Napoleon Cats

Grey and white Napoleon cat sitting comfortably

Fluffy white Napoleon with dark eyes lying down

Fluffy Napoleon cat hiding under wooden chair

History

The Napoleon cat (also known as the Minuet) is a breed of cat that has the short legs of a Munchkin with the long, silky coat of a Persian.

An American Basset Hound breeder called Joseph Smith is credited with the creation of the Napoleon breed. The story goes that he was inspired by the Wall Street Journal's front page feature of the Munchkin on June 12, 1995. He liked the Munchkin but noted that Munchkin kittens with long legs (without the short leg mutation) were not discernable from any other domestic cat so decided to create a cat that would be unique in both short and long legged versions. The Persian was chosen to outcross with the Munchkin because of its luscious coat.

In January 2015, TICA's board of directors voted to change the name of the breed to the Minuet. The breed group is still recognized as the Napoleon by the Cat Fanciers Federation. It is not currently recognized by the Cat Fancier's Association, American Cat Fanciers Association, or Fédération Internationale Féline.

Behaviour

The Napoleon breed combines the active and agile behaviours of the Munchkin with the lap cat principles of a Persian. They are surprisingly fast across the floor but aren’t great at jumping. If you offer a Napoleon a warm lap to curl up in then you are sure to have a friend for life - or at least for however long they want a cat nap.