A birthday suit cat! The virtually hairless Sphynx , a cat without its traditional covering of fur, is not to everyone’s taste, but is an undoubted attention-grabber.
History
Hairless cats are said to have been bred by the Aztecs, and there are references to the “Mexican Hairless” in books from the turn of the century, but the modern cat was developed only after 1966 from a mutant kitten born in Ontario, Canada. It is rare outside North America.
Temperament
Contrary to popular belief, the Sphynx is an affectionate cat that enjoys being cuddles.
Varieties
The Sphynx can have any recognized coat color or pattern. Eye color should harmonize with the coat.
Black-and-White Sphynx
The modern Sphynx originated from a spontaneous mutation in the late 1960s. Similar hairless kittens have been recorded in the past, particularly during the 1930s, but were largely ignored.
Picture: Black-and-White SphynxBody
Medium in size, fine-boned but muscular, with a barrel chest.
Coat
Hairless, apart from a fine down on the face, ears, feet, and tail. The skin is wrinkled on parts of the head, body, and legs, but should be taut elsewhere.
Tail
Long, hard, and tapering.
Legs
Long, and slim with a bow-legged stance caused by the barrel-shaped chest.
Feet
The paws are neat and oval-shaped, with long toes. The color of the pads should conform to that of the coat.
HeadNeither round nor wedge-shaped, but slightly longer than it is wide; the nose should be short with the pad a color that conforms to the coat. Prominent cheek bones.
Eyes
Deep set, lemon-shaped, and slanted, the color should complement the coat.
Ears
Very large and round-tipped.
Facial Characteristics
Black-and-White Sphynx
Picture: Blue-and-white SphynxBlue-and-white Sphynx
Despite the lack of fur, the Sphynx has a higher skin temperature than other breeds and is warm and soft to the touch – earning the description of a “suede hot-water bottle” that sweats, and needs to be sponged regularly to remove the dander that forms.
