The Minskin Breed
The Minskin is a breed of cat derived from intentional hybrid cross-breedings between the Munchkin and Burmese, with the addition of Sphynx and Devon Rex, characterized by:
Small to medium-sized, semi-cobby, muscular body
Rounded head
Large ears that are wide at the base
Short, broad muzzle with prominent whisker pads
Large, round eyes that are spaced well apart, giving them an open, alert expression
Sparse rex-coat fur that is more dense on the outer extremities, creating a unique coat of "fur points" that defines the mask, ears, legs and tail, with a more sparsely coated cashmere-like torso
Minskins are often described as exotic and alien-like. They are sweet tempered, affectionate and playful, but not destructive.
The Minskin is a healthy, small breed that requires little grooming, gets along with other animals, thrives on human interaction, and is particularly fond of children.
Minskin History
In 1998, Paul Richard McSorley began the development of the Minskin cat breed in Boston, MA.
Like the Siamese, with its color restricted to points/extremities, Paul McSorley envisioned a cat with short legs and denser fur restricted to the points (fur points) on the mask, ears, legs and tail, with a more sparsely coated torso, neck and belly.
To accomplish his goal, Paul crossed his already established Munchkin show cats with short legs (a physical anomaly caused by a naturally occurring, healthy dominant gene) with a full coat of fur. He then introduced and combined 'fuzzy' Sphynx for the hairless characteristic (a cosmetic anomaly caused by a naturally occurring, healthy recessive gene), but with denser fur restricted to the extremities. When combined, the two healthy mutation genes do not recognize each other and therefore ensure a healthy immune system.
For the appeal of structure, temperament, type and other desired qualities, Paul also used his international award-winning Burmese and Devon Rex cats in the development of his Minskin breeding program.
The first standard cat that met Paul’s goal was "TRT I Am Minskin Hear Me Roar" Rory, born July 2000.
By early 2005, about 50 cats meeting the Minskin vision had been registered by the International Cat Association (TICA).
In 2008, the Minskin was recognized as a Preliminary New Breed (PNB); the Minskin is currently in TICA's program monitoring the development of new breeds and tracking their progress toward achieving the title of Advanced New Breed (ANB).
When all requirements are met, and with the approval of the TICA Board of Directors, the Minskin breed will receive TICA’s full recognition in the Championship class.
From Paul McSorley
The Minskin, developed by Paul McSorley, combines the Munchkin's short legs with the Canadian Sphynx's hairlessness. It is neither a short-legged Sphynx nor a hairless Munchkin, but has its own unique look strongly influenced by the American Burmese. The Sphynx and closely related Devon Rex (about 50/50 ratio) were used only to introduce their distinctive coat genes to produce the unique Minskin “fur points†that are the breed’s trademark. It was this unique "fur-pointed" coat description that was the “unique trait†required for recognition. While Sphynx are bald and Devon Rex are fully rex coated, the in-between kittens ("fuzzies") were either culled or homed as pets. The Minskin is therefore a mix of four breeds in the following order of importance: 1) Munchkin; 2) Burmese; 3) Devon Rex; 4) Canadian Sphynx.
The Minskin began development in 1998 in Boston, Massachusetts and the first cat of the desired Minskin type was born in July 2000. By 2005, about 50 breed-standard Minskins existed with a further 100 Minskin variants (short-legged cats can produce long-legged offspring). It is currently only recognised by TICA in the USA and is classed as a hybrid breed as it is derived from 2 pre-existing breeds. It got its name for "Min" (miniature legs) and "skin" (sparse coat and hairless belly).
The conformation is semi-cobby and the coat type is "cashmere" with furred points. Unlike the Sphynx or Bambino, Minskins are not hairless. "Fur-points" are defined by the density of the fur on the cats' extremities in comparison to the rest of the body. The facial mask, ears, legs and tail have closely packed fur which has a textured satin sheen, especially on the legs. The body is sparser coated and has the look and feel of a soft cashmere garment. The fur-point trait is a recessive trait involving polygenes (multiple genes) that govern the actual length of the coat. The coat is described as non-shed which means minimal or barely noticeable shedding (moulting). As with the Sphynx, Minskins feel warm to the touch. All colours and patterns are allowed and colourpoint is a favourite.
The semi-cobby conformation means Minskins are noticeably stocky and small with a rounded head. The eyes are large and round and the face has a sweet expression and a "hobbit-like" appearance. The appearance remains kitten-like, even when fully grown into a small/medium size cat. As with the Munchkin parent, the short stature and does not impair their mobility or quality of life. As well as having a sweet appearance, the Minskin has a sweet temperament. Minskins are described as being outgoing, sweet, playful (but not destructive) and people-oriented.