Minskin facts for kids
The Minskin is a breed of cat derived from intentional hybrid cross-breedings between the Munchkin and Burmese with the addition of Sphynx and Devon Rex which all lent to their development. It is a low-riding, rug-hugger breed with short legs and fur-pointed coat. They are described as having a small to medium-sized semi-cobby muscular body, a rounded head, large ears that are wide at the base, a short broad muzzle with prominent whisker pads and eyes that are large and round, spaced well apart, giving them an open alert expression. Their fur is a sparse rex-coat, which is more dense on their outer extremities, giving them a unique coat description of "fur-points" that defines the mask, ears, legs and tail, with a more sparsely coated cashmere-like torso. Minskin cats are often described as exotic and alien-like, they are sweet tempered and affectionate cats that are playful but not destructive. They are a healthy, small breed that require little grooming and get along with other animals, thrive on human interaction and are particularly fond of children.
Quick facts for kids Minskin |
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Female Minskin kitten
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| Other names | Teddy Rex |
| Common nicknames | Teddy Rex |
| Origin | United States |
| Breed standards | |
| TICA | standard |
| Domestic cat (Felis catus) | |
History
In 1998, Paul Richard McSorley began the development of the Minskin cat breed in Boston, Massachusetts. Just as the Siamese has color restricted to the points/extremities, Paul McSorley envisioned a cat with short legs and denser fur restricted to the points (fur-points) on the mask, ears, legs and tail, with a noticeably more sparsely coated torso, neck and belly.
To accomplish his goal, he crossed his already established Munchkin (show) cats with short legs (short legs are a naturally occurring physical anomaly, a healthy dominant gene) with a full coat of fur. He then introduced and combined 'fuzzy' Sphynx for the hairless characteristic (hairlessness is a cosmetic anomaly which is a naturally occurring, healthy recessive gene) but with denser fur restricted to the extremities, making for a healthier immune system. When combined, the two healthy mutation genes do not recognize each other and therefore do not cause any detrimental impact. For the appeal of structure, temperament, type and other desired qualities, he also used his International Award Winning Burmese cats and Devon Rex in the development of his Minskin breeding program. The first standard cat that met his goal was "TRT I Am Minskin Hear Me Roar" 'Rory' was born in July 2000.
By early 2005 about 50 cats meeting the Minskin vision existed and were registered by The International Cat Association (TICA). In 2008, the Minskin became recognized as a Preliminary New Breed (PNB) and is currently in TICA's program that monitors the development of new breeds and their progress toward achieving the title of Advanced New Breed (ANB). Ultimately, when all requirements are met and with the approval of the BOD, the Minskin breed will advance in TICA with full recognition in the Championship class.
See also
In Spanish: Minskin para niños
