Cat
Breed Description:
The Sphynx breed of cat (also known as Canadian Hairless) is a rare breed of cat known for its lack of a fur coat.
Temperament:
The Sphynx breed of cats are recognized for their good disposition. They generally display a high level of energy, as well as intelligence, a lot of curiosity, and affection for their owners.
Health Problems:
The Sphynx breed of cat's hairless-ness does not create health problems when they are cared for properly. The only caution that needs to be taken is exposure to sun, because like people they can develop skin cancer. You can put a UV film over the windows that the cat tends to spend time in to reduce their risks. Sun block is not reccomended because the cats tend to clean it off which can result in a upset stomach.
Like many purebred animals the Sphynx cat is afflicted by one major disease know as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (or HCM). HCM is a heart disease that results in thickening of the heart walls and eventually will cause death. HCM is a large problem and is known to be genetically transferred and most cats are screened before they breed.
Living Conditions:
It is highly recommended that the Sphynx breed of cat remains indoors, of course with loving nurturing owners.
Grooming:
The Sphynx breed of cat is fairly easy to maintain. Daily wiping and sponging is suggested. This is a necessary routine because of body oils, which would normally be absorbed by the hair, tend to build up on the skin. As a result, regular cleaning (usually in the form of bathing) is necessary. Also a full bath once a week can be sufficient and bonding.
Origin:
Hairless cats have been described in many regions of the world, but the first successful breed was the Sphynx. Prune, the earliest Sphynx cat was born in 1666. However, Prune’s line died out without descendants. In 1967, hairless kittens, and their long-haired mother cat were rescued in Brunei. The kittens were neutered but their mother had other kittens. Two were exported to London, where one of the kittens was bred to a Devon Rex. The cat had hairless offspring which implied that this recessive gene was at the same locus as the Devon Rex gene. One, named E.T., was presented by Vicki and Peter Markstein at the Madison Square Garden cat show in the 1980s. Although there are written accounts from the 1830s of a Paraguayan "scant-haired cat", the first properly recorded hairless breed was the currently extinct Mexican Hairless cat. In 1902, a couple from New Mexico received two hairless cats from local Pueblo Indians. It's claimed that these were the last survivors of an ancient Aztec breed of cat. This claim is, however, highly scrutinized since the domesticated cat did not exist in pre-Columbian America. The Mexican Hairless cats were litter-mates and noted to be 1/4 smaller than local short-hair cats. 