| Cats, Kittens, Dwarf Cats, Dwarfs, Dwarves, Munckin, Napoleon, Minskin, Skookums, Kinkalows, Nanus Rex, Dwelf, Purebred Cats, Registered Cats, TICA, The International Cat Association, Cat Breeders, Catteries, Dwarf Catteries, Dwarf Breed Cats, Munchkins, Napoleons, Minskins, Skookum, Kinkalow, Lambkin, Lambkins, TICA Registered, TICA Cattery |
| Achondroplasia |
| The gene for achondroplasia, the most common type of human dwarfism, was discovered in 1994. Achondroplasia is caused by a gene mutation that is the same in 98% of the cases. The mutation, affecting growth, especially in the long bones, occurs early in fetal development. It is believed that an achondroplasia-like gene is responsible for the dwarfing in the Munchkin & all hybrid breeds based upon the Munchkin breed. A person with achondroplasia has one dwarfism gene and one "average-size" gene. If both parents have achondroplasia, there is a 25 percent chance their child will inherit the non-dwarfism gene from each parent and thus be average-size. There's a 50 percent chance the child will inherit one dwarfism gene and one non-dwarfism gene and thus have achondroplasia, just like his or her parents. And there is a 25 percent chance the child will inherit both dwarfism genes, a condition known as double-dominant syndrome, and which invariably ends in death at birth or shortly thereafter. For more information on achondroplasia & other types of dwarfism, please go to the Little People of America site - www.lpaonline.org . |
| a·chon·dro·pla·sia NOUN: Improper development of cartilage at the ends of the long bones, resulting in a form of congenital dwarfism. OTHER FORMS: a·chondro·plastic |
| TDCA The Dwarf Cat Association |
| following the Yellow Brick Road ... |