Meet Melvin

Don't worry, I didn't get another cat to be weird with and about. This cat belongs to the person who runs Mouchois. He's a 12-week-old teacup Himalayan. Cute animals are a dime a million on the Internet, but Melvin's story is pretty remarkable (while at the same time, I fear, too common): his owner bought him via Craigslist, only to find out that he has primordial dwarfism and the host of problems that come along with it ("Basically, if there's a problem out there that doesn't cause a cat to die, he has it," is how she put it to me in an email). I appreciate the blog not just as a document of Melvin's weird cuteness and fighting spirit, but as a cautionary tale about the dangers of breeding for dwarfism. That sounds obvious, but it still happens so it isn't obvious enough. Obviously!

Anyway, just a heads-up that this crazy cat exists and that his fight for health is being documented at Mouchois. Melvin's troubles remind me of an intensified version of Winston's. I hope that he can one day be as healthy is my guy.

Comments

[gbs]

First?
I am all for people realizing what goes along with specialized breeds. Thank god there are people out there who have the patience and humanity to care for what they adopted.
PS what's with the breeding of tiny cats? Viva La Mane Coon!

[Capt. D]

Thank you for posting this. Breeding animals (and, in fact, purchasing animals from anywhere other than the pound or SPCA) is a terrible idea, and I appreciate you trying to bring light to that fact.

Hysterical blogs AND social activism? Of, if only you liked the ladies...

PS Echoing the above - Viva La Maine Coon!

[victoria]

I didn't even know that breeding cats for size even existed. I can't beieve people will do this to animals just so they are "cute" or fit into thier bag. Thanks for enlightening us. Its the pound and mutts for this family my entire life and I have to say I have never had any issues with any dogs but lots of love and sweetness.

[spazmo]

Folks are all about adopting tiny kittens like this poor creature (who is doomed to remain tiny), even though adult cats are far more plentiful, inexpensive, better behaved, loyal and lower maintenance than kittens.

Save a cat, save your furniture, ignore the "cute" factor, and adopt an adult. If you don't, their days will be numbered.

[Audrey]

oh how i love melvin, and winston. they are both such wonderful kittles. i have a persian who is about 7 wks old and he whants to be just like winston when he grows up!

[SARAH]

very sweet. so many signs i need a lil friend of my own. wheres the best/easiest spot to do that in brooklyn??

[lucy]

That is sad :( Why do breeders even have to exist? What is wrong with a normal cat? One you adopt from the shelter or ASPCA! Aside from the fact that paying for an pure breed animal (dog or cat) seems insane, esp when they are always sick from inbreeding!!! VIVA MUTTS!!

[heidi]

Thanks for the awareness! I too ,never heard of breeding for a dwarf cat. I've heard of the "munchkin cat"(a cat with a regular body and kitten length legs)but this doesn't look like that.I only adotp adult cats from a shelter or ones that are left behind when a person moves,witch is the worst to me.a cat born on the street;the street is all it knows. A cat left behind, when a tenent moves is pure EVIL!

[heidi]

OMG I just came back from the MOUCHOIS site ,and I learned that, the munchkin cat, that I mentioned above ,is not natural, and is actually one of these poor dwarf cats.Poor things,after reading the info, it's not so cute after all!

[Mandy]

Widdle Melvin is so adorable and has to put up with so much! It angers me when people breed animals out of control, whether they do it for status, money, or they have a hoarding disorder. My oldest, Scarlett, is part persian part maine coon. She's a tortoiseshell beauty that is bitchy in every way. I rescued her from the humane society. My other two were rescued from the mean streets. One was abandoned in below zero weather and the other was born on the mean streets of Philly.

It peeves me off when people are irresponsible! The humane society where I volunteered only adopted 3% of its cats out. The rest were destroyed for lack of room. DAMNIT that PISSES ME OFF!!!!

Okay, now it's time to go cuddle my three stooges. Thanks for giving me another oddball Cinderella story kitty to follow on the net. Loves to Winnie, Rudy, and now Melvin.

[Teshie]

A dog afficionado named Patrick runs Terrierman's Daily Dose (http://terriermandotcom.blogspot.com/). Patrick's been kicking ass and taking names when it comes to the despicable breeding practices that produce kitties like Melvin. He delves into the politics and genetics that lead to the breeding of super expensive dogs that hate their own lives. I highly recommend it!

[Vanessa]

Why would you need a dwarf cat anyways? Maines aside, they don't get that big.

Echoing what others have said, I once adopted a dog from Craigslist. A seemingly nice lady had posted an ad saying she had found and fostered a stray 10 year old beagle for a few months that just wanted to sleep all day but she couldn't keep him. I thought my dog needed a friend and got him from her, as I couldn't imagine some sweet older dog being sent to the pound where he was unlikely to find a home. Within only a few hours of picking him up, he growled at me when I came close to him with a bone in his mouth. I had made clear to her my dog has food aggression with other dogs and I couldn't have another one with the same problem so I called her whereupon she told me that oops yes he is in fact so hostile about food that SHE HAD TO LEAVE THE ROOM WHEN SHE FED HIM. Later that same day, the fucker attacked and bit me. One Tetanus shot later and one dog less, I resolved to only get dogs from the pound from now on-which is where my first dog is from actually. You just don't know with Craigslist unfortunately.

[Kit]

God - poor little Melvin is so ugly - and when I went over to his website, I was not disabused of that notion. I feel so bad for the litte baby...

[Mouchois]

Melvin's ugliness is what makes him that much more special to me.
Not all animals are perfect. There are blind cats and cats with no hair and cats that can't use their legs (Moki from the Save Moki blogs). Just because these cats are different, doesn't mean that they don't deserve homes or should be put out of their misery.
No need to feel bad for him. He's kicking it pretty well. I only feel bad for the people that pay thousands of dollars for a cat like him. And bad enough, most of these kittens are put to sleep after their owners realize that they bought a sick cat.
I'm somewhat of a collector for the world's "ugly" pets. I'm sure when time comes to find a friend for Melvin, I'll be looking in the special needs area of Petfinder. Maybe I'm just weird? Who knows...

Anyways... Thanks so so much for the introduction! Hopefully Melvin's ugly-ass zombie looks teach some people a thing or two.

Oh yeah... And for those seven nice comments that I received about bathing Melvin too much... You can't bathe a cat too much. He gets a bath every other day to keep his fur from matting. If you look up information on his breed (Himalayan), you would find that these cats should be bathed at least once a week, more if matting starts. The more you know. <3

[Bourgeois Nerd]

Awwww! Poor fella. Winston should take him under his wing or paw or whatever.

[Cheryl]

Melvin is so sweet and kudos to all the owners out there who have cats with 'issues' and keep them regardless - I lucked out, 2 average (if not ungreatful) cats with very few vet vists between them in their 11 years with me.

[eggy weggs]

Phew! I saw "teacup" and held my breath. This is an important message (along with the broader message that breeding animals often breeds problems). Thanks, Rich! And Melvin is awfully cute and I hope he brings his owner lots of joy.

[heidi]

MOUCHOIS....you are a heaven sent, for animals in need.

[Vanessa]

I should have added that Melvin is lucky to have his Mouchois. A friend of mine lost her job recently and then found out her dog had diabetes. He has since been hospitalized twice and she has to pay $160 a month for his food and meds. Yet she would never consider taking him to the pound. She's a superhero. All animals should have someone that loves them so much.

[nidra]

Mouchois: Good for you! Melvin is lucky to have such a devoted friend and champion.

Although I have always adopted cats from rescue orgs or pounds, I don't have anything against responsible breeders. Many breeders are caring, ethical people who would never think of inbreeding or mating unhealthy animals to achieve some unrealistic ideal (e.g. a "teacup"). People who do that don't give a damn about animals -- they are just looking to make a profit. They are despicable.

I happen to think that cats are cute in general -- big, small, pure-breed, mutt, whatever*. My cat is a whopping 17 pounds, and he's the cutest creature who ever lived. (Although Winston's close.)

(*I am a little freaked out by those hairless cats, though, to be totally honest.]

[digaroonie]

Break my heart. I can't stand "professional" breeders and I wish them all to hell. Creepy fat people with stretch pants and two-month roots showing in their perms. Respect and love to all the good people out there who rescue and adopt pets - I don't believe in heaven, but I do believe in karma and you rescue/adopter folks are the best and will be rewarded someday. Puppy mill/breeder creeps who put animals through deformity and sickness all in the name of the mighty buck will be run over someday.

[Whiskas]

Mou: I am the same way about animals. When it is time for me to get a dog, I want an elderly Pommie, Ideally, a tripod. I feel that the "cute" animals get enough love. I am also only going to adopt adult kittehs. My Darryl was a stray who lived under my bf's house in the mountains in NC. She is nothing but love. I truly believe that animals know when they are rescued and totally appreciate their rescuer.

I don't get purebred cats AT ALL. I mean, a cat is a cat. There are so many homeless kittys. Why would somebody spend bank on a cat when they can give a perfectly awesome rescue a ome.

[Saffron]

Please go to Mouchois' site. There is a raffle (for a very small amount of money and you can use Paypal) to help defray Melvin's costs. The prizes are awesome. Speaking as one who had a very very sick kitten who pulled though and it a big sack of purry love now, vet bills add up fast.

Melvin is ultra wonderful and is lucky to have such a caring human.

[Vanessa]

I don't believe the answer to the pet overpopulation problem is to heap hatred on responsible breeders. I understand there are people who breed for the love of that breed and its health and continuity. The responsible ones will also agree to take the animal back if he/she doesn't work out.

(responsible breeders as opposed to puppy millers which is where, alas, your dog will certainly come from if you buy from a pet store. There are groups here in Ohio circulating a petition to end puppy auctions which is an important step to shutting that horrible business down.)

Having said all that, as the HSUS logo used to say "Until there are none, adopt one."

[Erika]

Uh, this is why you shouldn't buy animals off of CraigsList. If someone is going to buy from a breeder (which I think is ridiculous, ESPECIALLY for a cat) - at least do the research and buy from a reputable breeder. People really make me mad sometimes.