintuitive to suggest cats are immune to health issues by virtue of not being a certain breed. : (

But wow is that bebeh adorable.

his eyes are so shiiiiiiiiiiny! he looks so soft and smooth and squishy, I want to hug him ;__;