Personality:
- Intelligent, loyal, and loving.
- Sociable, but usually select one particular human as their own.
History:
Breed is the result of a spontaneous mutation of the gene related to hair. The name for the cat was inspired from ancient Greek drawings of a mythical creature that resembles the cat. First imports to the United States came from France and Canada and are believed to have originated from a Devon or Cornish Rex background. Accepted for championship status by The International Cat Association (TICA) in 1987. Not accepted by the Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA).
Body Type:
- Medium-sized cat with a broad chest, medium to fine boning and whip-like tail.
- Roll of fat around midriff helps to maintain body heat.
- Head is shaped like a modified wedge with very large ears.
- Eyes are large, wide set and correspond to coat color.
Coat:
- Coat consists of fuzz-like hair with perceptible hair on the feet, tip of the tail, nose, and behind the ears.
- Cat feels like warm velvet or suede.
- Since there is no protective hair in the ears, they must be cleaned every other day with a cotton swab.
- Wide assortment of colors including solids, tabby patterns, or parti-colors.
Health and Wellness:
- In the past, this breed was reported to have had problems with immune system development. According to Sphynx breeders, this problem no longer exists.
What you should know:
- Cat must be kept out of the sun to avoid sunburn.
- Requires a high-calorie diet in order to maintain body heat.
- Sphyxes must be protected from extremes in temperature.
- Since there is no coat to absorb natural oils and no hair in the ears to repel dirt, a Sphynx will require more grooming than its furry cousins.
- Please be sure that you have the dedication and time available to maintain a Sphynx before purchasing a kitten.
