I adopted an abandoned Munchkin dwarf cat

I have a Munchkin with three other ‘normal’ cats – there is nothing wrong with his athletic ability. In fact, he is more athletic than two of them!

I agree with Ruth (Monty’s Mum). My personal view (and as I say I accept other people’s views) is that it is wrong to breed cats from a genetic mutation that causes dwarfism. Dwarfism is not useful to an animal and in the wild such a mutation would fizzle out as it goes against survival. The CFA agree with this and don’t register this cat breed.

Breeders should focus on health foremost and genetic mutations that have negative health consequences should not be seized upon and used to create interesting looking cats.

Another example of an interesting looking cat with potential health problems is the Scottish Fold (cat with folded down ear flaps)

I believe people don’t have the right to breed animals for their own convenience when it is done for appearance of the animal with no concern for the health of the animal. It’s bad enough we changed the genetic makeup of cats and dogs to domesticate them, making animals which are dependent on us. But then to narrow the gene pool further and create an animal that has NO chance of survival without humans– that’s just wrong. Plus, your cat was abandoned. That’s terrible, but not surprising, given humanity’s track record.

Ken Ham, a creationist, does talks on topics like “Genes and Genesis.” He uses the poodle as an example of what happens with a very narrow gene pool. God did not create the poodle, would not have created the poodle! Human beings gave us the poodle. It’s the same as the situation with your Munchkin dwarf cat– a poodle is an animal that’s got no chance of survival in the natural world. (I’d actually bet your cat would have a better chance than a poodle would.) Ken Ham says that when he sees a poodle he automatically thinks, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That gets a big laugh at his talks, but he makes a good point. Humans will go on breeding tiny little cats and helpless little dogs– but that we do so shows our fallen nature.

Thanks for sharing. I remember another post on this website that you have probably read about how dwarf cats are as athletic as regular cats. And I agree with you. You have first hand experience of course, and logic dictates that, all other factors being equal, a cat with short legs cannot jump as well as a cat with longer legs. Jumping is a major part of a cat’s life. Thanks too for adopting an abandoned cat. She was lucky.