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If you've adopted a kitten from us or have signed a contract, please join us on our Adopters Facebook Group by clicking HERE
Be sure to answer the questions for approval
Declawing Kittens/Cats
We want to make sure you know that declawing can cause lasting physical problems for cats. Many countries have banned declawing, because of how inhumane it is (it's like taking off a person's toes). We hope that you find the time to research what it means to declaw a cat or kitten. A great starting point is visiting https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/declawing-cats-far-worse-manicure
If you'd like more information, please let us know and we'd be happy to help!
Diet and Nutrition
Our kittens are raised on a high-quality, nutritious diet.
Dehydration is a serious concern for cats, and it can lead to health complications that can sometimes be fatal. Offering fresh, clean water is absolutely necessary, but it isn't always enough.
If you have any questions about your kitten's diet or eating habits, or if you are considering offering a different brand or type of food, please discuss it with us.
We are here to help, before and after your kitten comes home.
What we use
Ashford Location Feeds:
- Coming Soon
Crisfield Location Feeds:
- Viva Raw Pets - Get 20% off your first order here https://bit.ly/3BQWgJN
- Purina Original Dry
Finksburg & Manchester Locations Feeds:
- Finksburg Location: Makes own raw food, for more info, please call or text Nikki
- Pro Plan Dry
- Frisky's Pate Canned
- 4Health Pate Canned
- Viva Raw, getting 20% off your first order here https://bit.ly/3BQWgJN
Macungie Location Feeds:
- Viva Raw Pets - Get 20% off your first order here https://shorturl.at/gvAK6
What we use
Supplements:
The Honest Kitchen, Daily Boosters, Beef Bone Broth
Purina ProPlan Veterinary Diets, FortiFlora and Imuquin
Meal Time:
Don't forget bowls for food and water, and consider investing in a water bubbler or fountain, which can help keep water from becoming stagnant. But it must be cleaned regularly. We use a PetSafe Water Fountain.
Litter and Accessories:
-World's Best Cat Litter, green bag
-Dr. Elsey's Ultra Litter Attractant, not always necessary, but it never hurts to have it on hand.
-Solid, sturdy litter mats (like the Cat Litter Trapper, which are available on Amazon) make it a lot easier to keep your kitty's litter area clean.
-There are a variety of litter pan designs. We use combinations of basic, uncovered pans (like this SoPhresh model) and domed pans with a stair entry.
Pet Insurance:
This is very important. We recommend Trupanion.
We provide the first 30 days, upon the kitten's arrival at your home. Per the contract agreement, the adopter agrees to keep the insurance for at least 3 additional months. Please click on the button below to get your copy of the Trupanion's Certificate to activate your first 30 days.
Genetics of the Dwarf Gene
feline autosomal dominant dwarfism
The Munchkin cat (https://www.basepaws.com/blog/munchkin-cats-8-stereotypes-debunked) is probably the most well known representation of this gene, which for the purposes of this article I will call the M Gene. The introduction of this gene into a breed standard caused a lot of controversy when the Munchkin Breed was accepted to TICA in 1995. This is because the naturally occurring mutation, which is responsible for the short legs in the breed was originally thought to cause achondroplasia. This was an incorrect assumption, as achondroplasia is associated with enlarged heads as well. This combination of two distinct features is not observed in any of the dwarf cats that display the short legs of the M gene. The features we see in the M gene breeds of cat would be more correctly described as pseudoachondroplasia. Both achondroplasia and pseudoachondroplasia have a disproportionate bone growth, but pseudoachondroplasia lacks the enlarged head features of achondroplasia.In other words, the M gene causes short legs in the dwarf breed cats.
This is an autosomal dominant gene, which means that it will be expressed in both homozygous and heterozygous forms. A homozygous is a carrier of two identical copies of a gene (MM). A heterozygous carries two different copies of a gene –a munchkin gene and a healthy gene (Mm). Homozygous forms (MM) are not viable and do not develop in the womb. Only heterozygous kittens (Mm) are viable.
There is an amazing amount of misinformation about this gene in cats floating around the various forms of media today. Whether this is due to jealousy, bias, or just plain ignorance I cannot speculate, HOWEVER, I will attempt to correct some of the most common misconceptions about this gene here.
• Breeding two M gene cats together WILL NOT result in any deformities of the offspring. It WILL NOT hurt the breeding Queen in ANY WAY. The theoretical MM embryos are reabsorbed in the womb in the very early stages of pregnancy. Many people may find issue with this if they have never studied the subject, however, Embryo death is extremely common, and a well known phenomenon in all species. Even Us. You can read more about embryo death HERE: Embryo Death
• Dwarf Gene cats do not have medical issues associated with the dwarf gene.Because of the controversy surrounding these cats, extensive scientific studies and health testing has been done on the cats exibiting this mutation. They have all found the same conclusion over all, that this gene itself does not cause health issues. Munchkins, one of the most famous dwarf gene breeds, have a lifespan of 15-20 years.
• Dwarf Gene cats do not have mobility issues. They may not be able to jump high, but they are just as nimble, quick, and agile as any other cat on ground level, and their quality of life is not in anyway affected by having shorter legs.
• It is important to remember that this is a naturally occurring gene. These cats were not created by humans, this was Mother Nature. Nobody beats Mother Nature.
Great Videos:
Click HERE to learn the basics of the Dwarf GeneYoutube