Skookum is the name of a recognized breed of cat. It is a small affectionate cat, very similar to a related breed called the Munchkin, but with curls similar to its other parent breed, the LaPerm. Its head is a broad modified wedge shape with rounded contours and medium large walnut shaped eyes. The head shows no extremes of features, but the eyes are large and expressive. The neck and body are moderate in type but thickish with a rounded chest and good solid musculature. The body should not appear elongated, but tends slightly more towards cobby type. The short yet well proportioned legs have medium boning. The upper and lower forelegs are approximately even in length, as are the thighs and lower legs of the slightly longer hind legs. The feet are well rounded and compact and well planted. The coat is the result of the LaPerm gene so has a similar soft light airy texture. It should not be overly thick and should stand away from the body on fuzzy ringlets and curls or waves. The curls should not ripple close to the body but should spiral randomly out away from the skin. They can be long haired or short haired and the short coated variety has a coat which is closer to the body but still springy in feel. Regardless of hair length the Skookum should have very prominent curled whiskers and eyebrows. They are fun loving and kittenish cats, playful and athletic and fond of jumping and climbing.

These cats were created by crossings between La Perms and Munchkins. They have been called "the Shirley Temple of the cat world". They are essentially rexed Munchkins
as opposed to short-legged La Perms as after the first generation breeders do not breed back to La Perms. They are playful, people loving and kittenish, even as adults.

A medium sized curly coated cat with a semi-foreign body and short legs and curly ringlets. They may have slight bowing of the long bones; The spine is unaffected and similar in form and flexibility to other cat breeds. They have a distinctive gait, walking with one leg in front of the other with tail held erect. They run like rabbits without the hop.
Coat texture is distinctly different from other rex mutations and will vary within the breed.

Head
Small to medium in proportion to body with modified wedge with rounded contours. The forehead has a flat plane to top of head with a smooth gentle curve over top of head flowing to neck. The cheekbones have a gentle contour flowing smoothly to brow and profile. Strong and firm chin. The muzzle is broad with rounded contours with moderate to strong whisker pinch.

Whisker pads: appear full and rounded with long curly whiskers.

Neck
Medium long carried erect. Neck flows to top of head.

Nose
Broad and straight with moderate length. There is slight dip to nose just below bottom of eyes then straight to tip - dip must be felt for as can appear straight.

Ears
Medium to large, slightly flared and cupped continuing modified wedge of head. Full, curly furnishings, ear muffs and lynx tipping is desirable on Longhaired.

Eye Shape
Medium large and expressive almond shaped at rest, rounder when alert. Moderately far apart, slightly angled towards base of ear.

Eye Colour
All colours acceptable, more vivid colours preferred, no relation between coat and eye colour

Body
Medium well muscled, semi-foreign with medium boning. The back rises from shoulders to hip.

Legs
Short hind legs slightly longer than front legs. Upper and lower forelegs equal in length. Upper and lower hind legs approximately equal in size. Slight bowing of the upper foreleg allowed (this does not hamper mobility or survival).

Paws
Medium with rounded paws

Tail
Longhair: full plume
Shorthair: bottle-brush tail.
Tail tapers from base to tip length in proportion to body

Shorthair:
short to medium long. Hair may be wavy which is light, springy and airy; may be coarser than the longhair and has individual variations. Coat stands away from body with waves/curls over most of the cat. At times the coat will part naturally down the middle of the back. The coat may be coarser over the spine but not wiry.

Longhair:
medium long to long varying with season and maturity. Has ruff on maturity. Non matting, light, springy and airy so it feels loose and bouncy standing away from the body so you can run your fingers through to the skin. Parts with breath. Has almost unkempt appearance (gypsy shag look). May be curly or wavy - curly preferred, tightest curls in ruff and base of ears.

Colour
All colours allowed

Pattern
All patterns allowed

The Skookum was developed from crosses between Munckins and LaPerms with the aim of creating a short legged cat with a curly coat. The original crosses were carried out in the 1990s by Roy Galusha, and other breeders joined the breeding programme, with breeders in the USA, Europe, New Zealand and Australia. The Skookum is currently recognised as an Experimental breed by Independent European Registries, The Dwarf Cat Association and the registry Catz Inc in New Zealand. It is also accepted for registration by TICA as an experimental variety but use of the breed name has not yet been approved in TICA, as information was required by the organisation to demonstrate that the word did not have negative connotations. In Australia the Skookum may compete at championship level and the first Skookum champion was Double Grand Champion Shortland BC Little Miss Moppet, bred by Twink McCabe and owned by David Richardson and Christine Brelsford, whose title was won in Australia's only national cat registry, the WNCA.

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