 In
1966 a domestic cat gave birth to a hairless kitten in Toronto,
Canada. It was discovered to be a natural mutation and the Sphynx
cat, as we know it today, came into existence. This cat and a few
other naturally hairless cats have been found worldwide. These have
magically been produced by Mother Nature and are the foundation for
this unusual breed. Cat breeders in Europe and North America have
bred the Sphynx to normal coated cats and then back to hairless for
more than thirty years. The purpose of these selective breedings was
to create a genetically sound cat with a large gene pool and hybrid
vigor. This is a very robust breed with few health or genetic
problems.
The Sphynx is not always totally hairless; there can be a fine
down on the body, which makes the cat feel like a warm peach. Some
light hair is often present on the nose, tail and toes. The texture
of the Sphynx skin has been likened to suede, a hot water bottle, or
a heated chamois. They can be registered in a wide variety of cat
colors. The color is seen in the pigment of the skin and the few
hairs that they do have. One of the questions most asked is
"Don't they get cold?" Well, of course, if it is too cold
for you it will be too cold for a hairless cat too. However, these
cats are smart enough to find a warm human, dog or cat to curl up
with or they will get under your bed covers.
This is a substantial cat, medium sized and strong, with adult
males being larger than adult females. Sphynx have sturdy boning and
good muscle development and should have a bit of a belly as if they
just finished dinner. They have an open-eyed, intelligent face and a
friendly expression. The Sphynx are extremely inquisitive and love
to be the center of attention. They perform silly antics for your
entertainment and are sometimes downright clumsy…on purpose it
seems. They make great show cats because of this "look at
me" attitude and they are easy for judges to handle. They
prefer human attention but enjoy the company of dogs and other cats.
They have an abundance of energy and mischief and are always with
you, on you or showing off for you. "Love Mooch" is the
perfect term for these amazing cats.
Because of the lack of hair that would normally absorb body oils,
the Sphynx needs to be bathed periodically. This is not a difficult
task with a cat that has been accustomed to a bath from kittenhood
and it takes no time at all to dry a Sphynx.
Some people who suffer from cat allergies can tolerate living
with Sphynx cats. However, depending on the type and severity of the
individual's allergic reactions, there are still people who cannot
live with this breed.
The Sphynx was accepted for registration, and competition, in the
Miscellaneous Class by The Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) in
February 1998. Sphynx lovers feel this is one of the most rare and
unusual breeds in the cat fancy today…Sphynx are pure enchantment.
The Sphynx (aka Canadian Hairless) is a rare breed
of cat
with extremely little fur, or at most a short fuzz over its body,
and no whiskers (vibrissae).
Their skin is the color their fur would be, and all the usual cat
marking patterns (solid, point, van, tabby, tortie, etc) may be
found in Sphynx too. They are sometimes mistaken for Chihuahuas
because of their extremely unusual and, some say, uncatlike
appearance. They are very affectionate and extroverted and like to
cuddle with their humans, other humans, and each other.
Delicate as they may appear, Sphynx tend to be well-muscled and
robustly healthy, with a few obvious weaknesses. It is essential to
keep a sphynx cat warm and free from drafts, especially during
kittenhood, as they have no more protection from cold than a naked
human would. Sphynxes are also prone to sunburn and sunstroke
because they lack the normal protection of fur. They tend to get
dirty and greasy, since their skin produces the same oils as a
fully-furred cat, but the oil is not spread over fur as usual. As
pets they are notably more social than "normal" cats, and
happier to be handled, but also require more maintenance including
weekly bathing and ear-cleaning. Their natural bathing habits tend
to be ineffective on skin, so the owner must compensate a bit.
Sphynx cats are not hypoallergenic[1],
in fact they can be even worse for severely allergic people than
furred cats. But because they don't deposit hair on furniture or
clothing, they tend to be easier to clean up after, and therefore
often less troublesome to mildly allergic owners. Some notice
symptoms but handle it by bathing and cleaning them slightly more
often than one would otherwise.[citation needed]
The Sphynx breed is known for a sturdy, heavy body, a
wedge-shaped head, and an alert, friendly temperament. Although
hairless cats have been reported throughout history (hairless cats
seem to appear naturally about every 15 years or so), and breeders
in Canada have been working on the Sphynx breed since the early
1960's, the current American and European Sphynx breed is descended
from two lines of natural mutations:
- Dermis and Epidermis (1975) from the Pearsons of Wadena, MN,
USA and
- Bambi, Punkie, and Paloma (1978) found in Toronto, ON, Canada
and raised by Shirley Smith.
Other hairless breeds might have different body shapes or
temperaments than those described above. There are, for example, new
hairless breeds, including the Don
Sphynx and the Peterbald
from Russia, which arose from their own spontaneous mutations. The
standard for the Sphynx differs between TICA and FIFE.
Sphynx hairlessness is produced by an allele
of the same gene
that produces the Devon
Rex, which has only one of the usual two fur coats. The Sphynx
allele is incompletely dominant over the Devon allele; both are
recessive to the wild type. Sphynx were at one time crossbred with
Devon Rex in an attempt to strengthen this gene, but unfortunately
this led to serious dental or nervous-system problems and is now
forbidden in most breed standards associations. The only allowable
outcross breeds in the CFA
are now the American
Shorthair and Domestic
Shorthair. Other associations have different rules. In Europe
mainly Devon Rex has been used for outcrosses.
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