Sphynx Kitten Breed

The hairless Sphynx has proved an even more controversial breed than the Permutations and those producing folded and curling ears. Its enthusiastic breeders have been met with opposition from those who find it aesthetically displeasing or who consider it wrong to breed an animal they consider disadvantaged by its lack of insulating fur. A mutation producing hairlessness has appeared on other occasions. A pair of hair-less cats presented by local Native Americans to an Albuquerque couple in New Mexico in 1902 were claimed to be the last survivors of an Aztec breed. The mod-earn Sphinx; however, all descend from a cat born in Ontario, Canada, in 1966. It has an unusual conformation, foreign in type, although not of oriental stock, and with a rather pixie-like head. It often has a soft and almost invisible down on the body but its lack of a normal coat means that it cannot tolerate extremes of temper-nature and must be kept in comfortably warm surroundings. It often sits with its hind legs drawn together to keep its body from contact with the ground. The body feels hot and clammy to the touch. Few registries recognize the breed; the GCCF, CFA and CA of Britain do not.

Long, hard and muscular with a barrel-like chest and long slender neck; the tail longhand tapered; the legs long and slim with dainty oval paws.

Slightly longer than wide, with a whisker break and a stop or change of angle in the profile; large ears.

Large and round, the outer corners slightly higher than the inner.

Lacking normal hair; there is soft downy covering which’s perceptible only on the ears, muzzle, tail and the male'stesticles. The skin should be taut and wrinkle-free, except on the head.

Any color is acceptable.