With their hairless wrinkled body, pixie-like face, over-sized ears and pot belly, the Sphynx breed is often referred to as ‘alien-like’. This unmistakable appearance is paired with a curious, outgoing and loving personality which makes them the perfect family pet.
Personality
The Sphynx is a friendly, extroverted cat who is often compared with a monkey because of their high-energy antics and tendency to ‘show-off’ and perform tricks to get human attention.
They are experts at balancing, and love to climb and be up high so you’ll often find them at the top of doors and bookshelves viewing the world from above. Their mischievous nature means there is never a dull moment with a Sphynx cat in the house.
They are smarter than the average cat which makes them easier to train than other breeds; they seem to enjoy learning tricks and will happily walk outside on a leash.
Loyal and devoted companions, Sphynx cats love people, children and other pets and will warmly welcome any house guests. In fact, they’ll probably follow them from room to room. They don’t like to be left alone for long periods of time, so they do best in homes where they will have the company of humans most of the time, or the companionship of another cat.
Did You Know?
The Sphynx breed can trace its origins back to 1966 when a domestic cat gave birth to a hairless kitten in Toronto, Canada.
The hairless Sphynx is not a hypoallergenic breed, although regular bathing to control their excess skin oils can reduce dander. Some people with allergies to cat dander can tolerate living with a Sphynx.
The skin of the Sphynx is like warm chamois leather. The Sphynx will often sleep under the bed covers with you to keep warm – your very own soft suede hot water bottle.
Caring for Your Sphynx Cat
The Sphynx is a robust breed of cat with few genetic heath problems, although due to their lack of hair they do require some special care. They need regular bathing (at least once a week) with a cat shampoo to control the natural oil build up on their skin and to prevent skin problems from developing. Sphynx cats also produce more ear wax than other breeds, so may need their ears cleaned more regularly.
As a hairless breed, the Sphynx is best suited to an indoor lifestyle, protected from the elements of nature. The Sphynx is at greater risk of sunburn than other breeds, so you will need to limit the amount of time they spend in the sun on hot sunny days. During the cold winter months, the Sphynx should be kept indoors and warm.
If you have a Sphynx cat in your life, please share your experiences in the comments below.
Image: The Pug Father via Flickr
Love this breed. I’m a veterinarian and have a client with a Sphynx. I really like all the cat breeds with little or no hair 🙂
Along with two Cornish Rex cats, I have a Sphynx, named Moshe Moshi.
Everything you wrote is very true of him, even the allergy statement; he gets a good scrubbin’ once a week and because of that I can tolerate him well.
He has become the bain of my existence, I haven’t had a private moment since I have had him and that’s not so bad.