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Minuet cat

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Minuet
Example of a long-haired Minuet cat
Other namesNapoleon
OriginUnited States
Foundation bloodstockMunchkin, Persian (sometimes Himalayan, Exotic Shorthair)
Breed standards
TICAstandard
Notes
Not recognized by other registries than TICA
Domestic cat (Felis catus)

The Minuet[1] (also known as the Napoleon[2]) is a hybrid mix of Persian and Munchkin cat breeds. Categorized by The International Cat Association (TICA) as a domestic hybrid, "developed from a deliberate cross between two existing domestic breeds, incorporating characteristics of both parental breeds into the new mix."[3] The Minuet cat is characterized by its short legs, as a result of the dwarfism-mutation derived from the Munchkin breed.

According to TICA's official standards, these breeds represent the only permissible outcrosses one may use to create the Minuet.[4] This includes the combinations Minuet × Minuet, Minuet × Munchkin, and Minuet × one of the Persian-type breeds (including Persians, Himalayans and Exotic Shorthairs). Minuets come in both long-haired and short-haired varieties.

History

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Origin

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In 1996 Joe Smith started breeding Persians with Munchkins. Joe had previously bred Basset Hounds, a breed with osteochondrodysplasia;[5] similarly Munchkin cats have achondroplasia.[6] He wished to create a breed that would appeal to people irrespective of the size of the limbs (the gene responsible for the shortened limbs is autosomal dominant and lethal in utero when the gene is homozygous: therefore not all Munchkins will be born with the smaller stature).[7][6] The name Napoleon was chosen due to the belief of Napoleon Bonaparte being short.[a][8]

Breed recognition

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In 2001, the breed was added to the experimental breeds category of TICA. By 2002, it had achieved registration-only status; by 2011, the breed had achieved preliminary status, and was being shown in TICA cat shows by 2012.[8] In January 2015, TICA's board of directors voted to change the name of the breed to Minuet.[1] The breed was promoted to full TICA championship eligibility in 2016.[9] The breed is recognized under the original Napoleon name by the Rare and Exotic Feline Registry.[2]

Welfare concerns

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Apart from TICA, the other major cat registries do not allow the registry of the Minuet breed, nor recognise it, due to concerns about the animal's welfare. Among others, the breed is not recognised by:

The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF) and Fédération Internationale Féline (FIFe) both disallow any Munchkin and Munchkin-derived breed from being registered due to the health concerns arising from the dwarfism of the breed.[14][15]

Breeding bans

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Breeding the Minuet is prohibited by law in Victoria which outlaws the breeding of animals with hereditary aplasia or hypoplasia of long bones.[16] The Australian Capital Territory forbids the breeding of 'malformed animals' which includes the Munchkin.[17]

Appearance

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A long-haired white and gray Minuet cat named Rhubarb.

The Minuet has the stubbed legs of the Munchkin and the shortened face of the Persian. The body is semi-cobby with shortened height due to the legs. The tail is not short in comparison to the length of the cat's body. The ears are rounded and wide apart. Eyes are large and round. The Minuet may come in any coat colour.[18]

Health

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Due to inheriting both the dwarfism of the Munchkin and the shortened face of the Persian the Minuet is susceptible to multiple health issues relating to both conditions.[19]

The condition causing the shortened legs and enlarged head is known as achondrodysplasia and with common symptoms including thick-looking joints, undersized jaw, curved spine, and a bow-legged or knock knee posture.[20] Lordosis and pectus excavatum have higher incidence in breeds with achondrodysplasia.[21] The shortened limbs give the breed a heightened risk of osteoarthritis.[22][6]

The shortened face inherited from the Persian is known as brachycephaly. The anatomical deformities caused by brachycephaly may lead to dyspnoea.[23] Epiphora may occur due to malformation of the nasolacrimal ducts which causes staining and secondary dermatitis.[24] Their shallow eye socket may lead to exophthalmos and feline corneal sequestra.[25] Their malformed jaw can cause difficulty with mastication; the result is a build up of food which leads to accelerated plaque formation and periodontal disease.[26] Brachycephaly may also lead to dystocia with higher rates of still births in brachycephalic cats than cats with mesocephaly.[27] Another condition which occurs due to the anatomical abnormalities is brachycephalic airway obstruction syndrome which can cause stridor, sleep apnoea, and even death.[26][28]

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Minuet cat.

Notes

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  1. ^ Napoleon was of average height for the time although it is a commonly held belief that he was short. Minuet was also not a known nickname of Napoleon nor is it a proper French word.

References

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  1. ^ a b "2015 Winter Board Meeting" (PDF). TICA.org. The International Cat Association. January 23–25, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 12, 2015.
  2. ^ a b "Napoleon". RareExoticFelineRegistry.com. Rare and Exotic Feline Registry. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  3. ^ "Registration Rules & Related Standing Rules" (PDF). TICA.org. The International Cat Association. January 1, 2013. p. 4. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 22, 2013.
  4. ^ "Minuet Breed Groups (MNT/MNL)" (PDF). TICA.org. The International Cat Association. May 1, 2016. Retrieved January 27, 2024.
  5. ^ Martínez, Simón; Fajardo, Raúl; Valdés, Jesús; Ulloa-Arvizu, Raúl; Alonso, Rogelio (January 2007). "Histopathologic study of long-bone growth plates confirms the basset hound as an osteochondrodysplastic breed". Canadian Journal of Veterinary Research. 71 (1): 66–69. PMC 1635992. PMID 17195339.
  6. ^ a b c "Munchkin Limb Deformity". Universities Federation for Animal Welfare. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  7. ^ "Gene Anomalies". Messy Beast. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  8. ^ a b "Minuet". TICA.org. The International Cat Association. Archived from the original on September 12, 2015. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  9. ^ "Minuet Breed". TICA.org. The International Cat Association. Retrieved January 27, 2023.
  10. ^ "Breeds". CFA.org. Cat Fanciers' Association. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  11. ^ "Breed standards". FIFeWeb.org. Fédération Internationale Féline. 2023. Archived from the original on December 20, 2015. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  12. ^ "Cat breeds". GCCFCats.org. Governing Council of the Cat Fancy.
  13. ^ "Recognized and admitted breeds in the WCF". WCF.info. World Cat Federation. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  14. ^ The Governing Council of the Cat Fancy, The GCCF says Health Comes First Archived May 4, 2015, at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ Breeding and Registration Rules: 2.7.3 Genetic Diseases. Fédération Internationale Feline
  16. ^ "Code of Practice for the Breeding of Animals with Heritable Defects that Cause Disease". Animal Welfare Victoria. Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions; Agriculture Victoria. July 6, 2020. Retrieved April 1, 2023.
  17. ^ Australian Capital Territory, Code of Practice for the Welfare of Cats in the ACT
  18. ^ "Minuet Standard" (PDF). The International Cat Association. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  19. ^ "Napoleon". International Cat Care. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  20. ^ "Feline Dwarfism". Basepaws. March 6, 2019. Retrieved September 14, 2019.
  21. ^ Hubler, M.; Langley-Hobbs, S.J. (2009). "Hereditary and congenital musculoskeletal diseases". In Montavon, P.M.; Voss, K.; Langley-Hobbs, S.J. (eds.). Feline Orthopedic Surgery and Musculoskeletal Disease. Saunders Ltd. pp. 41–53. doi:10.1016/B978-0-7020-2986-8.00010-0. ISBN 978-0-7020-2986-8. There may be a familial tendency to thoracic wall deformities (pectus excavatum, unilateral thoracic wall concavity) in Bengal kittens, and chondrodystrophic Munchkin cats may also have an increased incidence of pectus excavatum and spinal lordosis.
  22. ^ Ettinger, Stephen J.; Feldman, Edward C.; Bennett, D.; May, C. (1995). "Joint diseases of Dogs and Cats". Textbook of Veterinary Internal Medicine (4 ed.). Philadelphia: Saunders. p. 2053. ISBN 978-0721667959.
  23. ^ Künzel, W.; Breit, S.; Oppel, M. (2003). "Morphometric Investigations of Breed-Specific Features in Feline Skulls and Considerations on their Functional Implications". Anatomia, Histologia, Embryologia. 32 (4): 218–223. doi:10.1046/j.1439-0264.2003.00448.x. PMID 12919072. S2CID 2721559.
  24. ^ Schlueter, Claudia; Budras, Klaus D; Ludewig, Eberhard; Mayrhofer, Elisabeth; Koenig, Horst E; Walter, Alice; Oechtering, Gerhard U (November 1, 2009). "Brachycephalic Feline Noses: CT and Anatomical Study of the Relationship between Head Conformation and the Nasolacrimal Drainage System". Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 11 (11): 891–900. doi:10.1016/j.jfms.2009.09.010. PMC 11383020. PMID 19857852. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
  25. ^ Featherstone, Heidi J.; Sansom, Jane (June 16, 2004). "Feline corneal sequestra: a review of 64 cases (80 eyes) from 1993 to 2000". Veterinary Ophthalmology. 7 (4). Wiley: 213–227. doi:10.1111/j.1463-5224.2004.04028.x. ISSN 1463-5216. PMID 15200618.
  26. ^ a b Malik, Richard; Sparkes, Andy; Bessant, Claire (2009). "Brachycephalia - a Bastardisation of what Makes Cats Special". Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery. 11 (11): 889–890. doi:10.1016/j.jfms.2009.09.009. ISSN 1098-612X. PMC 11383017. PMID 19857851. S2CID 1789486.
  27. ^ Gunn-Moore, D. A.; Thrusfield, M. V. (1995). "Feline dystocia: prevalence, and association with cranial conformation and breed". Vet Rec. 136 (14): 350–353. doi:10.1136/vr.136.14.350. PMID 7610538. S2CID 46646058.
  28. ^ "Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome in Dogs and Cats". University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine. November 2, 2023. Retrieved January 21, 2024.
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