Dwarf cat is a general term for any of several breeds of domestic cat which have the condition of dwarfism due to a genetic mutation.
The Munchkin is the founding breed of chondrodysplastic (short-legged) dwarf cats. Through outcrossing the Munchkin with a variety of normally proportioned cats a substantial number of dwarf breeds have been developed.
The major dwarf breeds as set out on the Dwarf Cat Association's website are as follows:
The development of dwarf cats is at a fairly early stage (since the mid 1980s) and dwarf cat breeders are striving for recognition with the major cat registries. They are not widely accepted outside of the United States. They are potentially banned under the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals (European legislation) and have been condemned in the British Magazine Cat World.
An insight into registration problems [7] can be seen in respect of the Skookum as recited by the founder of this breed, Roy Galusha.
Typically half the litter are born with normal leg length. These are not dwarf cats. In addition to chondrodysplastic dwarf cats, there are a number of normally proportioned very small cats. There are several lines of Teacup and Toy Persians currently bred. These are classically bred through selecting and breeding the smallest individuals from each generation to progressively downsize the breed [8].
Teacup cats are very small cats. They are not dwarf cats. The term "dwarf cat" relates to cats with short limbs but normal body conformation. Teacup cats have proportionally normal limbs. Guinness World Records had a category for "Smallest Cat" which may have contributed to the desire to breed ever-smaller cats with potential health issues.
"Teacup" cats can cause controversy in the cat fancy with some people considering them scams or they offer the potential to deceive people who wish to adopt a small cat, although there are very few miniature cat breeders. Some may be runts born too early, or have nutritional deficits during kittenhood leading to retarded growth. When buying "teacups" of any animal it is necessary to exercise caution. Undersized cats also result from mutations such as types of mucopolysaccharides or other metabolic disorders.
As there are many different genes that stunt growth, and as small stature may be due to non-genetic causes or to "teacup" cats coming from kitten mills, it is unsafe to generalize on health issues. Less scrupulous breeders may mistake serious metabolic disorders as dwarfism. While some "teacup" cats do not show health problems, the health problems that have been reported in others include: