A munchkin cat is a feline with very short legs. This is a natural genetic mutation which has been recorded many times throughout history, but was not recognized as an actual breed until the late 20th century. The short legged trait of the munchkin cat is a natural occurrence, not something orchestrated by humans unlike many other pure breed cats and dogs. Apart from the short legs, the munchkin cat has a standard, medium sized body, and is similar in appearance and behavior to cats with an unidentifiable heritage, often referred to as "moggies."
Like any breed, the personality and behavior of the munchkin cat varies from animal to animal, and depends on the environment and the type and level of interaction received from their human companions. Generally this species is very active, playful, and affectionate, providing they receive enough attention and stimulation. Intelligent and reasonably easy to train, they do still retain an independent, stubborn streak as do many cat breeds. They are also very social and will usually benefit from the presence of other pets in the household.
Although the munchkin cat has very short legs, a detailed study concluded that the short leg bones do not have a negative effect on the health and quality of life of the breed. Despite the leg length, the munchkin cat has excellent coordination skills and is considered to be an excellent hunter and climber. These cats can often be seen sitting up on their hind legs to look around. The breed is also known as the magpie cat because they are notorious for running away with shiny objects to play with.
Munchkin cats can have any coat type, from long to short and coarse to silky, with any coloring or patterning. The breed was introduced from a very small number of animals, which were all mixed breed cats, whose heritage was unidentifiable. The breed will likely continue to have coat, head, and body shape variations for many years because it is essential to breed the munchkin cat with non-recognized breeds or "moggies." This is because there are a comparatively small number of munchkin cats, and many are relatively closely related. If the munchkin cat does not mate with other species to bring in new genes, there is a significant risk of inbreeding; this could result in poor general health, a greatly increased risk of certain diseases, and possibly the extinction of the breed.