STANDARDS

WHAT IS A STANDARD?  Not to be confused with the term "standard" meaning short-legged Minuets (as opposed to nonstandard), a breed's standard is, in essence, a written description of that particular breed, written so that a breeder, judge, or anyone interested in that particular breed may have an idea of what the "ideal" specimen of that breed should look like.  Although standards are guidelines, and often do not change for long periods of time, they are not written in stone.  Many breeds have "evolved" over the years, looking somewhat different from the original members of that breed (check out the early Persians, Maine Coons, and Siamese).  The same is true for the Minuet, and, being a new breed, things may change as it "settles in."  Only time will tell.

Different registries also have their own standards (and breed names!).  We have included these as well so that a good overall picture may be had. 

THE INTERNATIONAL CAT ASSOCIATION - MINUET BREED GROUP (MNT/MNL) (revised May 1, 2016)

The Minuet and the Minuet Longhair are short-legged, medium to substantially boned cats.  They are distinguished only by the appearance of the coat with the shorthair having a plush all-weather coat and the longhair a long silky coat with britches and a plumed tail.

PERMISSIBLE OUTCROSSES: Persian Breed Group, Munchkin Breed Group.

HEAD:  Shape: Round, broad, with well rounded contours when viewed from any angle.  Cheeks moderately full, top head rounded but not domed.  Ears: Medium with preference given to slightly smaller ears but not extreme.  Rounded tips.  Set wide apart.  Eyes: Large and round, wide open but not protruding.  No brow ridge.  Deep brilliant eye color is preferred which conforms to coat color.  Chin: Rounded and moderate.  Muzzle: Moderately short and broad with well rounded whisker pads.  Nose:  Moderately short, broad and with an obvious stop, but no break; not snub.  Top of the nose leather should not come above the lower edge of the eye.  Profile: Gentle curve to a moderate stop.  Neck: Head should blend into moderately short neck.

BODY:  Torso: Semi-cobby, well rounded.  Straight top-line preferred, slight rise from the shoulders to tail is acceptable.  Legs: Short, well developed, firm musculature.  Outer upper thigh boning and musculature may be thick and pronounced due to short legs.  Inner leg straight with little to no bowing though slight bowing is acceptable.  Feet: Rounded and neat, tufts on longhairs.  Tail: In proportion to body length or longer, not short.  Long hairs should be plumed and flowing.  Boning: Medium to substantial.  In front, legs should be short and straight from the breadth of the chest adding to sturdy appearance.  Musculature: Substantial, firm and noticeable on front legs. 

COAT/COLOR/PATTERN:  Length (MNT): Short.  Dense but slightly longer than other shorthairs; standing away from body.  Length (MNL): Dense, full, allowing for seasonal variations.  Texture (MNT): Plush, double coat preferred, all weather, not lying flat.  Texture (MNL): Soft, slight undercoat gives the coat body but coat still falls smoothly.  Not cottony.  Possible curls on underbody.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:  The Minuet is a hybrid of the Persian Breed Group and the Munchkin Breed Group.  the desired result is a cat that should be medium in size and strong, with noticeable boning and musculature.  This cat should have a very open and round face with a sweet expression and large eyes that do not tear.  The ideal Minuet is an active yet laid-back cat with a playful attitude.

ALLOWANCES:  Lockets, nose bump.

PENALIZE:  Brow ridge, dome, snub nose.

WITHHOLD ALL AWARDS (WW):  Excessive tearing.

DISQUALIFY (DQ):  Nose break, crooked nose, excessive bowing, long legs.

 

 

 

 

ChineseStandard.jpg

 

CATZ INC. NAPOLEON LONGHAIR & SHORTHAIR STANDARD OF EXCELLENCE (NEW ZEALAND)

HEAD:  Shape: Round, broad, smooth domed with great breadth.  Should be medium to large in size and in proportion to the body.  Jaws broad and powerful with perfect tooth occlusion.  Cheeks should be moderately full and blend with the overall roundness of the face.  Overall a very sweet expression.  Ears: Medium to small and round tipped.  Set wide apart, fitting into the contour of the head.  Eyes: Large, found and full.  Set level and moderately far apart giving a sweet expression to the face.  Eye color has equal importance to size and shape.  Deep brilliant eye colour is preferred, which confirms to coat colour.  Chin: Strong, moderately full, fitting into the face.  Muzzle should be moderately short and full.  Nose: Only moderately longer than broad.  Profile: Moderately short nose with a dip below the eyes.  Forehead, nose and chin form a pleasing "baby doll" profile.  There shall be no break between the eyes.  Neck: Moderately short, thick and well muscled.  

BODY:  Torso:  Appears moderately long in relation to legs, with a thick, well rounded mid section.  Legs: Short, large boned, well developed and with firm musculature.  The hind legs may be slightly longer than the forelegs.  Feet: Round and large, pointing forward.  Tail: Short to medium.  Straight and in proportion to body length.  Boning:  Heavy, sturdy and in proportion.  Musculature: Firm and well developed. 

COAT: Longhair: Long all over the body.  Full of life.  Dense undercoat giving the coat full volume.  Ruffs should be immense.  Seasonal variations in coat shall be recognized.  Shorthair: Short, but slightly longer than most shorthairs.  Soft, dense and plush, standing away from the body.  Seasonal variation in coat and density should be recognized.  

CONDITON AND BALANCE:  Should reflect excellent health and robust power with good muscle tone.  Other than short legs, all parts of the body should be in proportion to each other. 

ALLOWANCES:  Consideration should be given to the fact that females will generally be smaller than males, but both sexes should be in proportion and balance for their size.  Eyes rather wide apart to give an open and alert expression. 

PENALISE:  Wedge shaped.  Narrow muzzle.  Bite deformity.  Obvious break between the eyes or above the nose.  Ears that are large, pointed or set too close together.  Toeing out of the front feet.  Excessive bowing to the front or rear legs.  Excessively protruding sternum.  Flanged or extremely short ribcage.  Poor muscle tone.  Small close-set eyes.  Pale or weak eye color.  Buttons or lockets.  

DISQUALIFY:  Kinked tail.  Severe malocclusion or asymmetry to the face structure.  Crossed, slanted or improperly focusing eyes.  Any evidence of lameness. 

RECOGNISED COLOURS:  All colours acceptable. 

ALLOWABLE OUTCROSSES:  First filial cross between Munchkin and either Persian, Himalayan or Exotic Shorthair.  Restricted to Persian, Himalayan, Exotic Shorthair, Napoleon or Non-Standard Napoleon.  

 

ANCATS NAPOLEON LONGHAIR & SHORTHAIR NBC 2009 (AUSTRALIA)

INTRODUCTION:  A hybrid created by Joe Smith in 1996 by breeding Munchkins to Persians, Himalayans or Exotic.  The Napoleon looks like an old-fashioned Persian with the shortened legs of a Munchkin.

DESCRIPTION:  A short legged, stocky cat with heavy boning, and round eyes with a colourful coat.  They can be long or shorthaired.  They are fun, playful cats who are as agile as long legged cats and ver intelligent.  Litters can have both short-legged (standard) and long legged (non-standard).

HEAD:  Round, broad smooth domed with great breadth.  Medium to large in size in proportion to the body.  Jaws broad and powerful with perfect tooth occlusion.  Cheeks moderately full and blend in with the overall roundness of the face demonstrating a very sweet expression.  Faults: Snub or flat face in profile.

NECK:  Moderately short, thick and well-muscled.

NOSE:  Only moderately longer than broad with a slight dip below the eyes.  Muzzle moderately short and full.  Forehead, nose and chin form a pleasing "baby doll' profile.  No break between the eyes.  Chin strong moderately full fitting into the face.  Faults: Wedge shaped head.  Thin muzzle.  Bite deformity.  Obvious stop between eyes or above the nose.

EARS:  Medium to small round-tipped.  Set wide apart filling into the contours of the head.  Faults: Too large ears.  Set too close together.  Pointed ears.

EYE SHAPE:  Large, round and full.  Set level and moderately far apart giving a sweet expression to the face.  Faults:  Excessive tearing.  Protruding eyes.  Small close-set eyes.

EYE COLOUR:  Eye colour is equally important as eye shape.  Deep brilliant colour preferred which conforms to coat colour.

BODY:  Moderately long, thick, well-rounded mid section.  Medium to large in size.  Slight rise from shoulders to the tail as back legs slightly longer than front legs.  Well rounded chest and ribs with firm hips.  Females are smaller than males.  Faults:  Protruding sternum.  Flanged or extremely short rib cage.  Poor muscle tone.

LEGS:  Short, large-boned, well-developed and with firm musculature.  The hind legs may be slightly longer than the forelegs.

PAWS:  Round and large pointing forward.  Faults:  Toeing out of the front or rear paws.

TAIL:  Short to medium.  Straight and in proportion to body length.

COAT:  Longhair: Long all over the body.  Full of life.  Dense undercoat giving the coat full volume.  Ruffs should be immense.  Seasonal variations in coats to be recognised.  Shorthair:  Short, but slightly longer than most shorthairs.  Soft, dense, plush, standing away from the body.  Seasonal variations in coat and density to be recognised. 

ALLOWABLE OUTCROSSES:  Persian, Himalayan, Exotic, Munchkin, Domestic.

 

CAT FANCIERS FEDERATION (CFF), 2016

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:  The Napoleon's distinctive short legs developed from a spontaneous autosomal dominant mutation.  The short legs do not hamper mobility or survival ability.  The Napoleon comes in both Standard (short legs) and Non-Standard (long legs).  The only difference in the two cats is the length of the legs.  The Napoleon comes in both Short and Long Hair, with no difference between the two except the length of the hair.  The ideal Napoleon is a round, medium sized cat with strong boning and musculature.  The face should be round with a pleasant expression and large, round, deep colored, expressive eyes.  Profile should not be flat.  The Napoleon should be balanced physically, with the exception of the short legs, and temperamentally, gentle and amenable to handling.

HEAD:  Shape: Round, broad, and smooth domed.  Should be medium to large in size and in proportion to body.  Jaws broad with good tooth occlusion.  Cheeks should be full and blend with the roundness of the face.  Overall a very sweet expression.  Ears: Medium to small and round tipped.  Set wide apart, fitting into the contour of the head.  Eyes: Large, round and full.  Set level and moderately far apart giving a sweet expression to the face.  Eye color has equal importance to size and shape.  Deep brilliant eye color which conforms to coat color is preferred.  However, other eye colors are not to be penalized.  Chin: Strong and full, fitting into the contours of the face.  Nose: Slightly longer than broad.  Nose leather medium to small with adequate nares.  Muzzle between nose and mouth full and well developed.  Profile: Medium to short nose with a dip below the eyes.  Medium to short muzzle.  Forehead, nose and chin form a pleasing "baby doll" profile.  There shall be no break between the eyes.  Neck: Moderately short, thick and well muscled. 

BODY: Torso: Semi-cobby to medium in length, thick, well rounded in mid-section.  Slight rise from the shoulders to the tail as the back legs are slightly longer than front legs.  Well rounded chest and ribs with firm hips.  Legs: Short, straight.  The hind legs are slightly longer than the forelegs.  Feet: Round and medium to large, pointing forward.  Tail: Medium and in proportion to body length.  Boning: Medium to heavy with allowance for the lighter boning found in Silvers.  Sturdy and in proportion.  Musculature: Firm and well developed.  

COAT/COLOR/PATTERN:  Long Hair: Semi-Long to Long all over the body.  Full of life.  Ruffs should be noticeable.  Undercoat dense enough to give the coat full volume standing slightly away from the body.  All colors and patterns allowed.  Short Hair: Short, but slightly longer than most shorthairs.  Soft, dense, plush, standing away from body.  All colors and patterns allowed.

NOTE:  CFF Rules of Registration allow the use of the Munchkin Short Hair and Munchkin Long Hair, Persian, Himalayan, Exotic Short Hair and Exotic Long Hair as outcrosses for Napoleon.  Do not penalize for difference in type as long as the cat meets the above Standard.  Cross breeding with any other breed is not permitted.

CONDITION AND BALANCE:  Other than the short legs on the Standard cats, all parts of the body should be in proportion to each other. 

DISQUALIFY:  Obvious break between the eyes. 

 

See how they run ...

One thing all of the standards agree upon is that the Minuet is a cat with medium to substantial boning and musculature.  As you can see from the video below, this trait should be in the forefront of all breeders', exhibitors' and judges' minds.  The Minuet is not a wispy creature designed only for couches and laps, but a sturdy powerhouse, capable of running with the best of them ... effortlessly.  This video should also dispel the myth that dwarf cats are somehow "disabled" or "deformed."  The only recognizable difference is that indeed, they do take shorter steps when walking ... but speed and agility are in no way affected.

This video demonstrates the agility of the Minuet/Napoleon, as well as emphasizing the need for a cat that is of substantial boning musculature.