The Minskin Cat
A Dwarf Cat Breed

The Minskin cat is a 'miniature cat breed' - a short-legged cat with fur points on the tail, legs, face, nose and ears. The belly generally has no fur and only sparse hair covers the rest of the body. This is a new cat breed and is currently under development. Most cat registries do not recognize the cat breed. TICA (The International Cat Association) has given it Preliminary status.

The cat breed was the brainchild of Paul McSorley, a cat breeder from Boston Massachusetts. Mr McSorley wanted to develop a cat with short legs and fur restricted to the points or extremities, much like the Siamese cat's color points.

In order to achieve this, he crossed the Munchkin cat (the original short-legged cat) with the Sphynx Cat (Canadian Hairless). The Burmese cat and Devon Rex cat were also included in the breeding program.

The Minskin breeding program commenced in 1998, but it took a further 2 years before the first Minskin standard was achieved. This is a very rare cat breed and at this stage very few cat breeders exist.

The Minskin name: we are not entirely sure how the name came about, but it could be from a combination of words Min (for miniature legs; or the Dutch word 'minder' meaning small or less); the 'skin' would refer to the coat which is like skin and may even incorporate the 'in' of Munchkin.

Features and Characteristics

This a small cat breed described as quite stocky with a sweet kitten-like expression.

Personality and Temperament

They are wonderful little cats. The Minskin cat, it would appear has inherited the combined personality of the Sphynx and Munchkin cats. They are intelligent, eager learners and very curious about their surroundings.

A people-orientated cat who loves to be handled. They adore children and make wonderful companion cats for the elderly. Despite their stature, they have no inferiority complex - they are sociable, outgoing and affectionate and enjoy the company of other cats and dogs.

Owners and breeders tell us that their short legs do not restrict them in anyway. They are athletic and playful and they run around the house like any other cat - their movement sometimes mimicking the bouncing movement of a ferret. Climbing is not a problem, they will find inventive ways of getting onto beds and cupboards.

Health and Grooming

The Minskin cat is a medium maintenance cat breed. Whilst shedding is minimal or non-existent, they do need a regular bath to keep their skin soft, clean and supple.

They are generally healthy cats but there may be genetic issues related to their pseudo-achondroplasia (short-limb dwarfism with normal size head) - i.e. lordosis (exaggerated inward curvature of the spine) and pectus excavatum (a deformity that causes a funnel chest or sunken chest). These conditions can be avoided or 'bred-out' provided a good breeding program is followed.

They are sensitive to cold and would require a special diet to regulate their body temperatures. Sunburn needs to be prevented.