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History
Hairlessness
has been recorded throughout history and continues
today. The Sphynx, as
we know it today, was from a spontaneous natural mutation that occurred in the
mid-1960’s in Canada and born to "barn cats", or
domestic
shorthair. Keen interest was taken by cat breeders because of the
hairlessness and these cats were bred to various normal coated breeds such as the Devon
Rex and
Siamese, as well as other breeds, to increase their gene
pool. This practice continues today with great care given to maintain
the overall health of the Sphynx breed. Most breeders today use the
American and Domestic Shorthairs for out crossing. What's really cool -
Sphynx come in all colors and color combinations, and is a robust breed.
The
Sphynx is not totally hairless; there can be a fine down on the
body, which makes the cat feel like a warm peach. Some light hair is
often
present on the nose, tail and toes. The texture of Sphynx skin has
been likened to suede, a hot water bottle, or a heated chamois. The color is seen in the
pigment of the skin and the few hairs that they do have. One of the
questions most asked is "Don't they get cold?" Well, of
course, if it is too cold for you it will be too cold for a hairless cat
too. However, these cats are smart enough to find a warm human, dog or
cat to curl up with or they will get under your bed covers.
This
is a substantial cat, medium sized and strong, with adult males being
larger than adult females. Sphynx have medium boning and good muscle
development and should have a bit of a belly as if they just 
finished a meal. They have an open-eyed, intelligent face and a friendly
expression. The Sphynx are extremely inquisitive and love to be the
center of attention. They perform silly antics for your entertainment
and are sometimes downright clumsy…on purpose it seems. They make
great show cats because of this "look at me" attitude and they
are easy for judges to handle. They prefer human attention but enjoy the
company of dogs and other cats. They have an abundance of energy and
mischief and are always with you, on you or showing off for you.
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