Here’s a question for you: What do you call a cat that combines the best of Munchkin and Persian breeds and is rapidly gaining popularity? That’s right, it’s the Minuet!
Some of you may be hearing this name for the first time. In fact, this cat is a relatively new breed that has only recently been registered.
There is also an interesting history behind its name. Let me introduce you to the world of Minuets, which you may not have seen yet!

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～ Basic information. ～

Country of origin　America.

Length 30-40cm.　

Weight male : 3-4kg　female : 2-3kg.

Surprisingly, the first person to create the Minuet is said to be Joseph Smith, a dog breeder.

One day, Joseph learned about the existence of Munchkin cats, which have short legs, in a newspaper. He became interested in the fact that there are cat breeds with short legs like dogs. However, he also learned that when breeding Munchkins, kittens with long legs were abandoned at animal shelters, which was a sad reality.

Joseph decided that he had to change this reality and thought, “Cats should not be abandoned just because they have long legs!” He became a breeder of this cat and began breeding short-legged cats to stabilize the breed.

First, he worked on breeding Persian x Munchkin hybrids. Then he bred the kittens born there with long-haired breeds such as Himalayan and Exotic Shorthair.

As a result, the Minuet was born as a cat that inherited the short legs of the Munchkin and the beautiful long hair of the Persian.

In 2001, the Minuet completed its preliminary registration as a breed with TICA. Actually, it was initially going to be registered under the name “Napoleon,” but this name became an obstacle and registration was delayed more than initially expected. After changing its name from Napoleon to Minuet, it was finally officially registered as a breed with TICA in 2016.

However, since it is difficult to establish criteria for a nose that is neither too low nor too high for Minuets and kittens with various hair colors such as long hair or short hair are born, it is unlikely that all pedigree registration organizations recognize the existence of Minuets.

If Minuets become more established through future breeding, their popularity and recognition in Japan may continue to rise!

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Minuet’s Q&A.

Where does the name Minuet come from?

Since there is a history of renaming, I don’t know the details, but it seems that the Minuet has the meaning of “elegant dance” in it.

What are the color variations of Minuet?

■Types of body colors.

There are blue, black, white, chocolate, red, and cinnamon colors.

■Types of patterns and color schemes.

・Solid color.
The entire body, including the face, body, legs, and tail, is a single color.

・Tabby.
There are stripes or spots all over the body.

・Party color.
Two colors are randomly mixed.

・Calico & bicolor.
Half or one-third of the body is white, and the rest is composed of two or more colors.

・Pointed.
Parts of the body such as the head, ears, legs, and tail are colored.

・Ticked tabby.
Each hair has a dark stripe pattern.

■Types of eye color.

There are sapphire blue, yellow, blue, gold, aqua, orange, green, hazel, copper, and odd-eyed colors.

■Hairy species.

Minuets come in both short-haired and long-haired varieties.

What does Minuet look like?

Minuets have a round face and round eyes, a short neck, and a semi-cobby body type. The small, round ears and short legs are the charm points of the Minuet, but it has a muscular physique that is surprisingly strong.

Since it has Persian ancestry, its nose and mouth are slightly shorter than those of other cats. Minuets also have kittens with long legs as well as short legs.

Short-legged kittens, which are less likely to be born than long-legged ones, are said to have a rare value. However, even if they have long legs, they have a different charm from other cats because their legs are the same length as those of other cats.

Is it true that Minuet’s name was first Napoleon?

That’s correct. As I mentioned in the basic information, the Minuet was originally named Napoleon. It was named after “Napoleon Bonaparte,” a French hero, because its short legs and small appearance resembled him.

However, there were voices saying, “It’s strange to treat a French hero as having short legs!” As a result, it was renamed Minuet.

How much does it cost to purchase a minuet?

When keeping animals as pets, it is necessary to comply with the laws established by each country. This time, I will talk about keeping Minuets at home in Japan.

If you purchase from a breeder or cattery, it will cost about 200,000 to 300,000 yen. The advantage is that you can check what kind of environment they grew up in and what kind of cats their parents are.

Also, the reliability varies depending on the personality of the breeder, so it is desirable to make a reservation and visit them.

You will hardly ever see them at pet shops, so it is common to purchase them from breeders. By the way, here are some conditions that cause price fluctuations:

・Short legs (more popular than long legs).
・Kittens.
・Excellent pedigree.
・Rare colors or patterns.

There are other conditions as well, but mainly these conditions tend to increase the price. There was even a Minuet that was priced at over 500,000 yen.

I want to know more about Minuet’s personality and traits!

①The best of Munchkin and Persia!

The Minuet is a cat that combines the best of Munchkin’s curious nature and Persian’s calm and relaxed nature. When they are young, they are full of energy and playfulness like Munchkins, but as they grow older, they begin to show a calmness like Persians.

②I don’t know many people, but I might be a bit of a mood person.

Minuets are generally friendly and will greet strangers in a friendly manner. They may also be affectionate with their owners, but when they are not in the mood, they may move somewhere else. They have a very cat-like personality and can be described as laid-back.

③Smart and active Minuet!

Minuets are intelligent and easy to train, and they can learn many things. They can live with children and other cats, as they are capable of living with multiple pets. They love playing with toys and climbing to high places, so they have a very active personality.

※When keeping rare animals as pets, it is necessary to comply with the laws established by each country.

What are the diseases that Minuet is susceptible to?

Minuets are said to be a breed with many genetic and congenital diseases compared to other cats. Representative diseases include “hairball disease,” “hypertrophic cardiomyopathy,” “polycystic kidney disease,” and “chronic kidney disease.”

①Hairball disease.

Hairball disease is a condition in which hair that has been licked and swallowed accumulates in the digestive organs such as the stomach and intestines, causing symptoms such as vomiting. Normally, swallowed hair is excreted with feces in small amounts, but if the amount of hair is large, it becomes difficult to excrete.

As a result, hairballs that cannot be excreted accumulate and can only be vomited. Originally, cats exhibit the behavior of vomiting hairballs once every one to several months. This is a phenomenon that can be observed even in healthy cats, so there is no need to worry excessively. However, if you observe that your cat is vomiting hairballs more frequently or trying to vomit them, it may be suffering from hairball disease, so it is better to consult a veterinarian.

Especially for long-haired Minuets, attention is required because they tend to swallow more hair.

Hairball disease can also be prevented by brushing by the owner. It leads to important skinship, so please try to brush your cat regularly. However, some cats may dislike brushing, so it is better to do it little by little while observing their behavior.

②Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is a disease in which the heart muscle becomes thick, making it difficult for the heart to contract properly. Since it is often caused by heredity, there are no specific prevention methods yet.

Even if there are no noticeable symptoms after onset, it may be complicated with thrombosis when noticed, and in the worst case, it may lead to death.

So how can we detect the disease early? The conclusion is that regular health checkups are important. Although there is no groundbreaking treatment for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy yet, slowing down the progression of the disease through symptomatic treatment is possible as early as possible.

③Polycystic kidney disease.

Polycystic kidney disease is a disease in which many cysts are formed, and in the worst case, it can cause “renal failure.”

There are no specific prevention methods for polycystic kidney disease. Since the incidence rate is high in elderly cats, early detection can be achieved by receiving regular health checkups. As with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, slowing down the progression of the disease through symptomatic treatment is possible as early as possible.

④Chronic kidney disease.

Chronic kidney disease is a disease in which the kidneys become inflamed due to aging or some other cause and eventually stop functioning.

To prevent this disease, it is desirable to receive regular health checkups, as with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Since there is no groundbreaking treatment for chronic kidney disease, it is difficult to cure it completely, but if it is found early, symptomatic treatment can slow down the progression of the disease.

As a daily measure, you can use a circulating water dispenser, feed wet food that contains a lot of water, and avoid giving too many treats. In some cases, prevention can be achieved by these daily habits. Please try to keep them in mind.

What is the lifespan of Minuet?

The lifespan of Minuets is said to be 12-14 years. The average lifespan of a typical cat is 12-16 years, so it’s a little shorter. However, if you are aware of what diseases they are susceptible to and take care of them, there is a good chance that they will live longer.

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Bibliography.

まるごとわかる猫種大図鑑　監修：CFA公認審査員　早田由貴子

世界中で愛される美しすぎる猫図鑑　監修　今泉忠明

猫との暮らし大百科
https://www.anicom-sompo.co.jp/nekonoshiori/

みんなの猫図鑑
https://www.min-nekozukan.com/

Pet Smile news forネコちゃん
http://psnews.jp/cat/

子猫のへや
https://www.konekono-heya.com/sitemap.html

ねこちゃんホンポ
https://nekochan.jp/

公益社団法人　埼玉県獣医師会
https://www.saitama-vma.org/topics/ネコの遺伝性疾患について/

アイキャッチ画像
https://pixabay.com/images/id-4541473/