Thai vs Munchkin - Breed Comparison | MyCatBreeds

The Thai cat is also referred to as the Wichien Maat. It is an old cat breed descended from the cats of Thailand.

The Wichienmaat is a cat that was spoken of already centuries ago in a book. Over the years, the cat has remained much the same as its original breeding. Today this cat is popular in Thailand.

It was in the late 1800s that the Wichienmaat was imported to the West by British cat breeders, and the cats became known as ‘Siamese’.

Western breeders wanted to add in some other qualities to the cat and through selective breeding, they developed a finer-boned type of Siamese cat. Today some people refer to these cats as Old-Style Siamese, while others refer to them as Thais, but they are one and the same.

Information about the short-legged Munchkin cat has been around since the 1940s. A British veterinary report in 1944 noted these short-legged cats.

During the 2nd World War, the cats disappeared but other short-legged cats were seen in Russia during 1956 and then the United States in the 1970s.

The cat was introduced to the general public in 1991 but for many years it wasn't accepted in cat competitions. Eventually, the Munchkin was proposed as a new breed by foundation breeders and accepted by TICA into its New Breed development program in 1994. The Munchkin breed achieved TICA Championship status in May 2003. The Cat Fanciers Association doesn’t recognize the Munchkin.

The Thai is a short-haired, glossy cat and comes in a variety of colors but no white.

The soft, silky fur is a warm cream shade, much like the Siamese, with dark brown, black, smoky colored extremities.

The Thai is considered to be a medium-sized cat and he will weigh between 3 an 6kg. The body is lean, slender and muscular, the ears medium size with rounded tips and set wide apart. The eyes are are beautiful blue, large and slightly slanted.

Temperament

Thai cats are curious, active, and intelligent. They are also social and vocal and are able to communicate to their human owners what they want.

They thrive on getting lots of attention from their humans and will even follow them around the house. They do well with children in the home when the children have been taught to be kind and respectful to animals.

The Munchkin is a small to medium-sized, muscular cat with a thick coat that comes in all colors and patterns. In fact, color, pattern, and coat length will vary.

There is also a long-haired variety. It usually weighs between 3 and 4kg. It has short, stubby little legs and a torso that hangs fairly low to the ground. The cat’s back legs are somewhat longer than the front legs. The legs of these cats can be slightly bowed. The eyes can be any color.

Temperament:

The Munchkin is such a social, outgoing cat that just loves being petted and pampered by his human family. He is sociable and friendly as well as intelligent and is easy to train. While he is an amicable cat and can get on well with everyone in the family, it isn’t a good idea to have such a cat as a playmate for children as they can become injured.

An interesting feature with this cat is the way he doesn’t really sit like other cats but has a way of sitting up on his legs, much like a rabbit.

The Thai cat is social and friendly and enjoys time spent with his human family. They don’t like to be left alone for long periods of time and it just might be a good idea to have a feline friend for this cat.

He is also a vocal cat and lets you know his feelings and certainly when he wants his food. The Thai wants to be your friend and companion and he will thrive in any kind of home when he is made to feel important and loved.

The Munchkin may be short and stock but he is just as active and playful as any other cat. When you have him in your home, you'll discover that his short little legs don't stop him from trying out everything other cats do.

He is ready to show you what he's made of. He is a confident, social cat and is friendly, intelligent, and loving towards his human family. He makes a devoted companion and he will get along with other cats in the family as well as dogs.

He may be a bit odd to look at but if you want an excellent companion, the Munchkin is well worth your consideration.

These cats are known for their good health. Just because he is considered healthy, you can't ignore looking out for signs that he may be in distress.

There are actually a whole lot of common cat illnesses your cat could succumb to, so you want to be sure you recognize some of the signs such a vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, and battling to urinate. Make sure that the eyes are always bright and clear and that he is his active self.

Have your Thai cat vaccinated against the deadly cat diseases that there are. You will also need to have your cat dewormed. Speak to your vet about the best way to prevent fleas.

Have your cat spayed or neutered to prevent unwanted kittens.

Because this is a fairly new breed, it's still not too clear about its health. It was once thought that the Munchkin cat could develop spinal problems because of its short legs.

It was in 1995 that some breeders had some of their older Munchkins x-rayed to see if there were any signs of joint or bone problems, but none were found.

The Munchkin cat should also be vaccinated as a kitten and be treated for parasites. To ensure the good health of your sweet little Munchkin cat, give him the best diet possible.

In fact, if you take good care of your Munchkin and you make sure to get all the necessary vaccines for him and get him to the vet when he shows signs of illness, your munchkin can reach 12 to 15 years of age.

You’ll see your Thai cat preening and grooming, but he will still need to have the silky coat brushed gently to keep it shiny and healthy.

The brushing will make him happy as he just loves the attention, and it is good for the cat’s fur – to remove dust and loose hairs.

Make sure to visit your vet if you suspect that your Thai cat is ill.

Your Thai cat is a scratcher just like any other cat, and if you don’t want to have your furniture scratch, invest in a scratching post.

Examine the inside of your cat’s ears to make sure they are clear of dirt and wax that could cause infection.

Some people say you should brush your cat’s teeth, but this can be too traumatic for your cat. Pets have always done well without their teeth being brushed. It can frighten your cat so much, he’ll want to scratch you.

Your Thai is an active, energetic cat, and you will want to provide him with a cat tree for climbing.

Provide your cat with feeding- and drinking bowls, litter box, warm, soft bed and toys to keep him occupied. It is always a good idea to put a collar on your pet and an ID disc in case he runs away.

Every cat is unique and the Munchkin is a unique cat, This little cat is a carnivore just like any other cat and his diet must be made up mostly of protein.

Speak to your vet about the best food for your Munchkin because a kitten will require a different diet to a senior Munchkin. Also, you don’t want your Munchkin to put on too much weight as this can be detrimental to his joints.

Not only that, being overweight comes with all kinds of health issues. The manufacturers of commercially manufactured cat foods have made sure that they have brought out foods for every stage of a cat's life and age.

Munchkin cats will need to have their fur brushed at least once a week. Trim the claws at the same time.

Provide your sweet little Munchkin with a litter box and keep the litter box immaculately clean, removing the feces every single day.