The date of appearance of this breed is considered to be June 12, 1995. On this day, the American basset hound breeder Joe Smith had the idea to create a new breed of cats that would be miniature and have a cute, charming face. This idea was inspired by an article about small Munchkin cats published in the Wall Street Journal. The trait responsible for the length of the paws was not of particular importance to Smith; he decided to breed two varieties of cats with long and short paws. So, in the course of work to create a new breed of cats, Napoleon, a classic with regular long legs, and Napoleon, an extreme cat with short legs, appeared. The work of creating a new breed was not easy; Smith spent a fair amount of time, money and effort to achieve the first results. He failed to finally achieve his goal, under the influence of emotions, out of despair, he castrated all the Napoleon breed cats he bred, and then distributed and sold them to new owners, destroying all the information material on working on the breed. But the cats were so cute and charming that new breeders decided to continue Smith's work. As a result, the Napoleon breed was accepted for registration in TICA (USA) and ASSOLUX (Russia). DescriptionCharacterCareCost
Brief history of the breed
These animals were bred in the USA in the second half of the 90s of the last century. Their story began when American basset breeder Joe Smith decided to try to create a new breed of short-legged cats with shaggy hair. To do this, he used munchkins and Persians. To his surprise, it turned out that the offspring from such matings had serious defects and were not suitable for further experiments.
After many unsuccessful attempts and careful study of DNA, Smith managed to obtain several short-legged cats without congenital pathologies and gene mutations. But the reluctance of felinological organizations to recognize the new breed and the complete lack of finance forced him to complete his experiments and castrate all males.
The remaining females began to be used in the breeding programs of other breeders. During breeding work, they were crossed with short-haired exotics, as a result of which the Napoleons received an unusual appearance. As a result, thanks to the efforts of several American breeders, the breed not only survived and gained popularity, but also received official recognition from TICA.
Cute little bundle
Each kitten can present its owners with a lot of interesting facts about its behavior.
There is an opinion that Napoleons help a person get rid of fatigue and stress, overcome muscle pain and headaches.
Their full, round muzzle with huge, round, wide-set eyes will not leave any fan of furballs indifferent.
Even looking at the photo of the Napoleon cat, you just want to hug this fluffy little ball to your chest and never let go.
Interesting Facts
Despite the relative youth of the breed, many interesting things have been associated with it:
- Short-legged cats are named after Napoleon Bonaparte. Moreover, all historians claim that the famous French commander not only hated these animals, but also suffered from gatophobia.
- The Napoleon cat breed is in its infancy. Therefore, its representatives are allowed to be bred with Persians, Munchkins, shorthaired exotics and Himalayans.
- In 2015, TICA management considered the name “Napoleon” offensive to the French and renamed the breed “minuet”, which is translated from French. means "small".
Conclusions about the breed
What conclusions can be drawn about the miniature cat Napoleon? If we compare the advantages and disadvantages, we will make the following verdict:
- Excessive friendliness has a downside: the cat is often lonely, you need to play with it a lot, talk to it and simply pet it endlessly. If the owners are rare guests in their home, the breed is not for them.
- The cat is affectionate, you don’t have to worry about children and animals.
- If the cat's pedigree is impeccable, he will enjoy good health. Of course, with the right content.
- Maintenance is simple and not complicated. The main thing is to feed him well and keep his coat, eyes and ears clean.
Beautiful, playful and funny cat Minuet is waiting for her portion of admiration!
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Breed description, standards, appearance
Napoleons are cats with a specific funny appearance. The flattened muzzle and small dimensions give the representatives of the breed a resemblance to kittens.
Dimensions and weight
Minuets are miniature, harmoniously built cats with a round, elastic body. The female's weight rarely exceeds 2 kg. An adult Napoleon cat weighs about 3 kg.
Anatomical characteristics
A typical Minuet cat should fit the following description:
- The head is round, large, with a neat chin, full cheeks and a flattened muzzle. The nose is short and wide. Napoleon has a peculiar doll-like facial expression - “baby face”.
- The ears are neat, small, set wide apart, with rounded tips and good lining on the inside of the shell.
- The eyes are round and expressive. The color of Napoleon's iris is in harmony with the color of his coat.
- The body is round, elongated, with a short, strong neck and straight back.
- The tail is proportional to the length of the body and has a uniform edge.
Find out which cat breeds also have bushy tails.
On a note. Depending on the length of the legs, minuets are divided into classic ones with regular, long limbs and extreme ones with short legs.
Color and coat type
Depending on the length of their fur, Napoleon cats are either short-haired or long-haired. The former have thick, dense fur. The latter are covered with silky long hair with developed decorative hair.
Minuet can be any color, including color point, bicolor and tabby.
Possible breed defects
Flaws in appearance, in the presence of which Napoleon the cat will not receive a high expert assessment:
- pronounced eyebrows;
- strong break of the bridge of the nose;
- creases on the tail;
- lacrimation;
- skeletal defects;
- polydactyly;
- cryptorchidism.
Price
The high cost of kittens of the Napoleon breed is also due to the fact that purebred offspring that meet the standard are very difficult to breed. Kittens are often born with standard body proportions. They are still miniature compared to regular cats, but have no breed value and are not suitable for sale. But they still sell.
You can buy a long-legged kitten for fifty thousand rubles. But a kitten that meets all standards can only be purchased for one and a half thousand dollars.
Character and temperament
The minuets have an almost ideal character. Napoleons quickly become attached to people and need constant communication with their owners. Friendly and sociable cats are ready to participate in active games for hours and are not capable of aggression.
On a note. Napoleons do not tolerate loneliness well and suffer greatly from their master's inattention. If a minuet is left alone at home for a long time, he may get sick and even die from melancholy.
Peaceful and affectionate minuets happily play with their master's children and never let out their claws. The sociability and good nature of Napoleons helps them easily find a common language with other pets, including dogs and small rodents.
Characteristics of Napoleons
The childish face will remain with the minuet cat forever. This is a pet for people who would like to keep a kitten to adore, love and cherish.
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The Minuet cat is a favorite among families with children. The baby pets the cat, and the cat is happy with this kind of attention.
Kittens are funny, they even jump and it’s hilarious and awkward. This is all because the jump is achieved through the interaction of the long body and short legs. This does not interfere with playing at all, because such a pet will always appreciate the owner’s attention and desire to be together.
Loneliness is clearly not the favorite pastime of the furry Napoleons. There can never be too many people! The Minuet kitten will quickly become attached to its owners; cats from childhood to old age love to be stroked and caressed. This is the same pussy that purrs touchingly and warmly on the laps of household members.
A cat's demand for attention can become obsessive; the breed's character is very sociable! If the owners leave the cat alone for a long time, he will be very worried and sad
A kitten of the Napoleon breed is friendly, peaceful, coexists peacefully with other animals in the house, not only cats, but also dogs and rodents.
Raising and training a pet
The animals are smart, the basic “dos” and “don’ts” are quickly mastered by the animal. The owner's patience will be rewarded. Since cats are quite playful, you can teach them to fetch a small toy. Natural intelligence can be developed. You should first learn how to raise a kitten, which will help you avoid future problems with your pet’s psyche.
It is also easy to accustom the purr to such things as a tray and a place to eat.
How to choose the right kitten
Representatives of the Napoleon breed are not cheap, so you need to approach their purchase with the utmost responsibility. To be sure of the health and purebred of the animal, it is better to purchase a small minuet from a certified nursery.
Napoleon is easy to recognize by his reduced size, short legs, large round eyes and “childish” expression of his muzzle. And the health of kittens can be judged by their shiny soft coat, good appetite, energetic behavior and clear eyes without signs of tearing.
Kitten care
Competent breeders do not hand over little Napoleons to their owners before they are 3 months old. By this age, kittens become less dependent on their mother and are ready for independent living. Three-month-old minuets usually know how to use a tray and scratching post, and also eat from their own bowl without any problems. Therefore, owners do not have to teach their short-legged pets basic skills.
To prevent Napoleon from being injured, indoor plants, wires, detergents and breakable objects are removed from him in advance. Minuet is also limited in access to large household appliances, open windows and open balconies.
To prevent problems with the gastrointestinal tract, at first, a kitten of this breed is fed only food that is familiar to it. New foods are introduced into the minuet’s diet gradually to monitor the reaction of his body. Napoleon's feeding schedule is based on the cat's age:
- up to 4 months – 6 times a day;
- 4-6 months – 5 times a day;
- 6-9 months – 4 times a day;
- 9-12 months – 3 times a day.
From the age of one year, Napoleons are transferred to twice feeding.
Price and where to buy Napoleon kitten
The Napoleon breed is considered exotic, and therefore is expensive. It's nice to have a friendly, sophisticated exclusive! And this is exclusive because breeding such a cat without hereditary health problems is not as easy as one would like. Only a professional can do this.
In Russia there are nurseries specializing in breeding Napoleons. To create, as usual, a Persian cat and a munchkin are taken. Excellent pedigree of both lines is required to produce healthy offspring without abnormalities.
A Napoleon kitten costs 30,000-50,000 rubles. A small fluffy exclusive can be purchased at the Bronze Breeze nursery (Moscow, Russia).
Also, the miniature purr can be found in foreign nurseries.
How to name minuet kittens
A cat that appears like a kitten until old age is usually adored by everyone in the family.
But choosing a name for a baby is sometimes difficult. Too soft will seem like excessive lisp. Ordinary will not add charm either. This means that the nickname should be euphonious, beautiful, and a little soft. There is no need to give a brutal name even to a boy. To prevent choosing a nickname for kittens from becoming painful, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with the list of suitable names for funny exotic cats. Nickname table
Girl | Boy | ||
Lada Anta Lola Priora Villa Belka Zirsa Snezha Gala Nika | Dulya Yolka Inza Rina Nyusya Vasena Aisha Murlysya Yuska Bentley | Boatswain Khariton Star Elizar Sauron Eros Khan Adonis Boris Vermut | Antey Mario Karabas Love Lavrentiy Zephyr Ruby Spark Guidon Karat |
Care and maintenance
Due to their anatomical features and excessive gullibility, Napoleons are suitable exclusively for home keeping. To make short-legged cats look neat, they are provided with hygienic care:
- Minuet's ears are cleaned at least 2 times a week. To do this, a special agent is dripped into each of them, and then wiped with a cotton swab. If unusual or excessive discharge is detected, the short-legged cat is taken to the veterinarian.
- Napoleon's eyes are wiped daily with a clean cloth soaked in herbal decoction or boiled water.
- Minuet's claws are carefully trimmed with a nail clipper as they grow.
- Napoleon's teeth are brushed weekly with a soft silicone brush and a small amount of non-foaming pet paste. This simple procedure helps prevent stone formation and serious dental problems.
Caring for a Napoleon's coat depends on the length of the cat's coat. Minuets with short plush fur are brushed once a week. Long-haired cats are scratched daily. Representatives of the breed are bathed 3-4 times a year using special shampoos.
On a note. Since Napoleons are not delighted at the sight of water, they are accustomed to bathing procedures from an early age.
Pet health and life expectancy
When developing the breed, special attention was paid to ensuring that the cats did not have any genetic mutations and a predisposition to typical feline diseases. Therefore, Napoleons are not prone to the vast majority of diseases - of course, with proper care.
Breeders assure that the health of each individual depends entirely on the pedigree. Therefore, if there are no sick animals among the kitten’s relatives, then we can safely talk about its good health.
Some representatives of the breed are prone to polycystic kidney disease. Napoleons inherited this disease from Persian cats, which often experience kidney problems. However, as mentioned above, if there was no polycystic disease in the family, then with a high degree of probability we can talk about the normal health of the pet.
The lifespan of Napoleons is 10–12 years. For ordinary cats this is a normal period, although Napoleons cannot be called long-livers.
Due to genetic abnormalities, representatives of the breed may suffer from kidney disease
Feeding the cat
Napoleons are not picky cats; they can eat both industrial and natural food. The main thing is not to mix these types of nutrition with each other.
When feeding dry food for Napoleon, premium or super-premium products are selected, which do not contain dubious additives such as corn or dyes. The following brands of food are best suited for minuets:
- Grandin;
- Royal Canin;
- Hills;
- Pro Plan.
When feeding natural products, Napoleon's diet should consist mainly of lean, fresh meat. The short-legged cat's menu also includes porridge, vegetables, offal, eggs, fermented milk and ocean fish.
To maintain the health of the digestive system, pork, bones, sausages, sweets, smoked meats and pickles are completely excluded from the minuet diet. Also, the cat is not given river fish, exotic fruits, starchy vegetables, beans, or any food from the owner’s table.
On a note. To prevent the minuet's stomach from becoming clogged with tufts of fur, the cat is systematically given a special paste to dissolve the fur.
Catering
The Napoleon cat is one of the animals prone to overeating. You should carefully monitor her diet and control the portion size. In addition, children should be encouraged to engage in sufficient physical activity. All this will help maintain normal body weight, health and activity for many years. Long-haired pets, while licking themselves, swallow their own fur. Along with food, they are offered a special paste that helps remove trichobezoars (hairballs) from the stomach.
Something else interesting: how to choose the right diet and how much food does a cat need per day?
For minuet, feeding both dry, industrial food and natural food is acceptable. Some owners prefer a mixed type of diet for their pets, although not all veterinarians approve of this regimen. It is very important that the diet is balanced and helps compensate for the deficiency of all nutrients and vitamins. Constant access to clean and fresh water is very important for Napoleon.
Natural products
As with all obligate carnivores, the most important ingredient in the diet for Napoleons is meat. All types of meat are suitable for them, except pork (rabbit, turkey, chicken, beef, veal). The meat is given raw, frozen for 24 hours to eliminate helminths. Additional ingredients are also important. They will help make your diet complete and varied:
- offal (liver, stomachs, hearts);
- fermented milk products (low-fat kefir, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese);
- sea fish (once a week);
- egg yolks (once a week);
- Porridge with water (buckwheat, rice, oats, millet);
- vegetables (zucchini, carrots, cabbage, pumpkin, greens).
Something else interesting: DIY cat food recipes
Recommended food
From dry food you should choose only high-quality, holistic, super-premium, where the ingredients are only high-quality and well-balanced. This will help avoid possible side effects from preservatives, dyes, and flavor enhancers contained in cheap food. The following brands of food are suitable:
- Grandorf;
- Primordial;
- Fitmin Purity.
Education and physical activity
Napoleons are highly intelligent cats; they quickly understand what is required of them. Clean and harmless minuets easily get used to the litter box and learn the rules of behavior in the house.
Short legs do not affect the activity of these temperamental and playful cats. To maintain good physical shape, minuets need sports complexes with tunnels.
Tips for choosing a Napoleon kitten
Recently, there have been professional nurseries in Russia where they breed Napoleon cats. If you want to buy a kitten, you should contact such a nursery. You should not buy it from your own hands, as there is a high risk of getting a sick animal. The difficulty is that there are strict requirements for breeding Napoleons. They can only be accomplished with a professional attitude to the matter. Matings can only be carried out in this way:
- Napoleon and Napoleon;
- Napoleon and Persian cat or exotic.
Mating a Napoleon and a Munchkin is undesirable, since kittens with conformation defects may be born. Inbreeding is not allowed; there is a threat of dangerous mutations and diseases.
When purchasing, it is important to check the pedigrees of both parents. This will ensure the purchase of a healthy kitten with a high probability. You should also pay attention to what the kitten looks like and in what conditions it is kept in the nursery.
How much does it cost and where to buy
Since Napoleons have only recently been bred in Russia, here you can only count on a pet class pet (pet). Such a kitten costs from 30 to 70 thousand rubles. Breeding of show class animals is currently carried out only in America. Their price can reach up to several thousand dollars.
Vaccinations and antiparasitic treatment
To prevent viral and infectious diseases, cats of this breed are regularly vaccinated with a complex drug that activates the production of immunity to rhinotracheitis, calcivirosis and panleukopenia. The first vaccination for a Napoleon kitten is given at the age of 7-8 weeks. After 28 days, the minuet is vaccinated against the same diseases and against rabies. In the future, cats of this breed are vaccinated once a year.
To prevent diseases transmitted by fleas and worms, minuet is regularly subjected to antiparasitic treatment. Anthelmintics are given to a cat of this breed twice a year with mandatory repetition after 10-14 days. The dosage of the drug is selected depending on the weight of Napoleon.
Cats of this breed are treated against fleas with drops, sprays or shampoos. And if Minuet goes on walks, he is put on an anti-parasitic collar.
Diseases
If you want to maintain your pet's health at a high level, you will need:
- Carry out deworming in a timely manner – i.e. give deworming tablets once a quarter;
- Treat your cat for external parasites (if it communicates with other cats and you take it for walks);
- Get vaccinated against rabies and other dangerous diseases every year.
The most vulnerable place of cats of this breed is the kidneys. Polycystic disease is a common problem that, if untreated, progresses to kidney failure. Another genetic problem is progressive retinal atrophy. It is diagnosed in kittens at 1-2 months and leads to complete blindness. The structure of the skull causes frequent dental problems: the appearance of tartar, gingivitis. Another dangerous disease is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. It is inherited from parents, occurs more often in older cats, and causes sudden cardiac arrest and death.
Pros and cons of the breed
Napoleons, like cats of any other breed, have not only positive, but also negative traits.
pros | Minuses |
Pretty appearance | Excessive gullibility |
Affectionate character | Intolerance of loneliness |
Cleanliness |
Napoleons are cute cats with a friendly and sociable disposition. Playful animals with a doll-like expression do not require special care and will become true friends to those who are ready to give them care and warmth.
Photo gallery
Below are photos of Napoleon cats.
sweety___kitty
bezhik_vs_baron
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Kinkaloe
Kinkalow breed history: Kinkalow is another “product” of American felinology and is probably the oldest of the Dwarves. The American Curl and Munchkin were crossed back in the early 90s by breeder Terry Harris, and in 1997 the breed received experimental status at TICA.
The origin of the name of these cats is unknown, perhaps she was named after Harris's first kitten, Louis Kinkaloe. But perhaps the cat’s ears are to blame: kink - inflection, low - towards the bottom.
Today, the development of the breed has stopped; nurseries breeding kinkalows most likely do not exist, but several dozen individual individuals remain.
Kinkalows can be shorthaired or semi-longhaired. In addition, not all of them have curled ears.
Kinkaloo Personality: Kinkalows are playful, talkative and friendly.
Lamkin (Nanus rex)
Lamkin breed history: The Lamkin was created around the same time and by the same American felinologist Harris as the Kinkalow. The breed was created by crossing a munchkin with a curly-haired Selkirk Rex. But lamkins, so named because of their resemblance to lambs, were luckier than their cousins. Although the Lambkin lost its status as a pre-recognized breed in TICA, its few kennels remain in the United States, and they are also recognized in New Zealand, one of the local systems.
Lamkins can be semi-longhaired or shorthaired, and also have no curls, i.e. have straight hair.
Lamkin character: Lamkin are inquisitive, smart and tolerant.
Minskin
Minskin breed history: The history of the Minskin began in 1998, when Boston felinologist Paul McSorley decided to create a breed with points indicated not by color, but by coat. For these purposes, he used Burmese, Devon Rex, Canadian Sphynx and Munchkins. The first Minskin was born in 2000, and already in 2005 TICA gave it the status of a provisionally recognized breed.
Minskins are often confused with Bambinos, and are sometimes considered the same breed, but this is not true. These breeds have different origins, recognition status and even appearance. Bambinos must be completely hairless (light fluff is allowed), and Minskins must have short hair on the points and sparse hairs throughout the body. Minskins can also be hairless, short-haired and semi-long-haired, but such individuals are not exhibited and are gradually being withdrawn from breeding.
The name of this breed is a combination of the words skin (skin) and min (mini).
Minskin character: Minskins are smart, sociable, but unobtrusive.
Genet
Genetta breed history: Actually, the Genet is a small African predator from the viverrid family, relatives of the felines. Today, genets are domesticated and kept as pets. However, the genet is a wild animal, and that is why the idea was born in the minds of American felinologists to create a breed of domestic cats similar to the genet. And this breed was created in Texas in 2008 by Powstrak nursery specialist Shannon Kiley. When breeding genet cats, Bengals, Savannahs and Munchkins were used.
Like all dwarves, genets are recognized in the TDCA and REFR.
Genettes are short-haired.
Genetta character: Genettas are energetic, playful and affectionate.
Dwelf
Dwelf breed history: Dwelf was created in 2008 through the efforts of the same felinological Osborne family from Arkansas that created the Bambino. They crossed the Canadian Sphynx, Munchkin and American Curl. The effect of such a number of mutations on the health of cats has not been studied, but it raises concerns among all exhibition systems, therefore Dwelfs are recognized only by the Dwarven Cat Association and the ICA.
At the moment, there are about 30-50 Dwelfs in the world, so this is a very rare breed.
The name of the new cat is a derivative of dwarf + elf. Elf is another hybrid cat created by crossing the American Curl and the Canadian Sphynx.
Dwelfs should have the same fur (or rather, almost complete absence of it) as the Canadian Sphynx. Not all Dwelfs have curled ears.
Dwelf character: Dwelfs are smart, playful and friendly.