Sphynx Breed Information
Learn all about Sphynx cats, read about the Sphynx breed information,
find out about the Sphynx Breed Standard, Sphynx behavior and more.
The Sphynx is the oldest of the World's three hairless breeds of cats. The
origin of the Sphynx can be traced to Toronto, Canada in the early 1960s. The
original Sphynx was a spontaneous mutation, born of Domestic parents. This
female kitten was introduced to a breeding program & the Sphynx breed began
there. The Sphynx progressed from there to the Netherlands & thus around the
World. They are bred in many countries & shown in many associations today. In
America their status is Championship in TICA & Provisional in CFA with hopes
that they will be accepted in Championship there in the not too distant future.
The Sphynx is a medium sized cat with a rounded belly, sturdy boning, & good
musculature. The ears are very large, giving them a fly-away bat like look. The
legs are long, ending in toes that are long & agile & paw pads that are thicker
than usual often giving them the appearance of walking on air. The skin is
wrinkled, chamois-like, & very warm to the touch. The lack of hair allows the
true body temperature of the cat to be felt without the usual fur-coat
insulation.
Sphynx come in most colors, including pointed, the skin is colored as if
tattooed. Most Sphynx do have a very fine down, almost imperceptible to the eye,
covering their bodies & many have very short, very soft down on their muzzle &
extremities. The Sphynx eat a bit more than most cats because their metabolism
is high to maintain body heat. They are not finicky eaters & will do well on
most premium cat foods. They require very little grooming, a weekly bath in a
mild shampoo & a daily wipe down with a rag or baby wipe is about all that is
needed to keep a very clean Sphynx. The need to bathe arises from the body oils
that have no hair to absorb them. The ears need to be cleaned weekly with a
q-tip, & the nails need to be wiped weekly with a rag or baby wipe, due to the
same oily secretions.
The Sphynx are adaptable to most households, most pets & most climates as
long as affection, consideration& indoor care are provided. They are generally
healthy & happy as long as their needs are met in a reasonable manner. It is
often rumored that they cannot live in a cold climate which is untrue, they
originated in Canada, they just must be kept indoors. It is also rumored that
the Sphynx is non-allergenic, unfortunately, this is also not true. The Sphynx
will not cause allergies in those that are allergic to hair, but may still cause
problems if the allergy is to dander (protein in all cats' saliva).
The Sphynx is very unusual in appearance & sometimes people are taken off
guard by their lack of hair. They are certainly not a typical cat by any means &
make many friends through their unusual looks & outgoing personalities. It is
rumored that if you ever hold just one you'll forever want to hold another. It
is possible that this rumor is the truest of all.
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