Welcome to our Napoleon Cats page! Here you will find everything you could ever want to know about Napoleon cats and a complete list of all the Napoleon catteries we have located in the USA.

Centuries ago, Napoleon Bonaparte conquered empires and left an unforgettable mark on the world’s history. Today, there is a new Napoleon on the throne, but this Napoleon is not a person; it is a cat breed. Yes, the cat world has its very own little corporal – the Napoleon cat – the breed that is conquering the hearts of people around the world with its charming demeanor and unique appearance.

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Napoleon Cat Breed Information

The Napoleon is a relatively new breed registered in almost every cat association worldwide. The creation of this breed began back in 1996 with one goal in mind: a healthy and steady growth with the ultimate prize being attaining championship status in every major cat registry organization. Breeders have been pleased with the rising popularity of the Napoleon cat.

This breed qualifies as a hybrid breed. The Napoleon cat is actually a breed developed from the crossing of two existing breeds, incorporating their best characteristics into the new breed. The result is a doll-faced cat that will stay kitten-sized forever. The Napoleon cat is derived from the Persian and the Munchkin. From the Persian group they inherited their round face, big eyes, and beautiful coat. They have acquired substantial boning as well, which is actually a good support system for their short legs. From the Munchkin group, they inherited their uniquely short legs. Although these cats have short legs, they can still jump, run, and play.

Before purchasing a Napoleon cat, the future owner must do a little research regarding their housing requirements and care. Many cat owners have enjoyed their time with this beautiful, playful and enthusiastic feline companion.

General Information:

Height/Length: medium

Weight: 5-9 pounds

Lifespan: 10 -16 years

Coloring: variety of colors

Area of Origin: United States

Similar Breeds: Persian, Himalayan, Munchkin

Breed History and Origins:

The Napoleon breed shares its history with both its ancestors – the Munchkin, whose roots go back to the 1980s, and the Persian, the breed that plays an important role in the cat world for a couple of centuries now.

Sandra Hockendal is the first name that is linked to the short-legged breed. In 1983, she rescued a pregnant cat that had short legs. The kittens were also short-legged, so basically, these were the first short-legged cats resulting from a dominant dwarfism gene. This breed was later known by the name Munchkin.

Later in 1996, Joe Smith started breeding Munchkins with Persians. Joe became interested and intrigued with the Munchkin breed and its genetics. He wanted to create a cat breed with the same universal appeal of these two breeds. He decided to name this breed the Napoleon after Napoleon Bonaparte, who actually suffered from a fear of cats.

The Persians used in the crossing were doll-faced Persians; they have a longer nose than the standard modern Persian. In 2001, TICA added the Napoleon breed to the list of experimental breeds. One year later, Joe had successfully met the criteria needed for the next development stage, so the breed gained the Registration Only status.

Developing a new breed is not easy at all; it takes lots of hard work and time. There are heartaches and frustrations along the way to getting a breed accepted. Joe left the project in 2008, but other breeders picked up the torch and were working on a full recognition of the Napoleon breed. Sam Tate and Margie Gardner were working on promotion of this breed, and Teri Harris presented the Napoleon to the TICA board.

Size and Physical Characteristics:

The Napoleon cat is of a medium size. It is sturdy, light, and compact, which sets this breed apart from other cat breeds.

These cats can be found in a range of colors as wide as that of their parent breeds. They have inherited their lovely round face and dense coat from the Persian group, and the short legs from the Munchkin group.

The Napoleon cat is round in every part of the body. Its round face and short legs are the first things you’ll notice when you meet a Napoleon for the first time. While derived from and very similar to the Munchkin and the Persian, the Napoleon is a unique breed with its own unique look.

Just like the Persian, the Napoleon’s head is round, their eyes are big and expressive, but their nose is slightly different – they have a longer nose. Some non-standard Napoleon cats have long legs, but they still have the same distinctive characteristics in the head, so no one would mistake them for another breed.

Other things that are round in this breed are their cheeks, muzzle, and eyes. Roundness has a role in their overall body structure – their body is semi-cobby, giving a sense of roundness. Not only that, but the shapes of this cat’s muscles emphasizes their bodies’ roundness. They have strong and solid boning, as well as excellent musculature that keeps them in shape.

Their short legs were first seen in the Munchkin breed. Years of observation and genetic studies had proven that their legs are actually healthy and do not cause health-related problems. In the dog world, there are many low-rider breeds which are perfectly healthy and normal, so the Napoleon creates a new and unusual look for cat lovers worldwide.

Personality and Temperament:

Napoleons are gentle, people-oriented and affectionate cats. They have inherited the best of both worlds: the curiosity and energy of the Munchkin and the gentleness and elegance of the Persian. Their big eyes give them a look of innocence.

Napoleon cats are known to have a sweet and gentle temperament. Just like Munchkins, they are playful and enthusiastic. However, in some situations, they will be calm and simply enjoy the presence of their owners. They purr a lot and have a tendency to cuddle up close to their favorite human.

They also love to play with their long-legged feline friends, unaware that there is something different about them. They are very sociable and love to run and chase toys. They love all kinds of company, including children and other pets. Being very curious, they can often be found sitting on their hind legs to keep an eye on everything that happens around them. They have a charming way of sitting that makes them look almost like rabbits or little kangaroos. Napoleons are also very self-assured, so they will explore every corner of the house.

Napoleons maintain their kitten-like temperament well into adulthood. They are also easily trainable and get along well with everyone in the house. Despite their small stature, Napoleons can jump and run just like any other cat.

They are unusually intelligent and confident, as well as adventuresome. As dwarfs, they are actually forced to do more than the average amount of problem-solving techniques. Therefore, they especially enjoy running, jumping, and climbing just like their taller cat cousins.

Nutritional and Exercise Needs:

Napoleons and Nutrition

There are plenty of things that go into keeping the Napoleon happy and healthy. Environment and genetics play important roles, but there is one thing that also has a big effect on the cat’s health – diet. Feline nutrition is a serious matter. More and more cats suffer from many diet-related diseases, and only a healthy diet can put an end to that.

Contemplating a change in the diet might sound challenging and overwhelming at first. However, it is pretty easy.

When it comes to nutrition, Napoleons are not complicated. Kittens should be fed three times a day. Owners should also provide treats as a reward. Napoleons are very hygienic, so they will want their dish bowl to be clean all the time.

Often debated is whether to purchase dry or wet food for a Napoleon. Common wisdom is that wet food meets the nutritional needs, but a small amount of dry food is not harmful. Dry food should be kept to a minimum because it is high in carbohydrates, and Napoleons, just like all other cat breeds, do not process carbohydrates in the same way humans do.

In the end, it is up to the owner to establish and administer the diet. Napoleons do not require any special brands of food, but still, it might take some time to develop a diet plan that works best. The final goal is to mimic the prey-based diet cats naturally need, so the diet should be balanced.

Napoleons and exercising

Inquisitive and funny, Napoleons will make everyone to want to play with them. Oftentimes, they are compared with kangaroos because of their habit of sitting on their hind legs and freely dangling their front legs.

Napoleons keep their kitten-like personality and remain active throughout their whole life. The friendliness Napoleons show towards other people and pets is special. They are caressing and affectionate, and attentive to their owner’s mood. However, they do require some quality time playing with their owner.

Owners are advised to keep their Napoleon at home, so they need a physical activity every day in order to keep them healthy and in shape.

All cats are interesting when they are playing, but Napoleons are especially cute when they are running with their short legs. They do not require special playing rules; what they need is a variety of toys. They prefer toys that require human participation, like those that can be dangled and wiggled. Napoleons are hunters, so owners are advised to move toys in a way that mimics the rodent’s movements. They are also explorers, so they enjoy playing with paper shopping bags, cardboard boxes, packing paper and other toys that encourage them to investigate.

Training a Napoleon can provide them with a great mental workout. They are very intelligent, so they can learn fun tricks and a number of useful behaviors.

Grooming and Upkeep:

One of the most striking features of the Napoleon cat is its luxurious flowing coat that comes in any color, including the pointed varieties from the Persian group, especially the Himalayan outcrosses. Their coat is easily manageable since it is low-maintenance, but it does require an occasional combing.

Unlike Persian cats, Napoleons have less undercoat and therefore require less grooming. However, their coat is as flowing and impressive as the coat in Persians.

There are two types of Napoleons, differentiated by their coats: shorthaired Napoleons and longhaired Napoleons. The name reveals a lot when it comes to combing: the shorthaired variety requires weekly brushing, while the longhaired variety requires daily brushing. Regular brushing is essential for removing tangles and preventing matting.

There are plenty of combs, brushes and other grooming gadgets and tools, so buying the right one might be challenging. That is why owners are advised to consult a vet prior choosing the right grooming tool.

Although most Napoleons do not need to be bathed very often, there are times when taking a bath is in order. Again, the vet can recommend what type of shampoo to choose because human shampoos dry out cats’ skin, leaving them susceptible to infection and irritation.

Proper dental hygiene is another important grooming step. Establishing good dental hygiene will prevent the Napoleon from having to undergo expensive and uncomfortable surgery after suffering in silence.

Nail clipping is something that cats generally do not like. Owners should be very careful when clipping their cat’s nails because they might become upset because of this weird feeling. Every cat is unique, but usually within a week of beginning their daily foot massage, the Napoleon will accept nail clipping.

Characteristics Unique to the Breed:

The Napoleon is a hybrid breed that is still a work in progress, so the information about this breed is limited.

Their distinctive short legs are a result of a spontaneous autosomal dominant mutation. Although short, their legs are well-developed and do not hamper their mobility in any way.

Health and Wellness: 

It appears that Napoleons are generally healthy cats. However, as it was already mentioned, the breed is still new, so information about them is limited. People who are planning to buy a Napoleon should talk to the breeder about any genetic or hereditary diseases. Some breeding lines of the Munchkin and the Persian might be prone to a few breed-specific diseases.

Munchkin

• Lordosis – inward curvature of the cat’s spine.
• Pectus excavatum – the costal cartilages and sternum are deformed, which results in a horizontal narrowing of the cat’s chest on the posterior side. The symptoms include difficulty breathing, weight loss, vomiting, coughing, poor appetite, recurrent lung infections, failure to gain weight, and inability to perform routine exercise.

Persian

• PKD (polycystic kidney disease) – inherited kidney disease in which small liquid-filled sacs develop in the kidney’s tissue. These sacs grow in size and multiply in number, eventually leading to kidney failure.
• Photophobia – a condition associated with squinting and holding the eyes closed which usually occurs from both internal and external irritation of the eye.
• Cataracts – opaqueness of the eye’s lens that interferes with the transmission of light to the retina.

Why Choose a Napoleon?

It must be emphasized that Napoleons are neither hairy Munchkins nor short-legged Persians. They are a wonderful combination of these two breeds.

Napoleons are well suited to any home with owners who will love them and care for them. They should be kept indoors, but can venture outside only if the yard is escape-proof and cat-friendly. This cat is the perfect pet for small children who are aware of the fact that cats prefer gentle handling. Keeping their kitten-like personality throughout their lives, these cats will immediately capture your heart.