Cheerful baby Kinkaloo - an unusual pet in your home

Origin story

People first started talking about kinkalow in the late 90s. A certain Terry Harris, a breeder from the USA, brought together an American Curl and a Munchkin. Whether he wanted to get a breed with short legs or everything happened completely by accident: now we can only guess.

And then babies were born who inherited from their parents their most obvious physical features: curved ears and short legs. The breeder was delighted and named the new breed Kinkalow, which translates as “little curl.”

In 1997, Harris' application for registration with TICA was granted. In 2008, the breed was recognized as experimental and was recognized by TICA - the Toy Cat Association. But the experimental status - alas! — imposes many restrictions, and they are still not recognized by most large felinological organizations.

Health

The Kinkaloo breed is renowned for its good health and physical stamina. These animals are not prone to any genetic diseases.

Of course, a pet can catch an infection and become infected with parasites.

To prevent this from happening, it is important for owners to take care of quality nutrition, timely vaccination and deworming of their pet.

Representatives of this breed are especially sensitive to ultraviolet radiation, which can negatively affect their health.

Therefore, it is extremely important to protect your pet from overheating.

Every six months, the animal must be shown to a veterinarian for preventive purposes.

On average, the lifespan of a kinkalow is about 10–15 years.

Standard

An official standard for the breed has not yet been drawn up: its status does not allow it. But the general characteristics are as follows: Kankalow are dwarf cats, i.e. miniature. The largest known individuals weigh only 3 kg and reach a height of 16 cm.

Newborn kittens' ears are always even and smooth, but gradually they begin to bend back.

The price for an individual is high: the minimum amount is 150,000 rubles. Moreover, males are cheaper than females (it’s clear why: after all, you can get offspring from a female). There are few official nurseries: in the UK, in the United States of America and in Russia (kittens are brought there from the States through an intermediary).

Description of the breed

In addition to the main characteristic features of the Kinkalow's appearance (short legs and curled ears), these cats also have other features. Thus, the elongated tail stands out against the background of a massive, muscular body.

Kinkalows have very long tails

The animal's head is wedge-shaped like a tiger's, and its muzzle is memorable for its wide bridge of nose and round eyes.

The Kinkaloo's coat can come in a variety of lengths and colors. There are both colorpoint individuals and albinos. Common colors are tabby, seal, chocolate and bicolor. A distinctive feature is the softness and airiness of the fur coat, as well as the glossy shine and thickness of the coat.

The color of the iris of the eyes is varied and depends on the color. There are also cats with a pale blue tint in their eyes, and there are also those with yellow or yellow-green eyes.

Since the breed belongs to dwarf cats, the weight of the animals is small - the largest individuals do not exceed a body weight of three kilograms and a height of 16 centimeters. At the same time, these purrs can boast of a strong skeleton, allowing the cats to lead an active and very active lifestyle.

Regarding the character of the kinkalow, the following can be noted:

• curiosity and a sharp mind are inherent in all representatives of the breed;
• cats are very playful and friendly until old age;
• purrs love to “talk” to their owner and meow.

We recommend reading: Top 10 curly-haired dog breeds: from the lapdog to the black Russian terrier

In addition, these hardy and unpretentious animals:

• get along well with both other pets and children;
• need a lot of company and do not tolerate loneliness well;
• They quickly become attached to humans and require increased care from early childhood.

It has been noticed that Kinkalow cats never show aggression, always remaining calm and affectionate. If the animal doesn’t like something, it will simply retire to a secluded corner. From where, after a short time, it will appear again due to restlessness and increased curiosity.

Character and behavior

We still need to look for such affectionate and friendly creatures. Good-natured, cheerful, trusting and very sociable kinkalows will get along well in any home, both with adults and children. Even in adulthood, even in old age, kinkalows behave like kittens, playful and mischievous. They love to be the center of attention and are not afraid of noisy companies and loud people.

Despite their small stature, these cats love to run and jump, like all other cats. Short legs are not a hindrance: kinkalows try to climb higher and jump further, stick their wet nose into every corner that seems interesting to them, and will try their best to get to the thing they like.

They do not have conflicts and do not pretend to be the leader in the house, which means that they will be able to get along well with all other living creatures in the house: be it a dog, cat, bird or hamster. If a conflict arises, they will prefer to simply leave.

They quickly adapt to new living conditions, the main thing for them is the presence of a loved one nearby. When alone, they feel very sad and refuse both food and contact with others. For relaxation they prefer covered houses. They love toys, and the more of them, the better.

They love walks in the fresh air and quickly learn to use a leash. Females are more fearful than males, so they do not strive to leave their familiar territory, but males during the mating season can easily go in search of love adventures many kilometers from home.

Name the cat who always wanted to live together

BasilioLeopold

A funny feature of the kinkalow is the ability to sit on its tail. They look like miniature kangaroos.

Kinkalow appearance

Kinkalows have a memorable appearance: from Munchkins and American Curls they got short legs and unusual ears. It is noteworthy that at birth the ears of the Kinkalow are straight, and they bend 90–180 degrees a couple of weeks after birth and are finally formed by 5 months of life. This breed has a tiger-like head shape, a wide bridge of the nose, round eyes, a muscular build and a graceful long tail. The cats are very miniature, their weight is no more than 3 kg, and their height at the withers is about 20 cm.

A movable skeleton allows you to lead an active lifestyle, regardless of your short stature.

The color of the kinkalow's eyes depends on the color and can be different. There are cats with a pale blue, yellow or yellow-green tint.

Features of coat and color

A distinctive feature of the Kinkalow is also its soft shiny coat, which can be either short or long. There are different colors: from colorpoint to albino. The most common are chocolate, bicolor, seal and tabby.

Despite the fact that this breed is not so common, there is already a lot of diversity and all sorts of color variations.

Care instructions

Caring for a kinkalow is quite simple. Babies are afraid of water, but if you teach your kitten to water procedures from childhood, he will be patient. Pour warm water, buy special shampoo: Rolf Club, “Clandestine”, Beaphar Shampoo Anti-Itch, CitoDerm, Api-san, Iv San Bernard Lemon. Give the kinkalow a separate soft towel and dry it with a hairdryer after bathing.

Human shampoos and pastes cannot be used: they contain harmful components and cause serious harm to the health of cats, provoke gastrointestinal disorders, asthma and even cause the growth of tumors.

Ears

Ear wax is cleaned every week using soft cotton swabs soaked in chlorhexidine or ear lotion.

Teeth

Teeth - 2 times a week using a special brush (or an ordinary children's brush, the bristles of which should be cut exactly in half) and cat toothpaste.

Claws

If your kinkalow often goes for walks outside and wears its claws off on trees, you have nothing to worry about. You can also rest assured if your cat has mastered the scratching post. Otherwise, you will have to trim her claws yourself every week using a nail clipper (we recommend reading the article on how to trim a cat’s claws). Secure the cat (you can wrap it in a towel) and carefully trim the tips of the claws at an angle. If you hit a vessel and blood appears, treat the wound with hydrogen peroxide.

Expert opinion

Dusheba Vera Ivanovna

In 2010, she graduated from the Moscow State Academy of Veterinary Medicine named after K.I. Scriabin with honors, specializing in veterinary medicine. I regularly attend veterinary conferences, congresses, and webinars.

Many cat owners, trying to protect furniture and wallpaper from damage, take their pets to veterinarians for declawing. The procedure, called “soft paws,” involves mutilation of the cat. Even if the cat does not begin to bleed during the procedure and does not begin to die of tissue in the future, after declawing the cat’s coordination of movements is irreversibly impaired, its character and habits change.

Cats are no longer able to deftly rummage through the litter box, and often they begin to simply ignore it. They lose confidence when jumping and will no longer be able to stand up for themselves and go out hunting. Only damaged claws should be removed and only for medical reasons!

Smallest breed

There are not many cat breeds with small sizes in the world, so they are very expensive and in demand. In addition, small animals do not require special care, and their maintenance does not require large financial investments. But still, which breed is considered the smallest?

Considering all the small representatives of the cat family, it is worth stopping at one - Skif-tay-don. This is the smallest breed of cat, weighing barely one and a half kilograms. And some animals can weigh only 900 grams. They are similar in many ways to the Siamese because the latter are their main ancestors.

Nature has rewarded them with a sweet and bright appearance:

Particular attention is drawn to short legs with neat dimensions. The tips of the paws are painted black; A black tint is present on the face, ears and tail; The tail of cats and cats is short, in appearance it seems that it is chopped off; Cats and male cats are compact in size; as adults they look like five-month-old kittens; Acceptable coat colors are color point or tortoiseshell; The eyes of animals are large and round in shape.

The color is light blue.

Cats have a kind, friendly and peaceful character. They are able to find a common language with everyone - with people, children, and other pets. In addition, they are very inquisitive, they are interested in everything that happens around them.

Many people note that their character resembles that of ordinary dogs. Nature has endowed them with excellent devotion, which they show towards their owner. They rarely show aggression, only when there is danger.

Catering

Kinkalows are not picky when it comes to food, are rarely capricious, and have an excellent appetite. When choosing food, consider the age of your pet, its physical condition and your own financial capabilities.

Natural products

Before feeding, the meat is placed in the freezer and kept for 2-3 days, and before serving, it is cut into convenient pieces (2-3 cm) and scalded with boiling water.

• The natural menu includes, first of all, meat. These are beef, veal, rabbit, poultry (quail, partridge, turkey, chicken), lean parts of lamb and pork, nutria, horse meat, crocodile meat, kangaroo meat, day-old chicks, snakes, mice. The meat can be mixed with each other or given separately along with porridge (rice, buckwheat, oatmeal, millet). Porridges with the addition of milk (part milk to 2 parts water) are cooked only for children; it is preferable to cook with water without adding spices, sugar and salt.
• Meat is alternated with offal. This is the heart (poultry, beef, pork), stomachs, liver, cartilage, chicken necks and heads, tongues, udders, lungs, spleen, kidneys, testes, cow tripe.
• Fermented milk products - cottage cheese, fermented baked milk, yogurt, unsalted hard cheese - can be given 3-4 times a week. Boiled quail eggs and boiled chicken yolk - once a week. Fish - sea and lean - no more than once a week.
• As for vegetables, cats are allowed to give stewed carrots, pumpkin, zucchini, broccoli, and asparagus. From fruits: apples, melons, watermelons.

Cats drink only clean, cool water. Tap water contains impurities harmful to animals, so it should be cleaned with a filter or allowed to settle.

Cats older than 8 months eat 2 times a day: morning and evening. From 6 to 8 months - 3 times a day, under 6 - 4-6 times. Bowls should be washed after every meal, preventing food from turning sour and spoiling.

Recommended food

Industrial feeds have a number of advantages. They are easy to find in pet stores, there is no hassle with storage, it is easy to measure out portions for each feeding, and the price categories are different. However, they are not suitable for everyone; they often cause allergies, and truly high-quality food is expensive. Ready-made food is divided into 4 groups: holistic, super-premium, premium and economy.

Holistic food is the best option (and the most expensive). This food contains dehydrated and fresh fish fillets and meat, peas, lentils and potatoes as sources of carbohydrates, natural preservatives, dried vegetables and fruits, and berries. There is also a good vitamin and mineral supplement. Examples: Farmina N&D, Now Fresh, Riverwood.

Super-premium is a little worse in quality: they contain meat components, but the percentage is most often not indicated. Otherwise, these foods are very good. Examples: Leonardo, Arden Grange, Optimal.

Premium: Organix, Probalance, Blitz, Mnyams. Economy: Chummy, Whiskas, Stout.

Below are the recommended foods for feeding Kinkaloo cats. Links with the names of the food are clickable, on them you can, within our website, get acquainted with the descriptions of the food and read reviews from owners of Kinkalow cats.

Let's look at the most popular cat breeds with short legs

Munchkins. The most famous breed, which became fundamental in further breeding work with short-legged cats. The breed arose due to natural mutational changes in the paws. The Munchkin's hind legs are longer than his front legs. The vertical position of the tail when the animal moves is characteristic. Good muscle development.

By nature, munchkins are very balanced, very curious, and actively participate in the life of their owners. They get along great with children. The cost of a kitten of this breed ranges from 5,000 to 55,000 rubles. and higher, depending on the rarity of color or other exterior features.

Lambkins (lamkins). A breed resulting from crossing Munchkins and Selkirk Rex. Currently, this breed is unstable in terms of its main genes. Representatives of the breed reach a weight of 1.8 to 4 kg. The peculiarity of the breed is long or short curly hair, which makes them look like a sheep (lamb), and blue eyes. In animals with curly hair, the whiskers are also curly. Very active and peaceful animals, suitable for families with small children.

In Russia there are no nurseries specializing in this breed, but there are in the USA and New Zealand. The breed is very rare.

Skookums. The breed was created by crossing the La Perm breed and the Munchkins. Characteristic: long or short curly hair of any color, invariably short legs. Vibrissae should be curly. An active animal, curious and very devoted to its owner. Gets along well with children and pets in the house. The body weight of skookums ranges from 3.5 to 4 kg. These pets are very silent. Due to the great rarity of the breed, the cost of a kitten is very high - 800-3500 euros.

Bambino. (Italian child). The breed appeared by crossing Munchkins and Canadian Sphynxes. Like Canadians, representatives of this breed do not have hair, only light fluff is acceptable. Pets' ears appear very large. Animals are friendly, agile and sociable. Very attached to the owner. Bambino cats are playful at any age.

Minskins. Another result of crossing munchkins and Canadian sphinxes. A characteristic feature is the presence of hair on the head, ears, paws and tail. They are very similar in character to bambinos. They become very attached to their owner and have a hard time being separated from him.

Kinkaloe. A very rare breed resulting from crossing an American Curl and a Munchkin. Characterized by the presence of long or short soft and silky hair, ears curved back (in some specimens). Standard body length, short legs. Weight, on average, is about 3 kg. Very sociable, playful and talkative animals. They are calm with other pets and love children.

They are distinguished by their devotion to their owner. It is interesting that Kinkaloo kittens are born with completely normal ears, and after 2 weeks they bend backwards by 90 -180. Any coat color and eye color is allowed. The price of a representative of this breed varies between 500-1000 euros.

Dwelfs. The result of the hybridization of three breeds: the Munchkin, the Canadian Sphynx and the American Curl. (Some individuals have ears curled back, like a curl. The breed is rare and young (2008). By coat standards, they are identical to the Canadian Sphynx. The Dwelf is quite miniature - weighing no more than 2 kg. Characterized by a muscular body, neck and paws. Active and playful breed. Capable of taking offense at their owner. Very peaceful. Loves children.

Genettes. The same young breed as the Dwelf (2008). A hybrid of a Munchkin, a Bengal cat and a Savannah cat. The breed is named Genetta after the African Genetta, a member of the civet family, due to its very similar color. All representatives of the breed are short-haired. They have an affectionate, energetic and playful disposition.

Napoleons (minuettes). Hybrid of a Munchkin and a Persian. Napoleon is the owner of a chic fluffy coat, a short muzzle and large round eyes (the heritage of the Persian) on short legs and miniature sizes (signs of a munchkin). There are a great variety of color options; the coat can be short or long. They are very intelligent, energetic and social animals. Animals are very trusting, able to calmly go into the arms of a stranger. They are friendly towards children and other pets in the family and are non-aggressive. Napoleon's weight does not exceed two kilograms. The cost of a kitten with standard legs ranges from 30 to 50 thousand rubles, and if the pet has short legs and a rare coat color, the price will be about 80 thousand.

Diseases

No genetic anomalies have yet been identified: after all, they started breeding kinkalow not so long ago. And the breeding work was carried out competently. There is no predisposition to specific diseases.

Even if your pet is a homebody (and even more so if he likes to run around the yard), he needs to be vaccinated.

Rabies, panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and other dangerous diseases can “catch” it even under your own roof: just imagine - you can easily bring the pathogen home on your own shoes! Or on the edge of a jacket, or on unwashed hands. But these diseases are deadly, they take a long time and are expensive to treat, and they cause a huge number of complications. Therefore, do not save money and do not be lazy: take your cat to the veterinarian for injections every year. And don’t forget to deworm every quarter!

Sterilization and castration are necessary if you do not plan to breed kittens and do not want the animal to suffer due to hormones. Suitable age: minimum 8 months. In males, the testes are cut off, in females, the ovaries are cut off (during castration), or the testes and tubes are tied up (during sterilization). The operation is performed under general anesthesia, it is not dangerous, but subsequently requires careful care and wearing a blanket for 2 weeks.

If you want to breed kittens, remember: Kinkalows can only be bred with individuals of 3 breeds. These are kinkalows, curls (American) and munchkins. The first heat in females occurs at the age of 1.5-2 years: 2-3 days after it, you can bring your partner to the cat. A pregnant woman carries kittens for about 60 days, but childbirth is often complicated, so veterinarians strongly recommend not giving birth more than twice a year.

Necessary living conditions

Kinkalows easily adapt to any living conditions and tolerate moving and long journeys well. This breed should not be left alone for a long time: pets need the company and attention of their owners, and therefore, if there is no one in the apartment for a long time, they will soon begin to get bored and sad. In this regard, the Kinkaloo differs from other breeds in its lack of independence. These cats love to play together in coziness and comfort and will appreciate the beds and houses you buy. To make caring for your kinkalow easier, you should also purchase a tray and a scratching post. For short-legged pets, structures with low sides are suitable so that they can easily climb up there.

Kinkaloo is a good-natured and cheerful animal, always ready to support a new idea or game.

The Kinkaloo breed is noted for its curiosity and love for small objects. In order not to lose various small items from the bottom drawers of chests of drawers and tables, it is recommended to put these items higher where the pet cannot climb.

Photo gallery

Below are photos of Kinkaloo cats.

Price

The Kinkaloo breed is rare and experimental, which explains its high cost.

In most cases, to purchase a kitten, you have to make a special order to an American nursery.

The minimum cost of a kinkalow is about 35 thousand rubles. The exact price will depend on the pedigree and external features. For example, kittens with long legs are much cheaper than their counterparts, which fully comply with breed standards.

Kinkaloo is a great friend and pet that is suitable even for very busy people who do not have the opportunity to devote a lot of time to caring for an animal!