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 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.
Other Names
Canadian Hairless, Moon
Cat, Temple Cat, Chat sans Poils
Native Country
Canada, United States,
Europe
Breed
Description
Head: Medium-sized,
angular, slightly triangular. Longer than it is wide. Flat forehead.
Prominent cheek bones. Short nose, pronounced or slight stop. Muzzle
very rounded, broad, short. Pronounced whisker pinch. Firm chin.
Whiskers sparse, short, or absent.
Eyes: Large, lemon-shaped, upper corner pointing
toward ears, well-spaced. Color corresponding to that of the coat.
Neck: Long, arched, muscular, powerful in males.
Body: Medium-sized. Chest very broad,
barrel-shaped. Rounded abdomen. Powerful loins. Fairly fine-boned to
moderately boned. Well-muscled.
Paw: Length proportional to that of the body.
Forelegs slightly arched, slightly shorter than hind legs. Medium-boned.
Firm, well-developed muscles. Medium-sized, oval paws with long toes.
Very thick paw pads.
Tail: Moderately long, slender, whip tail known as
a “rat tail.” It may have a tuft of hair on the tip (“lion
tail”).
Coat: Skin appears hairless and resembles that of
a chamois in texture. Skin wrinkled on the head, body, and legs.
Elsewhere, it is taut. The coat is limited to a fine down covering most
of the body. A few hairs are present on the face, paws, tail, and
testicles. Thus, “hairless cat” is a misnomer. All colors are
recognized, as are all patterns. White looks pinkish, and black looks
dark gray.
History
Hairless cats appeared in
the world at different times. Mexican hairless cats date back to the
pre-Colombian era. The last pair of cats of this Mexican breed was
presented to an American couple by Pueblo Indians in New Mexico in 1903.
Unfortunately the male was savaged to death by a pack of dogs and so the
breed did not survive. However In 1938, French professor E. Létard
described the mutant allele h in hairless kittens produced by a pair of
Siamese. The modern Sphynx breeding programme began in 1966 in Ontario,
Canada when Ms. Micalwaith’s female cat Elisabeth gave birth to a
hairless male named Prune. Prune and Elisabeth produced hairless
kittens. The spontaneous mutation responsible for this trait is caused
by the recessive allele hr. Also in Ontario and at the same time, Ms.
Smith discovered Bambi, a black and white hairless male. Pinkie and
Squeakie, two hairless females, were adopted by Hugo Hernandez in the
Netherlands. In the 1980s, similar cases were reported in Great Britain.
As interest in these cats declined in the United States, their
popularity grew in Europe, especially in France by 1983, as well as in
the Netherlands. It is true that it is impossible to remain indifferent
to these cats, adored by some and detested by others. Seeing the success
of these cats in shows and the curiosity they generated, American
breeders began importing Sphynxes from Europe. The breed is recognized
by T.I.C.A., but the C.F.A. and the F.I.Fe. have rejected it. The Sphynx
is quite rare.
Behavior
 Spyynx
crave human contact. They are intelligent and most curious, sensitive
and extremely loving. However, they do take time to get to know
strangers, so do not be put off if initially they study you from a
distance. They love playing with people, and often show the versatility
of their paws by using them as hands to acquire objects they are not
supposed to have! The French describe the breed as - part monkey, part
dog, part cat and part child, which is probably nearer to the truth that
we care to admit. In most homes Sphynx seem to rule the roost. They like
to slip into bed and cuddle up to you, so if you like hot water bottles
this is the cat for you. Their huge appetite to feed their energy source
is quite amazing. |
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