SGC Kattewyk Nude Indigo -pictured above-
Hairless cats are said to have appeared in various countries over the years, (including Australia) but the Sphynx is the result of the first attempts to cultivate a “hairless” breed. There have of course been others, since, such as the Don Sphynx and the Peterbald, but the Sphynx is the original hairless cat of the 1900’s. Indeed, hairlessness infrequently occurs in some pedigreed breeds Birman and oriental particularly, but in such cases the kittens do not survive beyond a few weeks, as the gene is lethal in these cases. This is not true of the Sphynx. Deriving from Canada where a stray female cat produced hairless kittens, the Sphynx, as we know it now is the result of carefully conducted breeding programs in Europe and North America. They are Hr (recessive), which is a further mutation from the Devon Rex.
The Sphynx has had a short and somewhat checkered career. Recognized by TICA (The International Cat Association) it was at one stage also recognized by CFA (Cat Fanciers’ Association) but that recognition was withdrawn because of perceived health problems. (Note: CFA provisional rec. Feb 98 was last year amended to championship status.
Sphynx are now recognized by FIFe (Federation Internationale Feline d’Europe) Recognition was mooted as long ago as 1982, when six Sphynxes of Canadian derivation were presented for inspection by a panel of six FIFe All Breeds judges at a show run by Felikat, at the Rai Pavilion, in Amsterdam. Unfortunately, at the time, it was felt that type was not really consistent, the gene pool limited, and the numbers too few to fulfill FIFe requirements for recognition of a breed. (They were subsequently bred with Devon Rex and the type became more consistent, although some lines tended to resemble Devon head type rather too closely.) Undeterred, the Dutch and French breeders pursued their plan and it is now common to see many Sphynx at FIFe shows, particularly in UK.
Different breeders have followed different courses to achieve their aims, with some outcrossing to Devon and others to Cornish Rex while others have bred to domestic and American Shorthairs, to widen the gene pool that was extremely limited. In terms of type, the practice of crossing to Rexes is counter-productive, and produces hairless “neither/nors” which can and do look merely like bald Cornish or Devons. There is also the dangers of re-introducing Devon myopathy (Spasticity) into the “clean” Sphynx lines. This has indeed happened, as there have been breeders reporting litters of spastic-affected Sphynx kittens within the last year. HCM is a new battle that Sphynx breeders are dealing with, and actively working with the Winn Feline Foundation in hopes to discover a DNA marker for this disease. As of now, echocardiograms are the only tool used to identify affected cats. The downside to scanning, is that it will only detect HCM when it is present in the later stages of development. A cat may be HCM affected, however, the signs so insignificant that said cat will appear to scan "clear" on the echo. HCM is usually not detected until cats are about 3 years of age and older; earlier positive scans are cats that are severely affected.
The temperature is the same as in other cat breeds, but the metabolism of the Sphynx is much faster, and they eat LOTS more than other cats! The paler they are in color, the more they tend to sweat, (normally, sweat spreads up the hair shaft) and they are definitely not allergy free despite their lack of coat; although many people with allergies tend to do well with these cats. This is due to the fact that Sphynx require frequent baths to remove the sweat, oil, and dirt that gathers within the wrinkles.
While wrinkles are definitely not desirable in humans, with Sphynx it’s a case of the more, the merrier, according to most standards. From whisker pads to tail-base, they should be wrinkled. Occasionally one sees an over-wrinkled Sphynx; there is a cautionary note that they should not be so wrinkled as to provide potential health/cleanliness problems for the cat.
The belly should always look as though the cat had just eaten, (which it probably has!) and should at all times be shaped like a pear. They have drumstick thighs and very obviously rounded muscles, and a long, rat-like tail. Legs are bandy, and the chest is very “open” and prominent. First, it should remind you of a bulldog, and second, of a chicken chest, with a prominent breastbone. It is not a small cat. Legs are nonetheless finely built under that muscle, and the feet are long, with distinctive platform soled paw pads, like air cushions.
Sphynx feel like the finest of suede, or like peach fuzz. They have no whiskers, but can still gauge spaces - there goes that theory! They are not totally devoid of hair, as they are allowed fur on tail tip, bridge of nose, scrotum, earmuffs and ear tips. Occasionally, hairier kittens are born and these obviously have no future on the show bench. Hormonal females (in season or pregnant) develop more fur on the tail and flanks, but this disappears within a couple of days once the hormone situation reverts to normal.
The head of the Sphynx should not resemble that of any other breed. It has wide, high cheekbones, a gentle dip in profile (not a stop, like a Devon) and a slightly rounded forehead (also, unlike a Devon). The nose is slightly longer than that of the Devon. A vital feature in the head is a very deep and pronounced pinch, which should be both felt and very much visible.
The ears are very open, and very much a feature of the breed. They are wide at base and large. But they are not so low set as a Devon’s, nor do they deviate so much from the flow of the face shape, with a “Dumbo” effect at the outside, lower level. Baby ears, of course, must be extra prominent if they are to be of respectable proportion in maturity.
