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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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Ratings out of 10 |
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Compatibility:
-Children
-Other Pets
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8 |
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Grooming |
10 |
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Affection |
10 |
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Playfulness |
10 |
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Attention Need |
10 |
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Healthiness |
7 |
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Independence |
1 |
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Activity Level |
10 |
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Vocality |
6 |
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Intelligence |
10 |
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