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Sphynx |
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TranslationFrancis Vandersteen |
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OriginThe Sphynx is a breed of cat originally from Canada, but standardized in France. |
| This cat is characterized by the virtual absence of fur. |
A brief historical overview |
| In 1966, a Canadian alley cat gave birth to a litter of naked kittens. Two kittens were brought back to the Netherlands by Doctor Hugo Hernandez, where they were crossed with Devon rexes. An entire litter was imported to France in 1983 by French breeder Patrick Challain, who presented them a year later at the Baltard cat show. In 1985, two more cats were imported from the Netherlands to France by Aline and Philippe Noël, from whom Aménophis Clone was born. This cat served as the basis for the breed's first standard. According to the Livre officiel des origines félines (LOOF), the Sphynx can be considered of French origin. |
General appearance |
| Contrary to popular belief, the Sphynx is not a fragile cat. Its life expectancy is the same as that of other cats. Nor is it particularly cold, and some cats even love snow. Although it would be inappropriate to let a Sphynx spend the night outside, the cat can go outside in winter if it wishes. Last but not least, its lack of whiskers is not a handicap at all, and it doesn't hit itself any more than other cats. They are excellent hunters. |
Behavior / characteristics |
| The Sphynx is described as an extremely affectionate, even clingy, cat who likes to live in society. It needs its owner's attention and loves to perch on his shoulders. However, these traits are entirely individual and depend above all on the history of each cat. |
Health |
| Although hairless, the Sphynx requires special care. Sebum is no longer absorbed by the hair and tends to grease the skin. Bathing is necessary, as is supervision in very sunny weather. Sunscreen can also be applied. You should also take care not to leave your cat outside in very cold weather. Despite its lack of hair, the Sphynx still causes allergy to "cat hair", as it is in fact salivary secretions and sebaceous glands (in the skin) that are at the origin of this allergy. However, their peculiarity is an asset for mildly allergic people insofar as it avoids the dispersion of hairs and thus allergens in their environment. |
Genetics |
| The Sphynx's lack of hair is produced by an allele of the gene that produces short hair in the Devon Rex. The Sphynx allele is dominant over the Devon allele, and both are recessive in the wild type. To reinforce the gene, Sphynx have sometimes been crossed with Devon Rex, which unfortunately often involves serious dental and nervous problems. This practice is therefore prohibited in most Sphynx associations. Genetic research carried out by the University of California at Davis has reported the presence at very low frequency of the recessive allele responsible for the Sacré de Birmanie's white gantage in Sphynx. A specific genetic test exists to detect the Burmese gantage gene. |
Head |
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Cranial region |
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Head |
The head is longer than it is wide, with angular contours. | |
Skull |
The skull is flat with a slight break at the nose. | |
Facial region |
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Cheeks |
The cheekbones are prominent. | |
Eyes |
Lemon-shaped, open and expressive. Any color is acceptable, but must be coordinated with the coat color. | |
Ears |
The ears are very large, carried low on the head and broad at the base. Their tips are rounded. | |
Body |
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Generality |
The body of the Sphynx is clearly muscular, with a rounded abdomen. | |
Tail |
| The tail is thin, like a rat's tail. |
Limbs |
| The legs are fairly long and slender, while retaining powerful musculature. | ||
Forequarters |
Hindquarters |
Feet |
| The feet are oval, with long, slender toes. A particular feature is that the pads are thicker than in other cats, giving the impression that they are on cushions. |
Coat |
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Coat and texture |
The Sphynx may be totally hairless or have very fine down on the body, and a few short hairs may appear behind the ears, on the muzzle, tail and testicles. The skin has a "peach-skin" feel. Depending on the breed, the skin should be as wrinkled as possible, especially in young dogs. All colors are permitted in this breed of cat, and their skin takes on the color of the hair they would have had. To compensate for their lack of hair, their skin is thicker than that of other breeds, and rich in collagen and sebum. It also has a thicker layer of fat under the skin. To compensate for energy loss, he eats more than other cats. |
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English (United Kingdom) 
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