Are Munchkin British Shorthair Cats the Cutest Cats Alive?

The Answer May Surprise You.

Whether you’re new to the intricate workings of the cat breeding world or are a seasoned professional, there’s a good chance you’ve come across an image of an adorable cat with short, stubby legs that look like they can’t possibly be real. Upon further inspection, you may have even seen a cat with the indescribably cute face, large round eyes, and fluffy jowls of the British Shorthair, on an expectedly plump body and unexpectedly stubby legs! Is there truly a variation of the British Shorthair with short, stumpy legs that enable it to scuttle around like a creature straight out of your dreams? The answer is–sort of! Read on to learn more about this seemingly mythic breed of adorable cat.

I actually am new to this. What is a Munchkin cat?

A munchkin cat is primarily characterized by the short and stumpy length of its legs–a genetic trait specifically bred into these cats to give them their shorter legs. Also known as a sausage cat, they are most easily compared to a dachshund, or sausage dog. The stubby legs of munchkin cats make them irresistibly adorable as they scamper around–they can only be made even cuter with the addition of British Shorthair genes with a teddy bear face and even cobbier body shape.  

The Dangers of the Munchkin

While the breed has been recognized by The International Cat Association TICA since 1997, it remains controversial to this day. Critics of the breed have raised concerns over potential health issues linked to their shorter limbs–not unlike those associated with other purebred cats, such as Persians with their totally flattened faces, whose feature many consider to make them adorable proves to be their ultimate downfall. Due to these concerns for the health and welfare of the breed, the vast majority of pedigree cat associations refuse to recognize the Munchkin as an official breed to this day. However, it’s also worth noting that, to this point in time, there haven’t been a severe number of cases in which Munchkins suffer due to genetic conditions. It’s important to proceed with caution with the breed, but at least for the moment they look to be relatively in the clear. As always, it’s important when seeking out a breeder to ensure that they maintain safe practices, and operate for the good of the breed.

History & Breeding

The Munchkin breed is considered quite young, as it’s only been around since the 1980’s. The breed originated from American Domestic Shorthair cats with a genetic mutation for shorter, stubby legs. Since the breed’s origin, the Munchkin has been crossbred with various other long-established cat breeds to result in several offshoot breeds. These include:

• The Minskin and Bambino, both from the Munchkin crossed with the Sphynx
• The Lambkin, from the Munchkin crossed with the Selkirk Rex
• The Minuet (formerly known as the Napoleon), from the Munchkin crossed with the Persian
• The Genetta, from the Munchkin crossed with the Bengal
• The Scottish Kilt, from the Munchkin crossed with the Scottish Fold

The Munchkin and the British Shorthair – What is the Answer?

By this point you may be wondering–where do we get to the point?! How can I find the most perfect, cute cat–the cross between the British Shorthair and the Munchkin. The answer is a tad bit more roundabout, though at the same time quite simple! As you may have gathered from the above list of crossed Munchkin breeds, there is no official breed that is a cross between the Munchkin and the British Shorthair. There may be small scale breeders out there that specialize in this crossing, however there is no crossed breed that is officially recognized by any cat pedigree association at this time.

However, you may be questioning this a bit as you’ve seen pictures out there of what undoubtedly looks like a British Shorthair crossed with a Munchkin–and you wouldn’t be wrong! What you are actually seeing is in fact the Scottish Kilt–mentioned in the above list as the crossed breed between the Munchkin and the Scottish Fold. “Hang on a second,” you may protest. “A Scottish Fold and a British Shorthair are not at all the same breed!” And you’re not entirely wrong! However, you also can’t argue the fact that the facial features between British Shorthairs and Scottish Folds are typically quite similar, if not identical–the main differentiator between the two breeds being the folded ears of the Scottish Fold, along with perhaps a slightly less round face and slightly less cobby body type, both of which are inherent in and emblematic of the British Shorthair.

All in all, if you’re dead set on procuring a cat that is indeed the perfect mix of a British Shorthair and a Munchkin, the Scottish Kilt is going to be your best and closest bet. The upside here, is as a TICA-recognized breed, the Scottish Kilt is going to be easier to find, as there are indeed breeders who specialize in producing these adorable creatures for loving cat parents. That being said, as we’ve mentioned before the Munchkin breed is a considerably young, less recognized breed compared to more established breeds such as the British Shorthair and the Scottish Fold as standalones. Furthermore, the Scottish Kilt is even more niche, and therefore may still be relatively difficult to seek out and find breeders of repute. As always, we advise extreme caution and care when seeking out breeders, especially when it comes to a more niche breed like the Munchkin or the Scottish Kilt. Whether you’re in the market for one of these sweet, tiny-legged creatures, or are a British Shorthair die hard with an interest in just what made some of their legs appear so short and stubby, now you know all there is to know about Munchkins and Scottish Kilts in relation to the British Shorthair breed!