In 1978, cat breeder Shirley Smith found three hairless kittens on the streets of her neighborhood. There was also a problem with many of the females suffering convulsions. The genetic pool was very limited and many kittens died. The first breeders had rather vague ideas about Sphynx genetics and faced a number of problems. The Tenhoves were initially able to obtain for the new breed provisional showing status through the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) but ultimately had the status revoked in 1971, when it was felt by the CFA Board that the breed had concerns over fertility. The Bawas and the Tenhoves were the first individuals able to determine the autosomal recessive nature of the Sphynx gene for hairlessness while also being successful in transforming this knowledge into a successful breeding program with kittens which were eventually capable of reproducing. Īfter purchasing these cats in 1966 and initially referring to them as 'Moonstones' and 'Canadian Hairless', Ridyadh Bawa, a science graduate of the University of Toronto, combined efforts with his mother Yania, a longtime Siamese breeder, and Keese and Rita Tenhoves to develop a breed of cats which was subsequently renamed as Sphynx. Together with a few naked kittens found later, the cat Prune was the first attempt to create a hairless breed. The kitten was mated with his mother (called backcrossing), which produced one more naked kitten. The Canadian Sphynx breed was started in 1966 in Toronto, Ontario when a hairless male kitten named Prune was born to a black and white domestic shorthair queen (Elizabeth). Bambi, Punkie and Paloma (1978) stray cats found in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, and raised by Shirley Smith.Dermis and Epidermis (1975) barn cats from the Pearson family of Wadena, Minnesota.The current American and European Sphynx breed is descended from two lines of natural mutations: Two different sets of hairless felines discovered in North America in the 1970s provided the foundation cats for what was shaped into the existing Sphynx breed. Although hairless cats have been reported throughout history, breeders in Europe have been developing the Sphynx breed since the early 1960s. The contemporary breed of Sphynx cat is distinct from the Russian hairless cat breeds, like Peterbald and Donskoy. Whiplike, tapering tail from body to tip, (sometimes with fur all over tail or a puff of fur on the tip, like a lion).Paw pads thicker than other cats, giving the appearance of walking on cushions.

Medium length torso, barrel-chested, and full, round abdomen, sometimes called a pot belly.Well-muscled, powerful neck of medium length.Very large ears with hair on inside, but soft down on outside base.Wedge-shaped heads with prominent cheekbones.The breed standards are defined by The International Cat Association (TICA): Two Sphynx sleeping, black and white colors The mink pattern can be combined with any color. However, whereas the pointed pattern is entirely colorless everywhere else on the body, the mink coloration has some color throughout the body and just slightly darker points in adulthood. Like a pointed cat, the mink pattern also exhibits darker points: the ears, tips of tail, feet and nose. Because they have no fur, Sphynx cats lose body heat more readily than coated cats, making them both warm to the touch and prone to seeking out warm places.īreed standards Sphynx cat wearing clothes Two Sphynx cats, displaying breed variation in color, as well as body shape and size A male purebred Sphynx in the 'mink' pattern. Their skin is the color that their fur would be, and all the usual cat markings (solid, point, van, tabby, tortie, etc.) may be found on the Sphynx cat's skin. The cats have a narrow, long head and webbed feet. Whiskers may be present, either whole or broken, or may be totally absent. Īccording to breed standards, the skin should have the texture of chamois leather, as it has fine hairs, or the cat may be completely hairless. Hairlessness in cats is a naturally occurring genetic mutation, and the Sphynx was developed through selective breeding of these animals, starting in the 1960s. The Sphynx cat (pronounced SFINGKS, / ˈ s f ɪ ŋ k s/) also known as the Canadian Sphynx, is a breed of cat known for its lack of fur.

Feral heart legendary markings