England: In the 1940s, in England, a veterinarian described several generations of short-legged cats. Although this line disappeared during WW2, in 1953 a short-legged cat was seen in Stalingrad. However it wasn’t until 1983, when a short-legged cat, later named Blackberry, was discovered by Sandra Hochenedel in Louisiana, that today’s Munchkin breed was born. Blackberry’s first and subsequent litters consisted of about half short-legged and half long-legged kittens. A son from one of Blackberry’s litters, Toulouse, was given to Kay LaFrance, a friend of Hochenedel. It is from Blackberry and Toulouse that today’s Munchkin breed is descended.