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So are they really Hairless??
| As many people are aware, the Sphynx is not truly hairless. There is a fine, fine down on the cats that is imperceptible to the eye, and the standard allows for short, soft, fine hair on the ears, muzzle, tail, feet, and scrotum (obviously on the males!). While greater degrees of hairlessness are preferred, Coat/Skin only counts for 25 points in the Sphynx standard, and type should definitely be considered above hairlessness when judging the cats. A very bald cat with poor type should not be put up over a slightly fuzzier cat of superior type.
The preferred skin texture should be that of chamois, as opposed to suede. A feeling of suede as opposed to chamois denotes more down on the body than I would prefer, but again, type must be considered when judging the cats. While many judges joke about the wrinkles, there are no points awarded for this in the TICA standard, which states, “... wrinkling should not be so pronounced that it affects the cat’s normal functions.”
The Sphynx of yore (i.e., the 1960’s) and of today have been described as being born with down, which falls out later. I have found this not to be the case for the most part. Kittens which are born bald generally stay that way, while kittens born with varying degrees of down, hair, or even coat (like a Devon’s) will lose that down, hair or coat at around four weeks of age, only to have it come back as the cat reaches sexual maturity and the hormones kick in. Overweight Sphynx will tend to grow hair in the places that have the most "padding", ie. the hips and shoulders. Sphynx that are kept in too cool of an environment will tend to grow hair at the extremities, ie. the feet and tail. This type of hair growth is reversible if the problems are rectified.
There are many similarities to the appearance of the Sphynx of then and now, most notably the head being slightly longer than wide, a whisker break, a stop at the bridge of the nose, oval feet with long, slender toes, and a hard, muscular, not delicate body. “Barrel-chested” is a term that has endured over the years also. Photos of the cats, from whatever time in their history, show those big ears! Some things will hopefully never change!
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Grooming!!
One hears the comment so many times at cat shows, “Well, there’s no grooming there!” when spectators behold a Sphynx for the first time. Many exhibitors of other breeds have been heard to say this too. Nothing could be further from the truth! Sphynx are definitely not a low maintenance breed. Firstly, coated cats can hide the dings and scratches that come from everyday activities associated with being a cat, such as play. Not so with the Sphynx; every scratch or boo-boo cannot be hidden, so it can be very difficult to show a Sphynx completely free of such boo-boo’s unless the cat is confined away from other cats, which Sphynx don’t do very well at. Also, their ears, like Devon and Cornish Rex ears, seem to attract dust and dirt, since there is no hair inside to filter it out. Ear grooming is a constant chore, not only so the cat looks clean in the show ring, but for the health of the ears. Because there is very little or no hair on the feet, the same kind of dirt that accumulates in the ears will also accumulate on and under the cat’s nails. Most importantly, Sphynx “sweat”, and the normal secretions of oils usually absorbed by the coat will leave the cats not only feeling oily, but ends up making the skin look brown and dirty. An unbathed Sphynx will leave spots on the furniture. They should be bathed each morning before a cat show, and even during the course of a day in the benching cage a Sphynx can look very different near the end of the day from when it first came into the show hall in the morning. A pet Sphynx should be bathed at least weekly. So while there is more obvious hard work in grooming a Persian, there is also hard work involved in showing and keeping a Sphynx.
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Care Misconceptions
Some of the misconceptions about the Sphynx have been cleared up simply through the passage of time. While it was once believed that there was a lethal gene involved if Sphynx were bred to Sphynx, it has been obvious for many years that this is untrue. Successful Sphynx to Sphynx breedings have been going on since at least 1979, and possibly even before that. Another misconception is that the Sphynx has a higher body temperature than other cats. Their internal body temperature is the same as that of any other cat. They feel warm to the touch because there is no insulating coat, so one is actually feeling between 101 and 102 degrees when stroking a Sphynx. A misconception that is distressingly becoming more widespread is that Sphynx have allergies which manifest themselves in skin problems. Many potential pet buyers are asking the question of breeders regarding this, and I have found it to simply be not true. Sphynx are healthy, hardy, definitely not frail cats! People are surprised at their weight and power when picked up. If a Sphynx is suffering from persistent skin rashes, of course food allergies (which all cats can suffer from) should be checked out, but the environment in which the cat is living should also be thoroughly evaluated, including stress levels from living conditions as well as cleaners or disinfectants used.
One thing that veterinarians seem to think about Sphynx is that they all have ear mites. The gunk that can accumulate in a Sphynx’s ears in a very short time looks a lot like the debris associated with ear mites, but when examined on a slide always (unless the cat actually does have ear mites) turn out to be what I call “Sphynx Schmutz”. It is normal for their ears to have waxy buildup, and is something that needs to be explained to both new owners and their vets.
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The Devon Misconception
Another misconception that, unbelievably, some people still have is that the Sphynx “came” from the Devon Rex or is nothing more than a bald Devon. Not true, as you have already read! All documented occurrences of the foundation cats for the Sphynx came from domestic cats. The Devon Rex was used to increase the genepool, and helped with that immensely, but Sphynx are not bald Devons. The standards describe two different looking breeds. While there have been Devons born that are balder than some Sphynx, they are bald Devons, not Sphynx. At first it was thought that the alleles shared the same locus and that the Sphynx gene was dominant, but invariably just about all the kittens from a Sphynx/Devon breeding grew some degree of coat, usually a fully curly coated tail, legs and feet, and sometimes on the hips or the entire body. Even the offspring of two half-Devon Sphynx can grow that kind of coat. The Sphynx and Devon Rex traits are the result of different mutations in the same gene. The Sphynx allele is incompletely dominant over the Devon Rex allele.
Many breeders now prefer to use the American Shorthair as an outcross breed. True, there is not the “instant gratification” of hairless kittens (that unfortunately usually get hairy later) that breeding to Devon Rex would sometimes provide. If at all possible, a homozygous Sphynx should be used when doing an American Shorthair outcross. All of the F1 kittens from an American Shorthair/Sphynx breeding will be normal coated. Bred back to a preferably homozygous Sphynx, the F1’s will (statistically) produce 50% coated and 50% hairless kittens. The F2 American Shorthair/Sphynx kittens that I have seen have been very typey (Sphynx typey), with very nice degrees of hairlessness. It takes longer to produce Sphynx that way, but some of the problems inherent in many different Devon lines, such as luxating patellas and inherited myopathy (also known as spasticity) can be reduced by refraining from using Devons any longer.
In TICA, the allowable outcrosses for the Sphynx are the American Shorthair and the Devon Rex. There are some breeders who are also using Domestic Shorthairs (aka Household Pets) in their breeding programs, as well as other established breeds such as the Bombay and Russian Blue, and others have expressed their desire to use Tonkinese and Snowshoes.
Over the years there have been incidences of spontaneous mutations that were hairless. Some of these cats have been compatible with the Sphynx, producing hairless kittens of like type. The most notable of these, Desert Storm of Gunzhof, was a seal lynxpoint who was found in (again!) Minnesota. In 1991 he came to live with Pat Stevenson of the now inactive Gunzhof cattery. His name can be found on Sphynx pedigrees in both the United States and Europe, and he was partially responsible for introducing the mink and pointed genes to the Sphynx. Two other spontaneous mutations used successfully in Sphynx breeding programs are George Burns of Jinjorbred, found in Tennessee, and Misty of Britanya, origin unavailable.
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The Big Question, What about allergies?
The major misconception about the Sphynx is that because they have no hair they are “hypoallergenic”. In my opinion, nothing could be further from the truth! In fact, in many cases I believe that the Sphynx is HYPER-allergenic. Dr. David Rosenstreich, MD is the director of the Division of Allergy and Immunology at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx, NY. To quote Dr. Rosenstreich, “The thing that is allergenic in cats is a protein or a substance that comes from their sebaceous and anal glands. When they lick themselves, they coat their body with this material which then dries up and comes off them in cloud of small particles.” Combine that with the fact that the skin oils come directly into contact with whomever is petting the cat. Some people will react right away, others have a delayed reaction a day after having come into contact with a Sphynx. Yes, there are some allergic people that can tolerate a Sphynx, but my feeling is that they are fewer than more. I’m reminded of the Maine Coon breeder who held a sweaty Sphynx in a hot show hall, wiped her face afterwards, and blew up like a balloon. I have seen other people have similar violent allergic reactions to a Sphynx. As far back as 1969 articles about the Sphynx have addressed the allergy issue, all of them stating that while it could be felt that a hairless cat would be suitable for people with allergies that was not necessarily the case. I feel that to advertise Sphynx as “hypoallergenic” is unethical and misleading to the public.
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THE ESSENCE OF SPHYNX
Nobody can write about the Sphynx without commenting on the intelligence and loving nature of this breed. So many people who were originally repulsed by even the concept of the Sphynx were converted into at least admirers, if not owners, of the Sphynx by simply being handed one to cuddle. The most popular comment is “it’s just like holding a baby!” Sphynx are inherently trusting and loving and will work their charm on all but the most vehement of cat haters. They are very social cats, and do better with another animal companion, especially if the owner works during the day and is gone. Sphynx get along well with other animals, be they cats or dogs or who knows what else? Besides often teaching themselves to fetch various toys and other things, Sphynx will also teach themselves how to do things such as open doors and cabinets, find the best way into the bag of dry food, and can even be taught some tricks.
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| Atom looking for a snack! |
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As the Sphynx has gained more and more popularity, the formation of various breed clubs has occurred. The oldest, the International Sphynx Breeders and Fanciers Association (ISBFA) was founded in October of 1990. ISBFA is now defunct. The Sphynx Cat Club, based in the UK, was formed in July, 1991. Some of the newer Sphynx breed clubs are the Sphynx and Rex Association (SARA), based in Europe, formed in 1995, the National Association of Sphynx and Rex (NASAR) , based in the UK, formed in 1996, and the Progressive Sphynx Alliance (PSA), formed in 1996. PSA is now defunct. There is also a CFA Sphynx Breed Club, formed in 1998.
Sphynx are essentially hams, and the camera does seem to love them! SGC Belfry Ted Nude Gent was featured as Mr. Bigglesworth in the “Austin Powers” films, and Sphynx have also made appearances on the TV shows “Sabrina the Teenage Witch”, "Friends" and “Spin City”, and were the basis for the artwork on the Aerosmith album “Nine Lives".
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