That cat is naked.
Yeah, he is.
That is the Sphynx cat, sometimes known as the Canadian Sphynx.
With his angular face, big ears, and smooth body, the Sphynx is purring proof that there’s
more to a cat than his fur coat.
Hang with us as we discover some fun facts about this fleshy feline.
Hi, I’m Leroy and I’m Rosie and this is Animal Facts.
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10.
The Sphynx is Canadian
You’d think that this hairless cat breed would be from somewhere warm like the tropics
or perhaps a dessert.
Despite such an ancient rooted Egyptian name, he hails from the land of ice and snow.
In fact, he was originally called the Canadian Hairless Cat.
He’s been defying expectations since the mid-1960s when an Ontario domestic shorthair
cat gave birth to a hairless kitten, named Prune, the result of a natural genetic mutation.
Prune was bred to other cats in an attempt to create more hairless kittens.
But, because hairlessness in the Sphynx is a recessive gene, some of the kittens had
hair, while others did not.
Then, in the mid-1970s, two separate sets of hairless kittens were born to owners in
Toronto and Minnesota.
Thanks to various breeding efforts with Devon Rex cats, the Sphynx we love today was born.
9.
The Sphynx is a high-energy clown
He is a high energy cat with the acrobatic prowess of a monkey.
The Sphynx is excellent at balancing, climbing atop doors and bookshelves, and even perching
on your shoulder like a bird.
He loves human attention and will perform his clownish shenanigans for the entertainment
of all.
The Sphynx is curious and mischievous, and these qualities, coupled with his high level
of intelligence, can make him a handful.
But, he is also a well-behaved and easy to handle breed.
8.
He’s a people kitty.
The Sphynx is loyal and affectionate toward his owners, even following you around the
house, wagging his tail.
The Sphynx is a true extrovert.
He will demand your undivided attention and hates to be ignored.
The Sphynx also does well with other animals, both cat-friendly dogs, and cats.
He learns tricks easily and loves the attention he receives from children who treat him politely
and with respect.
In fact, a study in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior ranked the Sphynx as the most affectionate
cat breed.
But, he does best as an indoor cat, since his charming qualities can get him into a
dangerous situation.
7.
Yeah, baby yeah!
We don’t gnaw on our kitty.
No.
In 1997 a Sphynx named Ted Nude-Gent played the part of Mr. Bigglesworth in the popular
comedy film, Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery, and again in 1999 in Austin
Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me.
In the latter movie, Ted Nude-Gent was joined by a "mini" version of himself, Mini Mr. Bigglesworth,
which was played by three Sphynx kittens: Mel Gibskin, Skindiana Jones, and Paul Nudeman.
Austin Powers: That's Dr. Evil's cat!
Vanessa Kensington: How can you tell?
Austin Powers: I never forget a ... cat.
6.
Your epidermis is showing
At first glance, the Sphynx might look less like a cat and more like a naked mole rat.
If you pet him, however, you’ll discover he’s not actually hairless.
The Sphynx is covered with a fine layer of downy fuzz that resembles that of a peach.
While he’s not plush to the touch, his coat feels akin to suede.
And.
although the Sphynx is a “naked” cat, his skin pigment can vary in color and pattern.
The Sphynx comes in all colors and patterns, including white, black, red, chocolate, lavender,
various tabby patterns, tortoiseshell, calico, bicolor, and pointed and mink patterns.
The color is seen in the pigment of the skin as well as in whatever hair the cat has and
can sometimes be difficult to distinguish.
Something to note is that while he isn’t completely hairless, he is in fact completely
sans whiskers.
5.
He needs lots of grooming.
Think Sphynx kitties are super-clean because they don’t have fur?
Think you’re off the hook on grooming?Think again.
Despite its apparent lack of hair, it is important to groom your Sphynx.
For a regular cat, body oils are absorbed by the fur, but the Sphynx, clearly lacking
in that attribute, does not have a natural way of keeping the oil on his skin in balance.
This can lead to skin problems if your cat is not groomed, and to oil spots on the furniture.
A regular bathing routine at least once a week to remove the build-up of body oils is
sufficient to keep the skin healthy and the furniture clean.
4.
The Sphynx eats a lot
Thanks to his fast metabolisms, attributed to being high energy and spending considerable
calories maintaining body heat, The Sphynx cat need more food than the average kitty.
This car requires almost 2 to 2.5 times more food than any other breed to keep his body
heat up.
Many owners find that giving the Sphynx 24-hour access to food is the best policy.
3.
Sphynx kittens are heavily wrinkled, but as they grow the wrinkles smooth out, although
some remain throughout the cat’s life.
Around the shoulders, between the ears, and around the muzzle is where the wrinkles should
be heaviest.
Wrinkles are not relegated solely to the Sphynx, they are present in other cats, too, but it
is more apparent in the Sphynx because of his lack of fur.
2.
The Sphynx loves to be warm.
Expect him to find the warmest spot in the house and curl up with you whenever he can.
Some theories suggest that the reason the Sphynx is so friendly is because he depends
on his owners for warmth.
Due to his lack of fur this cat likes to rub his body against his owners as a means to
keep warm, even though his body is naturally 4 degrees warmer than other cat breeds.
1.
The Sphynx cat has very dexterous toes.
He can use his toes like little fingers to pick up and investigate anything he find of
interest.
He can also easily manipulate small items with his toes.
With his high intelligence, nimble toes and the fact that he’s already naked, we expect
this friendly kitty will become the next rulers of Earth.
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