It is a small, short-legged 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 for its head and expressive. The neck and body are moderate in type but thickish with a rounded chest and good solid musculature structure. 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.
History
The Skookum cat was developed from crosses between Munchkins 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 US, 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 The International Cat Association 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.
