Cats

Sphynx cats are known for being a rare breed of cat due to their lack of having any fur. The history of hairless cats goes right back with a number of historical pictures containing hairless cats. In modern history the Canadian Hairless goes back to 1966 when a Canada a hairless cat called Prune was born, owners then crossed it with its mother and produced another hairless kitten. However they found problems with the genetics of the cats as they had very little knowledge in the genetics of the cats, this therefore meant that a number of the kittens died.

However in 1975 a hairless cat was born which gave an insight into the genetics, they still found a number of problems along the way but now the Canadian Sphynx is a health breed with healthy genetics.

The most obvious characteristics of these cats is that they are hairless, however they can have a very small and soft layer of hair. They skin has a kind of leather feel to it and can be quite warm when you touch them, they skin is the colour that their fur would be if they had any and their skin can also be patterns as their fur would be, with darker or light markings on their skin. Some Sphynx's do have eyebrows and whickers, of they may show some signs of these. They have a very little head, with large eyes for their size and large pointy ears, they body is quite muscular and heavy, some may also develop pot bellies.

Do to their lack of fur Sphynx cats like to sit very close to their owner to keep them warm and you will often find that they curl up under the covers with you at night in bed. They are also known for cuddling up against other animals. You may think that due to the lack of a coat they don't require grooming like other cat breeds do, and to a point this is true, however because they don't have any fur they don't have anything to absorb their natural body oils. Therefore they need regular bathing, normally about once a week will do in order to get rid of the oils on their skin. You also have to be careful about letting your Sphynx outside in all conditions, the lack of fur means they get cold easily but also means they are likely to suffer from sunburn. They are a very curious cat so you have to keep an eye on them due to their ability to go into situations are dangerous for them. Overall they are known as having a rather extrovert personality, which really reflects the way they looks, they are highly energetic, intelligent and very affection towards their owners.

Though many have been quick to brand the breed ugly in recent years people have fell completely in love with them, finding them cute and loving. This has seen the waiting list and price of the kittens go up massively with people in the USA paying up to $1,5000 for a Sphynx kitty of their own!