Everything about sphinxes: breed features, care, nutrition and more

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The main thing about the features of hairless cats and tips for caring for them.

general information

• Breed name: don sphinx, canadian sphinx.
• Country of origin: Don Sphynx - Russia, Canadian - Canada.
• The weight: Don - 3-5 kg, Canadian - 2, 5-5, 5 kg.
• Height at withers: up to 35 cm.
• Average life expectancy: 12-14 years old.
• Average price: 5-60 thousand rubles and more.

What sphinxes look like

Bald Sphynx cats are of two breeds - Don and Canadian. The first appeared at the end of the last century in Rostov-on-Don. The second - in the second half of the twentieth century in Canada. In both cases, breeders paid attention to the unusual species of animals and made considerable efforts to preserve it.

The breeds are similar in appearance, but they are genetically different, and crossbreeding between them is prohibited. The Canadian Sphynxes have a recessive gene, so both parents must possess it to produce hairless offspring. With the Don, things are different. These sphinxes have a dominant gene, so even if one of the parents is furry, the offspring will inherit hairlessness.

Sphynxes look quite unusual. Their main feature is the absence of hair on the body. Although the Don seals are different:

• naked (rubber), that is, hairless;
• flock - they look like a peach, the coat is almost invisible, and with age it usually completely disappears;
• velor - the length of the wool does not exceed 3 mm;
• brush - the coat is hard, bald patches are possible on the neck and head.

As for Canadians, their body can be covered with a thin, soft and barely noticeable down, which grows on the face, ears, tail and legs.

The skin of the sphinxes is soft and elastic; it gathers in folds on the neck, paws, tail and abdomen. It is warm and pleasant to the touch. And the normal body temperature of these cats is higher than that of representatives of other breeds.

Many believe that due to their main characteristic, bald cats are hypoallergenic. But this is a delusion. Don and Canadian Sphynxes can cause allergies, since the human body reacts not only to wool, but also, for example, saliva and skin secretions.

What is the character of the sphinxes

Both Canadian and Don Sphynxes are sincerely attached to people and need attention, but they do not tolerate loneliness well. Therefore, before purchasing, you should think about whether you can devote enough time to your future pet.

Cats of this breed are curious and will enthusiastically explore your apartment, even wardrobes and bedside tables will not go unnoticed. And they are also very smart, so training to the tray and scratching post will not be difficult.

How sphinxes get along with adults

Animals of this breed are sociable and affectionate. They feel great in the company of people, happily follow on the heels of the owner, spend time with him, or just doze next to him under the covers. These cats are also friendly to strangers.

How sphinxes get along with children

Cats of this breed are quite comfortable to spend time with children. They willingly take part in games, and they rarely show aggression. Nevertheless, it is worth watching their joint amusements so that children inadvertently do not injure the animal and do not hurt him.

How sphinxes get along with other animals

Sphynxes get along well with other cats and can easily get along with dogs. Such a neighborhood is especially useful if the animals stay at home for a long time without people. In some cases, adult cats can conflict, although these are rather exceptions.

Hairless cats are indifferent to rats, pigs, hamsters and other living creatures and will hardly hunt them.

What conditions of detention are required for sphinxes

Give your pet a separate place in the house where he can spend time and relax alone with himself. The best location for a cat bed is away from hot radiators, drafts and doors.

Make sure that the animal is constantly warm and not hypothermic, otherwise it may catch a cold. If the apartment is cool, you can wear special clothes on the sphinx.

Be sure to take care of your cat's leisure time. Buy him different balls and other toys, as well as equip a special complex with ladders and shelves.

As for walking, representatives of both of these breeds are exclusively pets; life outside the apartment is not suitable for them. Due to the peculiarities of their skin, which is not protected by wool, they are quite vulnerable in street fights with dogs and other cats. Due to the lack of wool, they can catch colds if it is cool outside. But walks in the warm season can benefit them.

Sphinxes love to bask in the sun. But it is better not to leave these cats under the scorching rays: they can burn.

How to feed the sphinxes

To provide the animal with everything necessary for normal development, it is easiest to use a balanced ready-made feed. They contain vitamins and minerals. It is better to choose from the lines of proven brands, in which special diets for hairless cats are presented.

Another option is a natural diet consisting of meat, offal, eggs, vegetables and cereals. But with such a diet, it is more difficult to maintain the balance of nutrients.

It is not worth giving ordinary food from the human table to sphinxes. It does not contain everything that is needed for a cat's health. And some of the dishes we are used to are completely dangerous for cats. So, pets should not be given spicy, salty, smoked, fatty and sweet foods.

Hairless cats have an excellent appetite due to their accelerated metabolism. Therefore, they eat more than animals of fluffy breeds. But you cannot overfeed the sphinxes: obesity is dangerous for their health.

How to care for sphinxes

Due to the nature of the skin, sphinxes require special care. Their skin is somewhat similar to human skin, for example, they, like us, can burn in the sun. These hairless cats sweat and their skin secretes oil. Therefore, they should be bathed once or twice a week and regularly wiped with a soft, damp towel to remove skin secretions. If you abandon such hygienic procedures, over time, the skin will become covered with a sticky fatty coating, dirt will accumulate in the folds, and the animal will start to smell unpleasant.

Ear cleaning is another must-have when caring for hairless cats. For this, it is better to use special lotions. The eyes also need to be regularly cleaned of secretions that accumulate in the corners.

Sphynxes also need to cut their claws regularly. This can be done at home or in a veterinary clinic.

What sphinxes are ill with

Hairless cats can develop infectious, colds and skin diseases (acne, dermatitis), eye problems, food allergies and other difficulties. And overfeeding can lead to obesity.

As for congenital diseases, sphinxes have a shortening of the lower jaw (the so-called carp bite), defects in the development of the spine (curvature of the tail), microphthalmos (problems with the development of the eyeball) and not only.

To avoid potential problems, carefully monitor your pet's condition and pay attention to any changes. For example, due to improper nutrition, skin discharge can become quite abundant. At the first signs of health problems, it is better to immediately contact your veterinarian.

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What to look for when buying a sphinx

The prices for hairless kittens depend on various factors, including their class. So before buying, decide why you need a pet. If you choose just a house cat, pay attention to the pet class. To breed sphinxes, buy a breed class kitten. And to participate in exhibitions, select potential champions who belong to the show class.

Make sure to receive the entire package of documents for the animal:

• Purchase and sale agreement, which confirms the ownership.
• Veterinary passport, which contains information about the vaccinations received.
• A metric indicating information about animals is issued by the club. On its basis, it is possible, upon request, to obtain a pedigree, which indicates data on several generations of the cat's ancestors.

If the listed documents for the Sphinx are not available, first of all, take care of obtaining a veterinary passport and make sure that all vaccinations have been made.

Pay attention to the appearance of the kitten itself. He must be vigorous, active and moderately well-fed. Look at the conditions of its containment and clarify the information about the parents.

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