Canadian Sphynx: appearance and character of the breed, care and maintenance, owner reviews, photos

Some people adore sphinxes, others consider them unsightly, however, there are no people in the world who are indifferent to these unearthly creatures. Because of their unusual appearance, particularly their large ears, expressive eyes and lack of fur, Sphynx cats are affectionately called “moon cats” and “aliens.”

Breed name	Canadian Sphynx
Path of occurrence	Spontaneous mutation
Country of origin	Canada
Coat	Hairless, flock, velor, brush
Lifespan	12 – 16 years old
Kitten price	10 – 25 thousand rubles

Origin story

Mentions of hairless cats can be found in the chronicles of different nations. This is due to the fact that a hairless kitten could appear from completely ordinary parents. Initially, such unusual kittens were considered discarded.

Reference! The appearance of the Sphinx is considered a natural mutation.

Officially, the birth of the breed is considered to be 1966. Then in Toronto (Canada) a domestic cat gave birth to a hairless kitten. The cat's owner gave the baby the name Prune (Prune). At the same time, sphinxes began to appear in nurseries.

Initially, the kittens were called “Canadian Hairless Cat,” but not everyone liked such a long and ordinary name. Fans of hairless cats were looking for a euphonious name for the breed and drew parallels with the oldest surviving sculpture - the Egyptian Great Sphinx.

History of the breed

Mentions of strange animals with amber eyes are found in the chronicles of the ancient Incas. South American Indians considered them sacred, and in Ancient Egypt the “bald” cat was considered the earthly incarnation of the goddess Bastet.

They decided to separate hairless cats into a separate breed only in the 60s of the twentieth century. This was started by a breeder from Canada who tried to continue the line, but she did not achieve much success.

The experience of the American nursery in Minnesota became more effective. As a result of crossing cats that are closest to hairless breeds (the best results were obtained during the selection of Canadian “hairless” cats and Devon Rexes), a modern line of this breed was bred.

After some time, sufficient to check for the absence of harmful consequences of the mutation, the Sphynx breed was officially recognized by the international felinological organization. Sphynxes first took part in the TICA (International Cat Association) exhibition in 1986, and in the early 90s this breed received the title of winner from the Canadian Cat Association (CCA). Despite the official status, breed standards from the felinological system of the CFA (Cat Fanciers Association) were established only in mid-2002.

Description of the breed

A distinctive feature of the breed is hairlessness, but it is not the only one.

Sphynx standard

A purebred Sphynx must meet the following standards:

Body: warm and soft to the touch, like a soft peach. Average build with unexpectedly high weight; the belly is rounded. Sphinxes are characterized by sexual dimorphism, i.e. The difference between females and males is in size and weight - females are much smaller than males. Thus, the weight of a male reaches 5 kg, of a female – up to 3.5 kg.
Limbs: proportional, muscular. The hind legs are longer than the front legs. The front legs are set wide due to the large chest (“bulldog” style). The pads of the toes are thick and make the paw look like a baby's fist.
Head: the shape resembles a modified wedge, the length of the head is slightly greater than the width, pronounced cheekbones. The skull is rounded, the nose is straight with a pronounced “hollow” where the forehead meets the nose.
Eyes: large, round, lemon-shaped (wide in the middle and tapering towards the edges); the distance between the eyes is slightly larger than the size of the eye. Any eye color.
Ears: very large, open, erect. Set wide apart, without brushes.
Wool: a small light fluff on the skin is possible - the skin of a sphinx is often compared to the skin of a child; a tuft of hair at the tip of the tail is also acceptable. The length of hair on the body is divided into the following types:
flock - thin microhairs up to 0.1 cm; as sphinxes grow older, they can undress and become naked. The flock feels like velvet to the touch; such a cat can be stroked with your hand without difficulty.
velor - wool 0.2 - 0.4 cm long. Wool may not be present on all parts of the body.
brush (velor) - hair length up to 0.5 cm. The coat is straight or curled, like a Rex, and feels hard to the touch.

Hollowborn

Flock

Velours

Brush

Colors

The color of sphinxes without hair is determined by pigmentation on the skin. The color of the naked-born Sphynx appears 2-3 hours after birth.

Types of colors of Canadian Sphynxes:

Solid: the predominance of one color in pigmentation. The nose is combined with the color, the paw pads are either the color of the pigmentation or a pinkish tint. Possible colors:
cream;
lilac;
blue;
faun;
cinnamon;
red (red);
chocolate;
black.
Tortoiseshell (totrie): Characteristic only for females. It is rarely found in cats and is regarded as a deviation - such males are most often infertile. Pigmentation consists of two colors: in the classic version – black and red; in clarified - blue and cream. Proportions and variations may vary. Possible options:
black;
lilac;
chocolate cake;
tortoiseshell cinnamon;
tortoiseshell faun.
Tabby color (tabby): dark spots on the back, tail and limbs. The nose and paw pads are either pigmented or pinkish in color (typical of light colors). Tabby color types:
marbled - spots on the body in the form of patterns similar to stripes on marble;
tiger/mackerel – spots in the form of horizontal stripes.
Bicolor: primary color (solid, tortoiseshell, tabby) combined with white. The painted part has clear boundaries from white. One ear should be painted. The nose and paw pads match the base color.
Color-point: The color characteristic of Siamese cats is a light body with darker tips of the ears, nose, paws and tail. Characteristic eye color is sky blue. The paw pads and nose match the color of the point. Depending on the “darkened” color, color options can be:
chocolate point;
blue point;
lilac point;
cream point.

Personality Traits of Canadian Hairless Cats

Sphynx cats have a very kind, patient character and good attitude towards dogs. These cats can be left alone with children without worrying about both of them. They are not jealous, very patient and smart. Sphinxes often choose their favorite owner or even guest.

Male Sphynx cats tend to be dominant. They consider themselves masters of the house, independent and very curious. Any event does not pass by, any thing will be studied. Cats are softer and more gentle. They easily gain the trust and love of their owner. But the females need more attention to themselves and do not let you forget about their person: they will chase you and lick your face until they get tired. Female sphinxes are great lovers of cleanliness. They can lick themselves for hours. The completed washing procedure can be repeated after 2–3 hours.

Many people think that Canadians are very aggressive. But this is a mistaken opinion. My parents have a Canadian Sphynx. And he is very friendly, active and not afraid of strangers. Sphinxes have developed intelligence.

You can leave the Canadian Sphynx with the child

Positive qualities and disadvantages of the breed

Like any animal, the Canadian Sphynx has both positive and negative properties.

The positive qualities include the fact that they:

playful;
active;
curious;
tender;
affectionate to the owner;
get along well with other animals;
patient;
smart;
love children.

And the negative qualities are as follows:

they need daily care and frequent bathing;
afraid of the cold;
may seem intrusive.

Video: interesting facts about the Canadian Sphynx

Photos of colors

Blue

Cream

White

Black

Red

Bicolor

Tortoiseshell

Tabby

Catering

Sphinxes have 2 features: increased heat transfer and accelerated metabolism. Both the first and second require special attention to the cat’s diet, so you should feed it not 2 times a day, but 3-4.

Natural products

The main menu of the Don Sphynx should include:

Lean meat. These are veal, beef, chicken, rabbit, turkey, lamb. Per day - at least 150 grams. There is no need to boil the meat, just pour boiling water over it.
By-products: chicken necks, gizzards, liver, lungs, hearts. The liver is boiled, the rest can be given raw. Offal is given instead of meat a couple of times a week.
Fish fillet from sea fish: salmon, halibut, sturgeon, pike perch, trout. You can’t feed fish more than once a week: too much of it can trigger the development of urolithiasis.
Porridge from cereals: buckwheat, millet, rice, oatmeal, pearl barley. Given every day. Add a few drops of oil (sunflower, corn, flaxseed, olive) to the porridge.
Fermented milk products: yogurt, kefir, natural yogurt, cottage cheese, bifido products. Everything is low-fat, without dyes, preservatives or additives harmful to the animal.
Chicken and quail eggs (boiled; chicken eggs yield only the yolk).
Vegetables: pumpkin, lettuce, dill and parsley, zucchini, beets. They are boiled or stewed.
Sprouted oat or wheat sprouts.

Babies and old animals can be fed with meat baby food and liquid semolina porridge with milk.

It is forbidden to give cats:

Offal, bones, lard, fat;
Fatty meat (pork, geese and duck);
Whole cow's milk;
Sweets, baked goods, smoked foods, human canned food;
Alcohol, juices, mineral water, coffee, tea;
Flour;
Sausages, sausages;
Legumes, cabbage, avocado, grapes, bananas, onions, garlic.
Condiments, spices, mayonnaise, sauces.

Recommended food

Of the industrial foods, only holistic foods are suitable: they do not cause allergies, and Sphynx cats often suffer from them. List of the best foods: Carnilove, Pronature Holistic, Primordial.

Below are the recommended holistic class foods. Links with the names of the food are clickable, on them you can, within our website, get acquainted with the descriptions of the food and read reviews from owners of Don Sphynx cats.

Holistic	Holistic	Holistic
Canagan	Wellness CORE	Wildcat

Teach your animal to eat in the same place, preferably at the same time. At 3 months (and younger kittens) they eat 5-6 times a day, gradually the number of feedings is reduced to 3-4 times. The water in the drinking bowl is changed in the morning and evening. Food should be comfortable, not from the refrigerator, but not hot either.

In the photo there is a cat of the Donskoy Sphynx breed with her kittens

Differences between the Canadian, Don and St. Petersburg sphinxes

The Canadian Sphynx became the first breed to officially recognize hairlessness as a standard. The Don Sphynx and Peterbald are related breeds whose homeland is Russia. The St. Petersburg Sphynx appeared as a result of crossing the Donchak and the Oriental cat.

Visual differences in the structure of the muzzle of these three breeds are clearly visible in the photo below.

Petersburg Sphinx	Canadian Sphynx	Don Sphynx
Elongated, elegant body with well-developed muscles and a long neck. Long straight tail, slightly tapering to the tip.	Average build with a round belly. Wide chest. Large paw pads Thin whip-shaped tail	Strong medium to large bone, prominent belly Straight, medium length tail
The shape of the head is an equilateral triangle, an elongated profile with a clear line connecting the tip of the nose and the chin. Flat forehead, long nose	The head shape is wedge. There is a hollow on the bridge of the nose. Well defined cheekbones, short profile	Wedge-shaped head with a firm chin. Straight nose, elongated profile, but shorter than Peterbalds
Almond shaped eyes	Lemon eye shape	Almond shaped eyes
Triangular ears with a wide base, set apart	Large erect ears, rounded at the ends. Wide head stance	Large ears with a slight forward tilt
Elastic skin with small folds on the neck, abdomen, folds of the paws and head	Thick skin with numerous large folds throughout the body	Most folds are located on the head, abdomen, groin and armpits

The difference between the Don Sphynx and the Canadian

It is not difficult to determine which hairless cat is the Don or the Canadian Sphynx. The main difference between these two breeds is the presence of coat. This is due to different genes responsible for hairiness - in the Don Sphynx it is dominant, while the Canadian Sphynx is a carrier of a recessive gene.

That is why the skin of the “Canadian” is practically devoid of hair, while the “Donchak” has hair that can reach 5 mm.

In addition, there are minor visual differences:

The head of the Canadian Sphynx is smoother, more rounded in shape compared to the sharp, relief muzzle of the Don Sphynx.
The “Canadian” has more powerful and pronounced muscles of the body, neck and head.
The shape of the eyes of the Don Sphynx is more elongated and narrow, any color is allowed.
The Donchak's ears are rounded at the ends, while those of the Canadian Sphynx are pointed.

The Don Sphynx differs from the Canadian Sphynx in better health and immunity, resistance to some hereditary and viral diseases.

Health

Despite their fragile appearance, cats have high immunity and are little susceptible to infectious diseases. Canadian Sphynxes live quite a long time - the average life expectancy is 12-16 years . However, there have been recorded cases of bald centenarians celebrating their 20th anniversary.

Due to the lack of a warm coat, like Somali cats, for example, Sphynx cats are susceptible to air temperature. They are more likely to have skin diseases (acne, dermatitis, acne, fungal and yeast infections).

Important! The Sphynx quickly catches colds and respiratory diseases, so make sure that there are no drafts in the apartment.

To protect your pet from illness, buy, sew or knit warm clothes for him for the winter - many pets like this.

There are also a number of diseases characteristic of the Canadian breed:

Urticaria pigmentosa . A rash on the body can be caused by an allergic reaction, including food. The exact cause can only be determined by analysis.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy . This heart disease is associated with a genetic mutation.
Myopathy . The most dangerous disease in a kitten. It appears at an early age and is characterized by progressive muscle dysfunction. There is no cure, it develops individually and often leads to death. In the nursery, the potential owner is immediately warned if the kitten is at risk.

What to feed a Sphynx cat?

Sphinxes are real gluttons. They love to eat and gobble up even the simplest food with appetite, be it porridge or soup. However, it is too early to rejoice. Due to its accelerated metabolism and sensitive digestive system, the Sphynx requires a varied, balanced diet.

Sphynx cats are happy to try new dishes

Twice a week you should offer your animal canned meat. The Sphinx's menu must include raw fish, meat, boiled liver, dairy products and dry food. Fresh drinking water should always be freely available.

IMPORTANT: Overheated or supercooled food is unacceptable. Sphynxes are allowed to be fed food at room temperature.

The character of the Canadian Sphynx

Unlike most other breeds, sphinxes are deprived of the hunting instinct - instead of it, these cute creatures received extreme love and affection. They are devoted to their owner - they love to sit in their arms and sleep next to them. Cats love attention and painfully endure loneliness and separation from their owner - they become withdrawn and even aggressive.

Advice! Sphynxes get along well with cats of other breeds, dogs and rodents. Therefore, if you are looking for a second pet for the family, we advise you to pay attention to this breed.

Sphynxes are very smart pets and are easy to train . Their activity and playfulness does not disappear until old age, and if there is nothing to occupy the animal, it finds something to do on its own and plays pranks.

a high level of friendliness both towards other animals and towards small children. They make contact and are full of energy for games, and high patience allows animals not to show aggression. The main thing is that the games be careful, because the Sphynx does not have fur protection from scratches and bruises.

Interesting fact! Compact by nature, Sphynxes love to climb onto their owners’ shoulders and move around the apartment in this way.

What diseases are Sphynx cats susceptible to?

Sphynx cubs' eyes open much earlier than those of other breeds. In this regard, they are more likely to develop conjunctivitis (inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eyes). Signs of this disease are discharge from the eyes, which can be mucous or purulent. Treatment involves clearing the eyelids of secretions and instilling eye drops or applying ointment (tetracycline or hydrocortisone). To avoid aggravating the disease, treatment should only be prescribed by a veterinarian. To prevent this disease, it is recommended to cleanse the eyes daily using a cotton pad moistened with boiled water.

Canadian Sphynxes often suffer from mastopathy (an inflammatory process and pathological enlargement of the mammary glands with the appearance of seals on them). This disease can also occur in males who have been castrated. Most often, mastopathy is a consequence of a hormonal disorder, so self-medication when signs of the disease are detected is contraindicated. The symptoms of this disease are:

swelling and hardening of the mammary glands;
redness around the nipples;
painful sensations in a cat when palpating the mammary glands.

Mastopathy is pathological changes in the mammary gland

Since Sphynxes do not have hair, their skin is prone to various allergic reactions, which can manifest themselves:

redness;
itching;
the occurrence of dandruff;
the appearance of ulcers on the skin.

The most common cause of allergies is the body's reaction to cleaning products, medications and food.

The average lifespan of Sphynx cats is 12–15 years.

Who is not recommended to start

Canadian Sphynxes are quite unpretentious animals and can find the key to the heart of any person, however, there are features that you need to pay attention to before buying a hairless baby.

Allergy . If you suffer from an allergy to cats, then even a hairless pet will not save you from it. In most cases, the allergen is cat protein, which is found in saliva, sweat and feline waste. And Sphynxes sweat all over their bodies, unlike other breeds!
Lack of time for care . The need to bathe your pet weekly will raise serious doubts for some people. If you want a cat that doesn't require any maintenance, then the Sphynx is not for you.
Frequent absence from home . Sphynxes are attached to their owners, so a prolonged absence of human communication is always stressful for the pet. You should not choose a Sphynx as a pet if you lead an active lifestyle outside the home.

Where is the best place to buy a Sphynx kitten?

Those who decide to get a Sphynx should definitely contact professional breeders. By purchasing a kitten at a club or at an exhibition, you can avoid problems with the health of the animal and receive guaranteed lifelong information support and support from experts in the breed.

Club Sphynx

If you still doubt whether you should have a Sphynx at home, answer yourself one question: “Do you want to get a reliable, faithful friend who does not remember insults, will be devoted to you, and will never turn away?” If the answer is yes, feel free to cast aside all doubts and take a step towards a small bald miracle.

Care

Of course, caring for a pet will be different from caring for a cat with a wool coat. However, it is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance - the main thing is to follow the basic rules.

Wool

Increased body temperature also affects the animal's sweating - sphinxes sweat a lot. Sweat has a rather specific smell, so caring for your pet's skin should be regular - bathe it once a week and wipe it with a damp cloth as needed. If you neglect skin care, a gray coating forms on it - a mixture of dirt, sweat and sebum.

Reference! It is better to take wipes and shampoo that are hypoallergenic and fragrance-free. You can choose children's ones so as not to provoke irritation on your pet's delicate skin.

You should bathe only in warm water, after which you must wrap it in a terry towel, otherwise the baby may freeze and catch a cold.

Nutrition

Due to their elevated body temperature, Sphynx cats have an accelerated metabolism. Therefore, they need to eat more than representatives of other breeds. The Sphynx should be fed no more than twice a day, preferably at the same time.

Important! Obesity is a common disease among Sphynx cats. You should not feed your pet every time he asks.

There are two main nutritional concepts, from which each owner chooses the most suitable:

Natural food (meat, sea fish, dairy products). In this case, you need to add vitamins to your diet. Also try to minimize the amount of fatty foods, as they are harmful to your pet. Meat should be given only in the form of pieces, and not minced meat, which will ensure the cat has healthy teeth.
Ready food . If you prefer ready-made food, pay attention to its quality. To ensure a balanced diet, you should purchase super-premium food and higher.

Important! Remember, extensive advertising of a product is not at all a sign of quality - first of all, pay attention to the composition of the food.

When choosing any food concept, do not forget that your pet should always have a bowl of clean and fresh water.

Caring for ears, eyes, claws

Sphynx cats, like other cats, can accumulate dirt between their claws and in their ears, which cats of other breeds cover with a fluffy coat.

Ears . The secretion accumulated in a pet's ears does not pose a danger and does not interfere with hearing, but outwardly it does not look aesthetically pleasing. You should clean your pet’s ears like a small child – with a cotton swab (not a swab), carefully and slowly.
Claws . In addition to regularly cleaning the dirt between the claws, it is worth paying attention to the claws themselves - trimming them will help the owner keep the furniture in its original form.
Eyes . It is also necessary to monitor the condition of the eyes to avoid various infections. You can wipe your pet's eyes with green tea or chamomile decoction using a cotton swab.

Walking your pet

Some experts agree that the Sphynx is exclusively a domestic animal. However, to provide your cat with physical activity, it is possible and even beneficial to take him for a walk, but no more than 1-2 times a week.

Important! You can only take your pet for a walk in warm, dry weather.

Sphynxes love to soak up the sun. Tanning (yes, hairless cats can tan too!) causes their thin skin to slightly change pigment - bronze shades appear, as well as freckles and spots.

Important! Do not leave your pet under the scorching rays of the sun - severe burns may occur on its delicate skin.

In general, it is enough for a cat to install a high scratching post and buy several toys. Sphinxes especially love pointers with feathers tied to them and running mice running on batteries.

Useful video:

Care and maintenance

Caring for Canadian Sphynx cats requires regularity and care. Particular attention must be paid to the eyes - the absence of eyelashes makes them very vulnerable to infections, dust and dirt. You should wipe your eyes and remove accumulations in the corners of the eye sockets using a damp, sterile cloth (you should not use cotton wool - it causes allergic reactions). Ears and teeth also need regular care - the outer surface of the ear must be cleaned once a week, and preventive cleaning of gums and teeth is carried out 1-2 times a month.

Skin care

A special feature of the Canadian Sphynx is the increased work of the sweat and sebaceous glands. This leads to rapid accumulation of sweat secretions in the skin folds.

It is recommended to wipe the animal's body and head daily with a damp sponge or alcohol-free wet wipes. Bathing the Canadian Sphynx is carried out once a week using a special shampoo for hairless cat breeds (if this is not available, you can use soft PH - neutral shampoos or products for bathing babies).

Diet

The good appetite and increased nutrition of Canadian Sphynx cats is due to their intense heat exchange and increased energy consumption.

Premium and super premium dry food, such as Pronature, Royal Canin, Acana, etc., have proven themselves well. They have an optimal balance of proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals.

Many veterinarians recommend a combination of dry and wet food, as well as replacing them in some cases with natural products. In this case, it is necessary to remember that the menu must be balanced and individual.

General recommendations for creating a menu of natural products for Canadian Sphynx cats:

75-80% should be protein-rich foods (meat and meat-containing products). They can be given to your pet raw or scalded.
Vegetables, cereals and dairy products make up 15-20% of the total food;
The daily diet of an adult healthy pet should include 250-300 grams of proteins and 90-100 grams of carbohydrates.

An example of a menu of natural products for feeding the Canadian Sphynx:

Daily

raw beef, veal, lamb (no more than 300 grams, cold-treated);
vegetables or cereals (50-100 grams boiled);
drinking water - unlimited.

4-5 times a week

boiled chicken, nutria or rabbit meat (pre-processed);
vitamins "dry brewer's yeast" (in combination with carbohydrate foods);

3-4 times a week

offal or offal (processed);
seafood (sea fish fillet, boiled)
cereal mixtures or products (millet, buckwheat, cereal muesli);
fresh or frozen fruits (individually);
greens (lettuce, watercress, parsley);

1-2 times a week

low-fat fermented milk products (yogurt, cottage cheese, yogurt);
egg white (in a mixture or separately);
cheese (individually)

If you switch to a natural menu, it is recommended to include bread crumbs in your Sphynx's diet every week.

Canadian Sphynx video

Health and diseases

Canadian Sphynx cats are distinguished by good immunity and good health, and with proper care they are rarely patients of veterinarians. But hypothermia, sudden climate change, overheating, irregular vaccinations and allergic reactions due to improper feeding can provoke illness or exacerbation of chronic problems.

In addition to these reasons, there are also so-called “breed” diseases characteristic of this particular type of cat.

Canadian Sphynx cats suffer from skin sensitivity, with frequent cases of skin lesions such as pigmented urticaria, rashes or allergic redness. To determine the exact cause and make the correct diagnosis, you need to consult a doctor who will prescribe the necessary tests.

Another common disease of the Canadian Sphynx is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The main factor in its occurrence are genetic changes and heredity.

As a result of poor heredity, Sphynx cats may be susceptible to another characteristic disease - myopathy. This disease cannot be treated; its first manifestations are usually observed at 5-8 weeks of age, but in some cases the disease is asymptomatic for up to 15 weeks.

Breeders are obliged to warn the buyer of a kitten if the animal is at risk (there were cases of myopathy in the previous offspring of the parents).

Breed card

Characteristics of a cat		Notes
General information	The Canadian Sphynx is the original breed that created the fashion for “hairless” cats	The birthplace of the breed is Canada
Character	Playful and affectionate cat, very attached to family members	The Sphynx's playfulness does not disappear with age
Appearance	Medium-sized cats, wedge-shaped head, numerous folds on the skin. A large number of colors. Several types of wool: naked, velor, flock, brushed	Cats feel hot and velvety to the touch
Behavior at home	They love to curl up in a ball and sleep under a blanket, and also climb onto their owner’s shoulders.	Sunbathing lovers
Care	Weekly bathing and wiping with wet wipes to remove excess sebum and sweat
Health problems	Various skin diseases and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy occur	Cats are afraid of cold and extreme heat

Appearance

The first thing that attracts or repels when stroking a Sphynx is the lack of fur.

Hairlessness is the main breed-forming characteristic.
It is absent throughout the body, on the paws, tail, and head. If you look closely, the body of the sphinx is covered with small, thin down, up to 2 mm long, which gives the impression of soft suede to the touch.
It is acceptable to have residual hair on pointed areas of the body (tip of the tail, paws, outer edge of the ear, muzzle, scrotum). Representatives of this breed have a high metabolism and have an elevated body temperature; when touching them, you always feel hot and velor skin. Another feature of the skin of sphinxes is its folding. Kittens are born completely folded, even the tail. With age, the folding goes away and remains on the face and neck.

The Canadian Sphynx has a medium-sized, rounded, strong, muscular body with smooth, graceful body lines. The chest is massive and wide, the belly is rounded. Sometimes the body shape is compared to a “ripe pear” due to its larger bottom. Outwardly, Sphynxes give the impression of fragile cats, but they are heavier than they appear. The weight of an adult animal is 3.5-6 kg depending on gender.

The head is medium-sized and shaped like a rounded modified wedge. The sphinx's muzzle is very expressive, short with clear, prominent cheekbones outlining the eye sockets. The width of the muzzle is slightly less than its length, and has a characteristic profile with a flat forehead, a small “stop”, a vertical line from nose to chin and a strong lower jaw. Vibrissae (whiskers) are absent or short. The heads of cats and cats are different. Cats have a wider, more powerful skull. Cats have more elegant and graceful lines.

In addition to the lack of fur, the Sphynx always attracts with its ears and eyes. The ears are large, wide at the base, wide set and open forward. The eyes are large, lemon-shaped with a mesmerizing gaze.

Eye color can be chosen according to color (
green, blue, aquamarine, yellow, odd-eyed
).

Paws are of medium length, strong, muscular. The front ones have a wide stance due to the wide chest. The hind legs are slightly longer than the front ones, which is why the Canadian Sphynx has a characteristic gait. The paws are round in shape with long toes (“monkey toes”). The tail is long, flexible, tapering towards the tip (like a "whip"), can be curled into a ring and have a tuft of hair at the end ("lion's tail").

The colors of the Canadian Sphynx have a wide palette. Almost all color groups are recognized, with the exception of colors with zonal hair coloring (chinchilla, calico, etc.). The most common are bicolor

and
painted
sphinxes, less often
solid ones.
Any amount of white is acceptable.

How to choose a kitten

It is recommended to purchase a kitten only from trusted nurseries, since they may offer you not an exotic baby, but a sick animal. This is due to the difficulties of breeding the breed and the dishonesty of sellers.

You should not buy a kitten that is too young, as its body is still weak and can get an infection when moving, even under stress.

Reference! The optimal age for a baby to buy starts from 3 months. By this time, the baby is already strong and has the necessary vaccinations.

If your future pet is a personal companion and not a show winner, then it is enough to make sure that he is healthy. The kitten should be active, cheerful, and not show aggression or fear at the sight of a person. Sometimes kittens have a small rash on their tail - there is nothing wrong with that, it will go away on its own over time.

The final color of the kitten, as well as the color of the eyes, become clear to an experienced breeder already in the first weeks of the baby’s life.

It’s worth noting right away that sphinxes are not a cheap pleasure. If you are offered to buy a kitten for 3-4 thousand rubles, in this case there can be no talk of any pedigree.

The price of kittens in trusted nurseries starts from 10 thousand rubles.

Kittens that have deviations from breed standards are a little cheaper. They are not critical if you take a handsome bald man for your soul.

But promising kids - potential exhibitors and future producers, whose parents have championship titles, will cost at least 15 thousand rubles .

Color

Cat Colors Authors: Orca Starbuck and David Thomas (Adapted from Cat Fanciers) *This article continues on the Genetics of Cat Colors, which provides insight into the genetic basis of cat colors and the terminology used to designate them.

Here you can find an approximate answer to the question - “What color is my cat?” and understand the basic terms denoting colors, patterns and their combinations. Only the most common colors are described here, since genetically cats have a great variety of them. *Note: the word red is used to denote the color red, and blue is the color gray. Well, everything is clear with red - there is simply no corresponding word in the English language (in the original article it is described as orange, marmalade or ginger), but it’s not clear what the gray one didn’t like.

By and large, the drawings can be summarized as follows:

Tabbies Smokes, Solids With white markings Torties, Patched Tabbies and Calicos Pointed (Siamese) pattern FAQ (FAQ) Genetics of colors 1. Tabbies (tabby). If your cat has stripes, then his pattern is “tabby” (sometimes called “brindle”). All tabbies have fine lines on their muzzle that define their eyes and form an "M" on their forehead. If you look at the fur close up, you can see that each hair is colored with dark and light stripes. This alternation is called "Agouti". It is generally accepted that tabby is the original color of wild, undomesticated cats. There are four main tabby patterns:

• Mackerel tabby (brindle) - a pattern in the form of parallel vertical stripes. • Classic tabby (classic) - wide spiral stripes on the sides, reminiscent of marble stains. In the UK this pattern is called "blotched tabby". • Spotted tabby (spotted) - spots all over the body. The spots can be large or small, sometimes in the form of intermittent stripes. • Ticked tabby - sometimes called Abyssinian or agouti. Without stripes or spots on the body, but with a pattern on the face and agouti on the body. This color is typical for Abyssinian cats, but it also occurs in other cats.

Tabbies come in a wide variety of colors. Tabby color refers to the color of the stripes or the tip of the tail. The main color of agouti varies from faded blue to deep red.

• brown tabby (brown) - black stripes on a brownish or bluish background. The color of the stripes varies from jet black to slightly brownish. • blue tabby (blue) - blue stripes on a background ranging from pale blue to earthy gray. The color of the stripes ranges from asphalt to light gray. • red tabby (red) - red stripes on a cream background. The color of the stripes ranges from light orange to dark marmalade (the English language is great and powerful! - just from light to dark red). • cream tabby (cream) - cream stripes on a pale cream background. The stripes look more sandy or peachy than creamy. • silver tabby (silver) - black stripes on a white background. The roots of the hair are white. Blue silver, cream silver, or red silver, cameo tabbies are also possible, depending on the color of the stripes. In any case, the silver tabby has a pale base color and white hair roots.

2. Solids and Smokes If your cat is all one color, then it is “solid”. The British can call its color and “self”. • solid black - black. It can range from charcoal to grayish-black or blackish-brown. The blackness may appear "rusty" in sunlight, or have a brown tint. • solid blue - light blue. The shade varies from dark gray to light ash. This is a common color for the Russian Blue, Chartreuse, Korat, and British Shorthair breeds, but is found in many breeds and in domestic cats. Kittens may have a faint tabby pattern that disappears with age. • solid white - white. White cats may have blue eyes, some green or gold, and some even multi-colored - one green, one golden, or even one blue, one green or gold! These are called “odd-eyed white (white with different eyes).” Most solid colors are developed by suppressing recessive tabby genes. Sometimes the pattern is not completely suppressed, then a vague shadow tabby is noticeable. If you have seen a black leopard, you may have seen the outline of the pattern because the leopard also has similar suppressed genes. If you haven’t seen a black leopard yet, come to the Yekaterinburg Zoo! Red and cream colors cannot effectively suppress tabbies, so the pattern on such animals, to a greater or lesser extent, is always present. The monochromatic white color is obtained as a result of the action of different genes that completely suppress the color. Many white kittens have vague shading on the head where the color is not completely suppressed, which goes away with age.

If the cat is black or blue, but the roots of the hair are clearly white, it is “smoke.” (The hair roots of solid-colored cats are usually greyish; true Smokes have distinct white roots.) Smokes are the solid-colored version of the silver tabbi. This color is very impressive and mysterious, especially in movement, when the color shimmers beautifully.

Smokes are divided according to the length of the colored section of the hair:

• Chinchilla - 1/8 of the hair tip is dyed. • Shaded - 1/4 of the end of the hair is colored. • Smoky - 1/2 of the end of the hair is colored.

• Black smoke - black with white roots. • Blue smoke - blue with white roots. • Silver (Shaded/Chinchilla) Silver (shaded or chinchilla) - when kittens are born, the coat is so light that it appears white. However, white color can only be inherited from white (not silver) parents. There may be a slight tabby pattern at the tip of the tail, which usually disappears by six weeks. Green eyes are also a sign that the kitten is silver and not white. • Cameo (Cameo) is a special name for a red (cream) shaded or smoky color. Kittens of this color are born white, and the tipping appears gradually.

3. Cats with white markings Clearly defined white markings (as opposed to shaded markings like the Siamese) can appear on any color. Just add “And white” to the base color description. This is how you get, for example, “Black and white” or “Cream tabby and white.” The white areas can be of different sizes and locations, which determine the more precise name of the color: • With white gloves (mitted) ) - white slippers on the paws • With a white locket - a white spot on the chest • With white buttons (buttons) - one or more small white spots • Bi-color - half white • Harlequin - mostly white with a few large patches of color. • Van - All white with color on the head and tail. • Tuxedo - with white paws and chest. May have a little white on the head. This is an informal definition. 4. Torties ), patched tabbies, and calicos If your cat is colored in a random combination of colors, it may be one of the following colors: For colors without white -

• Tortoiseshell, tortie - random spots all over the body in red, black and cream colors. spots may have varying degrees of clarity. • Blue-cream - random spots throughout the body of blue and cream colors in soft, pastel colors. This color is sometimes called blue or dilute tortie. • Brown patched tabby - Reminiscent of fall foliage, with patches of brown and red tabby. This color is also known as torbie. • Blue patched tabby is a soft color with patches of blue and cream tabby.

For colors with white marks, depending on the amount of white -

• Tortoiseshell and white or blue-cream and white - minor white areas. The main color is the same as that of simple tortoiseshell or blue cream, respectively. • Calico, Chintz (calico) - more white. As a rule, the more white, the larger and more clearly the red and black spots should be drawn. Note that the large black spots are usually solid, while the red spots are tabby. • Dilute calico - the same as the previous one, but with blue and cream spots. The blue spots are uniform, creamy with tabby. • Patched tabby and white – varying amounts of white. Tabby areas with a lot of white, like Calico, have large, clear patches of color.

5. Colorpoint (With a Siamese spot) (Pointed (Siamese) pattern) If your cat has a dark spot on the face, paws and tail, this is a Colorpoint color. It is common in Siamese cats, but occurs in domestic cats as well as in many other breeds. Sometimes this color is called Siamese or Himalayan. Cats with this color are usually born white and darken as they age. Young cats have much lighter bodies than older cats. Colorpoints also vary in color:

• Seal point - dark brown spot and body between light brown and ivory. Dark brown paw pads and nose • Chocolate point - light brown markings and ivory body. Light brown-pink paw pads and nose • Blue point - a blue spot on a light blue body. Gray nose and paw pads. • Lilac point - a blue spot on a light blue body. Grey-pink nose and paw pads. • Lynx point (lynx point) - tabby spot! A spot of any color from the “Tabby” section. For example, blue lynx point or red lynx point. The body may have some patterning signs that appear with age. • Tortie point - a tortoiseshell spot, and Blue-cream point - a blue-cream spot.

Even a point color with white markings is possible! This is when a cat has a white color, but the pointing spots (especially on the feet) are clearly visible, located on top of the main color.

If you are interested in the genetic basis of obtaining different colors, as well as what colors are theoretically possible, this article is for you.

Pigmentation White color Ticking and tabby Shaded With white spots The colors of cats are distinguished by a variety of patterns and colors. The names for these colors are often based on genetic theory. Many people are confused when faced with the names of colors that exist among cat lovers. This article will help to understand these terms and the reasons for their occurrence, but does not attempt to describe the mechanisms of inheritance and does not provide formulas for calculating the possible result of crossing different colors.

1. Pigmentation The color of fur, skin and eyes depends on the presence of melanin in them. Melanin is found in the hair body in the form of microscopic granules that vary in shape, size and quantity, which causes differences in color. There are two chemical varieties of melanin: eumelanin and phaeomelanin. Eumelanin granules are spherical and absorb almost all light, giving black pigmentation. Phaeomelanin granules are oblong (ellipsoidal in shape) and reflect light in the red-yellow-orange range. Some genes can change the density of melanin granules in such a way that different colors are produced. The greatest differences are observed in dark (eumelanin-based) colors.

Table of common names of basic colors by genotype: Saturation Max Min Dark (eumelanin-based) Black (B-) Black Blue Brown (bb) Chocolate Lilac Light brown (b1b1) Cinnamon (Cinnamon) Deer (fawn) Red (phaeomelanin-based) Orange ( O(O)) Red Cream

With a decrease in the amount of eumelanin granules in the hair body, the black color changes through chocolate (or chestnut) to cinnamon color. Chocolate is recessive to black, and cinnamon is recessive to chocolate. Such mutations will cause allele (B) Mutations of dark group geos lead to the appearance of blue, purple and fawn colors. This is due to the grouping of pigment particles in the hair body. Cyan is a diluted black and represents different shades of grey. Lilac is a diluted chocolate color and is sometimes compared to the color of frost or lavender. Fawn (fawn) is a diluted cinnamon color - the color of café au lait or caramel. Such mutations depend on the location of the allele (D). Dilution is recessive relative to saturated shades.

Red-based (phaeomelanistic) colors have significantly less variation. The color red is usually described as orange or marmalade, and in Russian it is red. Some cats have such pale pigmentation that they can be called yellow. Cream is a diluted red, the color of cream. For the red gene, use the symbol (O). Black color is recessive to red. The red gene (O) is linked to the X chromosome and is therefore sex dependent. Cats have one X chromosome, so if a cat carries the red gene, it will be red. Cats have two X chromosomes, so a cat will be red if both X chromosomes carry the red gene. However, in many cats, the red gene is carried on only one chromosome, resulting in black pigmentation in the form of patches. This combination of red and black is called Tortoiseshell. The typical Tortoiseshell coloration is a random pattern of black and red patches. Some have more red, some have more black. Depending on the saturation, the spots can be either black-orange or blue-cream (these are not usually called tortoiseshell, but simply called blue-cream). Variations of black result in the Chocolate Tortie and Cinnamon Tortie, with diluted versions called the Lilac-Cream Tortie and the Fawn-Cream Tortie.

The described mutations have existed in Europe and the Western Hemisphere for hundreds of years. Another set of mutations was introduced from Asia, and is represented by Siamese and Burmese cats. Burmese carry the genes for the Sepia color (cb), and the Siamese carry the genes for the Pointed color mark (cs). Such mutations are caused by the allele (C), their combination (cb/cs), as in the Tonkin cat, represents the mink color (mink).

Plain (C-) Sepia (cbcb) Mink (cbcs) Point (cscs) Black (BD-) Sable (Sable) Wax Sepia (Seal Sepia) Wax (Seal Mink) Natural (Natural Mink) Sealpoint (Sealpoint) Blue (B- dd) Blue Sepia Blue Mink Blue point (Blue point) Chocolate (bbD-) Chocolate Sepia Champagne (Champagne) Chocolate Mink Champagne Mink Chocolate point Lilac (bbdd) Lilac Sepia Platinum (Platinum) Lilac Mink Platinum Mink Lilacpoint Platinum point Cinnamon (b1b1D-) Cinnamon Sepia Cinnamon Mink Honey Mink Cinnamon point Fawn (b1b1dd) Fawn Sepia Fawn Mink Fawn point Red (DO(O)) Red Sepia Red Mink Red point, red point Cream (ddO(O)) Cream Sepia (Fawn Sepia) Cream Mink Creampoint

Not shown in the table are two more colors of the albino mutation, which usually have a solid white coat, regardless of pigmentation genes. These are white with blue eyes (ca/ca), and white with pink eyes (c/c).

2. White cats White color is the absence of any pigmentation. Solid white wool can be obtained in three completely different cases: 1. White albino. This is a recessive variant, described in the previous section 2. Solid white spots The white spot factor (S) is not completely dominant, is subject to polygenetic modifications and usually results in the cat being not all white. However, the spots may be so dense that the animal appears completely white. White spots are described in the following sections. 3. Dominant White This mutation suppresses all other pigmentation genes, and results in a white coat color and blue eyes. As the name suggests, this is the effect of the dominant white gene (W). In the dominant white, genes for other colors and patterns, although present, are completely hidden. The only way to determine the underlying genotype is by crossing with colored cats of a well-known genotype. Breeding two dominant whites will usually result in all-white kittens, but if both parents are heterozygous (W/w), some kittens may show primary colors. If the genotype of the white parents is not known from the pedigree or test crosses, the mating result is unpredictable. Dominant white is found in a variety of breeds. Sometimes white Oriental Orientals are considered by some associations as a separate breed. The dominant white color has a much deeper blue eye color than albinos, and this is considered an advantage. The best blue eye color is observed in completely white Oriental Oriental cats that carry a suppressed chocolate gene. Deafness in cats is associated with the spotted (S) and white dominant (W) genes, but not with the albino gene (c/c or ca/ca).

3. Ticking and Tabby The previous paragraphs described solid colors. However, these colors are not the most common. Many cats are ticked, and most are ticked in a different color than the main one, a pattern called tabby. Ticking is the result of the agouti gene, designated (A), which results in stripes of light and dark pigmentation appearing on each hair. The agouti gene allows full pigmentation for hair that has begun to grow, then slows down pigment synthesis for a while, and allows it again. When the hair reaches its full length and stops growing, pigment synthesis stops. As a result, the hair is densely colored at the tip, then there is a stripe of yellow or orange color, then again a densely pigmented area, descending to the yellow or orange root of the hair. Agouti stripes are found in both eumelanistic and red base colors. In both cases, the band corresponds to a period of slowing melanin production. Agouti stripes in black-based colors are also caused by eumelanin (not phaeomelanin), but the pigment granules are sparse and arranged in islands, giving a yellow or orange tint. Thus, agouti is not a mixture of areas with eumelanin and phaeomelanin pigmentation. In eumelanin-pigmented hairs, the agouti stripes are usually yellowish in color. However, their color can be orange - this color is caused by the red color factor. This polygenetic factor has not yet been isolated or identified, but breeders know how to select animals that produce warm tabby colors. In particular, the Brown Tabby is genetically black, but by selecting individuals with a strong red factor it was possible to obtain a rich brown color in the ticked hairs. The mutation responsible for the uniform color is called non-agouti (a/a), and is recessive. The effect of non-agouti suppresses ticking so that the pigment is evenly distributed along the entire length of the hair, except at the root, where ticking is usually preserved to some extent.

Tabby is responsible for the gene (T), which causes the appearance of stripes and spots of the main color on the ticked coat. Commonly known types of tabbies are given the following descriptive names:

1. Tiger Tabby (Mackerel Tabby). Ticked hair in stripes is located on the main color (like a tiger). This is the most common tabby pattern. 2. Classic Tabby. The ticked hair is arranged in patches, often in the shape of "bull's eyes" on the sides, or "butterflies" on the back. This pattern is also called Blotched Tabby. 3. Ticked Tabby. Ticked hair is evenly distributed throughout the body, the coat looks as if freckled. This pattern is also called Agouti Tabby, Abyssinian Tabby or wild. 4. Ticked Tabby. The ticked hair alternates with spots or rosettes of the primary color (as on a leopard or jaguar). Agouti and tabby genes in combination with the base colors produce the following patterns: Agouti(A-) Non-agouti(aa) Ticket Ticked Brindle Mackerel Classic Classic Ticket Ticked Brindle Mackerel Classic Classic (Tb) (T-) (TbTb) (Tb) ( T-) (TbTb) Black (BD-) Brown ticked tabby Brown brindle tabby Brown classic tabby Solid black Black Solid Blue (B-dd) Blue ticked tabby Blue brindle tabby Blue classic tabby Solid blue Blue Solid Chocolate (dd B-) Chocolate ticked tabby Chocolate brindle tabby Chocolate classic tabby Solid Chocolate Chocolate Solid Lilac (bb dd) Lilac ticked tabby Lilac brindle tabby Lilac classic tabby Solid Chocolate Chocolate Solid Cinnamon (b1b1D-) Cinnamon ticked tabby Cinnamon brindle tabby Cinnamon classic tabby Solid Cinnamon Solid Fawn ( b1b1dd) Ticked Tabby Fawn Brindle Tabby Fawn Classic Tabby Fawn Solid Fawn Solid Red (DO(O)) Red Ticked Tabby Red Brindle Tabby Red Classic Tabby Same as Agouti (A-) Non-Agouti does not show up on orange pigment Cream ( ddO(O)) Cream ticked tabby Cream brindle tabby Cream classic tabby

The classic tabby (tb) is recessive to the brindle (T), the brindle is recessive to the Abyssinian (Ta). Agouti and tabby genes are also combined with all albino colors - sepia, mink and colorpoints. Americans recognize the Burmese and Tonka breeds only with the black-based non-agouti color (eumelanistic non-agouti) color, without recognizing tabby manifestations. In the Singaporean (Singapura), only the “Sable Agouti Tabby” color is recognized - seal sepia ticked tabby. Some associations allow tabby Siamese cats - their color is called Lynx Point - with a lynx spot. Note that there are no solid red or cream colors here. Although breeders produce uniformly colored red and cream cats by selecting for carriers of the red gene with a tendency to reduce pattern contrast, the "M" on the forehead is still present in even the most uniform red-base (Phaeomelanistic) colors. Ticked tabby in relation to Abyssinians and Somalis (Abyssinians, Somalis) is given special names:

Ruddy Abyssinian = Brown Ticked Tabby Blue Abyssinian = Blue Ticked Tabby Sorrel Abyssinian = Cinnamon Ticked Tabby Fawn Abyssinian = Fawn Ticked Tabby Ticked Tabby) Abyssinian Sorrel is sometimes called red, but this is incorrect. All these colors are black-based. The Red and Cream colors of the Somali and Abyssinian are not recognized by US associations. Note that spotted tabby is not identified as a separate genotype. It is not entirely clear whether the spotted tabby is a mutation of the tabby gene, or whether it is simply the effect of polygenetic modifications of the mackerel tabby. Some breeders point to the existence of spotted tabby in various species of wild cats, as confirmation that the spotted tabby is an independent mutation. In practice, however, the spotted tabby produces offspring with patterns ranging from spotted to brindle, and breeders must continually select sires with clear markings, otherwise the pattern of the offspring will shift to brindle. Tortoiseshell cats can also have a tabby pattern. In the tortoiseshell tabby (torbie), the tabby pattern appears on both the red and black areas. Solid and ticked stripes on red areas continue without interruption to black areas. 4. Shaded In a regular tabby, the ticked hairs have light stripes, but they are not devoid of color. Typically, the light stripes are yellowish in color, but can sometimes appear orange. Less commonly, agouti stripes add a tint to the main color. Shading expands the agouti stripes so that the highlights can reach the root of the hair. This effect results in the hair having a colored tip, the color of which is determined by the base color gene, and the hair itself is much lighter. If the light area of the hair is white, it is Silver, if it is yellow or cream, it is Golden. There have been several explanations for the genetics of shaded colors. It was previously believed that the chinchilla gene (Ch) (Chinchilla) is a modification of the albino gene. If this were the case, then colors such as shaded sepia, mink and colorpoint would not be possible. Breeder experiments refute this theory. It was later thought that a separate gene, called the inhibitor gene (I), caused the shading. But this theory could not explain all the varieties of shaded colors and the success of breeders in obtaining them. Therefore, it is now believed that at least two genes cause shading, however, this theory has not yet been proven experimentally. All these theories try to explain hereditary factors that suppress pigment synthesis after hair reaches a certain length. The combination of shading with agouti and tabby results in colors such as Chinchilla, Shaded Silver, Silver Tabby and Smoke. In the Chinchilla, each hair is well colored at the end and pale to the root, so all the hair appears lightly colored and there is no tabby pattern effect. The tipping is so weak that the color even seems white at first glance, but upon closer inspection it seems to sparkle. In Shaded Silver, all the hair is colored where the agouti stripe would normally begin. Like the Chinchilla, the ticked and solid areas are pale colored where agouti stripes would normally be, so the pattern is not noticeable. However, in Shaded Silver the colored tips are long enough so that the underlying color is clearly visible, especially on the head and back. The Silver Tabby has ticked hair that is brightly colored at the tips and pale to the root, but the solid hair has normal color intensity. The tabby pattern is enhanced by the contrast between the almost white ticked coat and the areas of base color. The Smoke pattern is the result of shading a solid non-agouti color. All hairs are well colored to the point where an agouti stripe would appear and then fade into an almost white undercoat. This color looks like the main color, but if you blow on the coat, a contrasting and white undercoat is noticeable. It is also clearly visible when the animal moves. The same shaded patterns can be found on the golden undercoat. They are called Golden Chinchilla, Shaded Golden, Golden Tabby and Golden Smoke. Unlike white (silver) shaded animals, these animals have an undercoat of warm cream or apricot color. The eumelanistic shaded colors are the most impressive as they have more contrast, but the red and cream colors are also very beautiful. Red-based shaded colors are often called "Cameo" and their corresponding common names are listed below:

Shell Cameo = Red Chinchilla Shaded Cameo = Red Shaded Silver Cameo Tabby = Red Shaded Silver Smoke Cameo = Red Smoke

Since shading is combined with both black-base and red-base colors, it can appear in all tortoiseshell colors. Theoretically, golden undercoat can also be obtained in a red-base color, but so far breeders have not found such a combination worthy of attention. The lack of contrast in the Red Golden Shaded makes the effect almost indistinguishable, but in the black spots of the Tortoiseshell Golden Shaded or Tortoiseshell Golden Chinchilla it is quite noticeable.

5. With white spots A very common mutation that results in white spots. The spotted color is sometimes called "piebald". There are a lot of varieties of spots - from white slippers, white feet, to a white nose or chin. From small white areas to almost complete absence of areas with the main color. White spots can be considered a mask on the main color. Typically, owners of cats that have dark stripes only on the head and tail consider their pets to be white. This is not correct - in fact, these are cats with a tabby pattern that is hidden under white spots. White spots are found in any color and in any of the above patterns. It is generally accepted to name such colors by indicating the main color and adding “With white”. For example, a Red Mackerel Tabby with white spots is called a Red Mackerel Tabby and White, and a Lilac Tabby becomes Lilac and White. Tortoiseshell and White has a special name - Calico (Chintz). Hence, Blue Cream and White is sometimes called Watered Down Calico. White spot factor (S) is the dominant mutation. Homozygous (S/S) cats usually have more white patches than heterozygous (S/s) cats, but other genes can change the extent of the white patches. Sometimes the white spots can increase with age. The white spot factor can result in blue-eyed cats and cats with mixed eyes if the spot covers one eye. This gene is associated with deafness, especially if the white patches reach the ears. If the white patch covers the eyes and ears, then it is possible that the result will be a deaf cat with blue eyes. Deafness can affect one or both ears. This is caused by degeneration of the concha of the inner ear, which begins in the first days of life. Such deafness is incurable. It has been noticed that a white spot can be present on a white cat! Of course, a spot on white is visually indistinguishable. 6. Explanations of the notations in the article The article uses the notations generally accepted in genetics, which, however, are not necessary to understand the essence of the matter. Typically, genes for different characteristics are designated by letters, usually the first letter of the gene name. Mutations of a gene are called allomorphs, or more commonly, alleles. Dominant alleles are indicated in capital letters, recessive alleles are indicated in lowercase letters. Typically in genetics, multiple alleles are distinguished by superscript letters. For example, Black is (B), Brown is (b), and Light Brown is designated b l. The article did not use superscript characters, so it turns out (bl). Every cat has a pair of genes for each trait, one from each parent. A purebred black cat is designated as (B/B), and a chocolate (chocolate (brown)) cat is designated as (b/b). These are called homozygotes because they received the same set of genes from both parents. A black cat with a recessive gene for chocolate color is designated as (B/b) - its parents have different genes. Cats with recessive traits (like (B/b)) are called heterozygotes. They are indistinguishable from homozygous individuals; differences appear only in the offspring. If the presence of a dominant gene determines a visible trait, the paper used a form like (B/-), where the minus indicates that the second gene is unknown or unimportant for the visible trait.

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The Djoser Sphynx Cattery offers to get acquainted with the unique breed of hairless cats - the Sphynx, learn the history of the origin of Sphynx cats, get recommendations for caring for a Sphynx kitten, look at photographs of Sphynx kittens and adult Sphynx cats from the Djoser Sphynx Cattery . On the website of the Sphynx nursery “Djoser” you can see photo reports from cat shows with the participation of adult Sphynx cats and Sphynx kittens from the Sphynx nursery “Djoser”, visit a photo gallery of adult Sphynx cats and cats, as well as Sphynx kittens for sale. On the news page of the Djoser Sphynx nursery, you can see new Sphynx animals and rare Sphynx kittens born in our nursery. Kittens from our Sphynx nursery “Djoser” have found their new loving owners not only in Russia, but also in other countries of Europe and America. The Djoser Sphynx Cattery offers you elite Sphynx kittens from award-winning breeders. In the Djoser Sphynx nursery you can purchase a Sphynx kitten of a rare color - a colored, non-white, odd-eyed Sphynx kitten. You can contact us by phone. in Moscow +7-901-5555-172, +7-915-269-58-65, e-mail: josercat @yandex.ru

Interesting Facts

Sphynxes completely destroy the well-known myth that cats hate water. Hairless cats are avid water swimmers . The main thing is that the water is warm.
They are excellent jumpers . Young sphinxes easily conquer a height of 1 meter, and for adults, even a 3-meter height will not be an obstacle. Therefore, it is unlikely that you will be able to hide something from the sphinx on the closet.
In ancient times, hairless cats were considered a sacred animal.
Sphynxes are true models of the cat world. They love to pose so much that every guest in the house, in their opinion, comes to look at the spectacular handsome man. American photographers have repeatedly noted that the Canadian Sphynx is one of the most photogenic breeds.
This is the most human-dependent breed. In natural conditions, sphinxes will not be able to survive, since they do not have natural “radars” of danger - vibrissae.

The Sphinx can become a full-fledged member of the family. Although he needs special care, his affection and devotion make up for this many times over. Plus, there will never be wool in the house or on clothes. Do you like Canadian Sphynxes? Leave your feedback in the comments, let's see how many of our readers are bald lovers.

Nicknames suitable for Sphynx cats

Even the Sphynx kittens look majestic and proud, their entire appearance reminiscent of Egyptian figurines. Calling the Sphynx a simple cat name, such as Timka or Fluff, doesn’t even occur to us.

In order not to invent anything new, you can simply look at the list of names of Egyptian gods. A name suitable for the little miracle will be found there quickly.

For example, a Sphynx cat can be named after one of the goddesses: Amaunet, Anuket, Isis, Seshat, Sioux . Suitable names for a sphinx boy are: Aker, Amat, Amset, Anhur, Geb, Mafdet, Onuris, Osiris, Hapi, Hesat, Khnum, Shai, Yah.

The names of ancient Egyptian gods suit the majestic sphinxes

Rare colors

In conclusion - less common colors, but allowed by the standard.

"Siamese" (color point)

Kittens are born light, almost white. But as they grow older, a dark “mask” appears on their face, their paws and tail turn black. The eyes remain bright blue.

"Mink"

The baby is also born light-colored, but with age “puts on a coat” - platinum, blue, striped, cream, blue, champagne.

"Sable"

Another suit that develops towards adulthood. This is a rich dark sable color without spots, darkening, oh

The animal's skin is a warm copper, beige tone. The color is clean, without inclusions or

The skin is pale gray, silver. There are no stripes or blotches.

Good afternoon to all my readers. Today there will be a review about a very unusual, eccentric in appearance breed, which many will be shocked to see. The thing is that our heroines do not have the usual fur coat for all cats and are almost completely naked. This is the very first breed of hairless cats, which received the name - Canadian Sphynx . Why exactly the “Sphynx”, and even the “Canadian” one, how it happened that this breed has no hair, what care is required for such unusual pets - find out all this and much more in this article.

Diseases

Good health to the Don Sphynxes - alas and ah! – they can’t boast. Predisposition to diseases is caused by errors in breeding and is inherited. But, of course, improper care also affects it.

The following ailments are typical for sphinxes:

Underdevelopment of the thymus (another name is kitten falling asleep syndrome). The pathology is a side effect of incest and, unfortunately, cannot be treated. Babies live very little: 5-10 days, with cyanosis and dryness of the extremities and dehydration.
Curvature of the tail. Often, along with this pathology, the kitten is diagnosed with intestinal pathology and lack of growth. This disease is caused by crossing related cats.
Vasculitis is an immunopathological inflammation of the walls of blood vessels. The mild form may go away on its own; in more severe cases, drug treatment is required.
Malocclusion (“carp”): occurs at the stage of fetal formation. With this disease, the lower and upper incisors do not align.
Microphthalmos: eye pathology. This may be myopia, blindness, cataracts, congenital keratitis, Colombo.
Hyperplasia of the nipple, mammary gland. It occurs more often in light blue and cream colored cats. It is extremely rare for them to have healthy offspring.

Cats without fur are susceptible to colds. Laryngitis, rhinitis, bronchopneumonia, pleurisy are quite common.

Breeding cats with diseases such as entropion of the eyelids, softening (curvature) of the spine, nipple hyperplasia, microphthalmia and pathological shortening of the lower jaw is prohibited!

Health and care of the Canadian Sphynx

Canadian Sphynx cats are not picky about grooming. Because Since they have no fur, they have nothing to absorb sweat and fat secretions. Because of this, they need to be bathed regularly once a week. Due to increased body temperature, Sphynx cats have a significantly accelerated metabolism. Consequently, they need food much more often than other breeds. Therefore, do not be surprised if you left some tasty treat on the table, and the sphinx gobbled it up.

There are several concepts in feeding Sphynxes:

feeding natural food (fish, meat, dairy products, etc.)
feeding dry food (professional cat food)
mixed feeding

Each owner decides for himself which feeding method to follow. The main thing is that the food does not cause allergies in your pet. If you feed only dry food, then have a bowl of water nearby.

Even though this breed has no hair, a person can still be allergic to their sweat, saliva, or dander (dead skin particles) in the air.

Due to the lack of fur, you also need to be careful when walking Sphynx cats. Because Since they do not have such a luxurious warm coat as, for example, Siberians, you should not take them outside in extreme cold, try to avoid drafts and sudden hypothermia because your pet may catch a cold. You should also avoid walking under the scorching sun in summer, which can cause sunburn on the Sphynx's skin, just like on humans.

In general, Canadian Sphynx cats have good health. They rarely get sick. In the case of some infectious diseases, they recover quite quickly, gaining immunity to this disease for life. Most often, kittens and very young individuals are exposed to infections. With proper care, the average life expectancy of Sphynx cats is 14-16 years.