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HISTORY

The Sphynx was the first ever successful hairless cat. The first ever Sphynx was a cat named Prune, who was born in 1966. Prune later died, without any other descendants. Around 1967, a longhaired mother and her hairless kittens were found and rescued in Toronto. Although the kittens were neutered, the mother had more kittens, and two of these kittens were sent to Europe. Both kittens were bred with a cat named Devon Rex, who had hairless offspring.

APPEARANCE

Even though Sphynx are called hairless cats, they are not totally hairless. Sphynx have a leathery texture to their skin and tends to have very soft hairs, "peach fuzz". Their skin has a very warm touch to it. Sphynx sometimes have whiskers and eyebrows, and sometimes they don't. They have wedge-shaped heads that give them a look of a Siamese. Sphynx also have very muscular, well-built bodies and tend to be big, heavy cats. They even tend to get pot bellies.

TEMPERAMENT

Sphynx are very, very loving cats. They love to cuddle with their owners and other animals within the household. This is because they have no hair to keep themselves warm. Some owners say their Sphynx cats will even cuddle under the covers with them at night. This breed is especially known for their overenthusiastic behavior. Sphynx have very high levels of energy; they are never too tired to play. They also have a very elegant personality because of their intelligence, curiosity, and affection.

HEALTH AND CARE

Due to their lack of a coat, Sphynx do not need to be groomed, and they do not shed; however, they do need a bath approximately once a week or so, in order to get rid of body oil buildup on their skin. Just like their owners, Sphynx tend to get sunburns, so their exposure to sunlight should be limited. Most owners recommend not letting your Sphynx out of side when let outdoors, for their curiosity can be very dangerous to them, as outdoor temperatures can be hazardous as well. Because of their lack of fur, Sphynx lose body heat very easily and they have a restricted way to conserve body heat, so owners should be aware of cold weather and keep their Sphynx out of it.

Although some people, who are allergic to cats, handle the Sphynx breed well, this is not always the case. Most people, who are allergic to animals, are not allergic to their hair, but their dander. This can cause people to react worse to the Sphynx breed.

Learn more about this author, Liz C.S..
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