Published on 05/15/2008

The Sphynx is also known as a Canadian Hairless cat. It is rare and most known for its lack of a coat. It appears to be hairless; however, it is not truly hairless.

Adopting Kittens: Sphynx Appearance and Personality

The Sphynx is also known as a Canadian Hairless cat. It is rare and most known for its lack of a coat. It appears to be hairless; however, it is not truly hairless. The skin usually has a texture of Chamois leather. It may be covered with very soft hair that can be described as peach fuzz.

The Sphynx comes from Canada. It all started in Toronto, year of 1966 when a domestic cat gave birth to a hairless kitten. It was discovered to be the result of a natural or spontaneous mutation. This cat and several others found in other parts of the world have been the foundation for the Sphynx cat breed.

The cat breeders in Europe and North America have bred Sphynx cats to normal-coated cats and then back to hairless for more than 30 years. The goal of these breedings has been to create a genetically sound cat with a large gene pool.

The following appearance description is offered to help you decide if the Sphynx cat is right for you, your family and lifestyle.

Appearance Description

• There is a fine down on the body that feels like that on a peach
• Some light hair is often present on the nose, tail and toes
• The feel of a Sphynx has been compared to that of a suede hot water bottle, a horse’s warm muzzle, and a heated chamois
• Sphynx kittens are very wrinkled
• It is desirable for a Sphynx to have as much wrinkling as possible
• They come in every color that a cat can be
• Medium size cats and strong
• An adult female will weigh between 6 and 8 pounds, a male will weigh between 8 and 11 pounds
• Good muscle development
• Should have a bit of a belly
• Have an open-eyed, intelligent face
• Friendly expression
• Bouncy gait

The following personality description is offered to help you decide if the Sphynx cat is right for you, your family and lifestyle.

Personality Description

• Fun-loving
• They make direct eye contact and flirt with people
• Love attention from their humans
• They eat a lot and will eat almost anything, it is wise to put child safety locks on all cupboard doors and never leave human food out
• They love to be looked at
• Fearless
• Perform silly antics for your entertainment
• Prefer company of humans, but get along well with other cats and dogs
• They should not be left alone for long hours
• They love children of all ages, grandparents, and everyone
• Very loving, will sleep under the covers with you at night and stay tucked up against you until morning

Grooming Tips

• Even though they are almost hairless, they are not a no-maintenance breed
• Because of the lack of hair that would normally absorb body oils, Sphynx cats need to be bathed periodically
• The ears seem to get dirtier than those of other cats and the fold of skin behind each claw collects oil secretions, which needs special attention
• They are good pets for people who are allergic to cats, due to the lack of hair

Follow the link in the resource box of this article to find pictures and more information about many different breeds of cats.

Written by: Connie Limon. Visit “Adopting Kittens” at http://smalldogs2.com/AdoptingKittens to find a complete online reference for choosing and caring for the perfect kitten, which matches you and your lifestyle. Learn about litter box training at http://smalldogs2.com/LitterBoxTraining

This article is FREE to publish with the resource box.