Naked cats are not a product of artificial origin, they are not the result of a laboratory experiment, but a breed that came into existence naturally. More precisely, not one breed, but several. And more about that below.
History of cat with no hair
1830
Naturalist Johan Rudolph Rengger described South American cats without hair.
1903
A pair of naked cats (Nellie and Dick) were redeemed from the Indians of Mexico. The chief of the Indian tribe claimed that the bald cats were a special Aztec breed. No offspring came from Nellie and Dick.
1975
A classic cat gives birth to an unconventional naked kitten, which the humorous owners named Epidermis.
1987
Rostov-on-Don. Elena Kovaleva finds an almost bald cat in the street, later named Varvara. From mating with a shaggy cat named Vasily, Varvara’s litter of regular and bald kittens was steadily born.
Most known naked cat breeds
Hairless cats are not alike one another. Each has its own phenotype, its own genetics of hairlessness.
Don Sphynx
The modern Don Sphynx cat is an elegant medium-sized animal (25-30 cm) with velvety and hot skin. Don Sphynxes are distinguished by the beauty of their almond-shaped eyes. But they cannot boast of a thick mustache – the mustache of Don Sphynxes is always broken off.
The first name of the breed was Russian hairless. But it had to be abandoned because the name wasn’t true.
There can be both holo-born kittens, which do not have not only fur, but even vibrias and eyebrows, and as well:
- Velour Don Sphynxes – their soft, fluffy fur resembles the softest suede. Velour Sphynxes lose their hair coat with age
- Brushes – clothed cats that are allowed for breeding and exhibitions
Curiously, all Sphynxes have a coloring that is clear literally from birth. That is, the animals have not only colored coat, but the skin itself.
Canadian Sphynx
The size of these cats is also average (about 30 cm), but at the same time Canadians are surprisingly weighty (up to 4 kg). Canadian sphynxes have only the appearance of hairlessness, because in fact they have hair. But it is so short that it only feels suede-like.
Canadian Sphynxes sweat with their whole body. Cat sweat does not have a repulsive odor, but it does leave a noticeable, chocolate-like color after drying. Canadians are great warmers. 42ºC for a kitten is quite normal temperature, the body temperature of an adult cat – up to 39ºC.
The character of the Canadian Sphynx is perfect – they are sociable and quite intelligent, easily accustomed to both house and owner.
Petersburg Sphynx or Peterbald
Mandarin, Muscat, Nezhenka and Nocturne were the names of the first offspring of Peterbalds. Despite their Slavic origin, Peterbalds look very oriental: graceful long neck, narrow head, English ears and haughty profile. Peterbald is the result of a cross between an oriental cat and a Don Sphynx. What has it inherited from its Don relative? An elevated body temperature (and as a consequence of the special heat exchange, an excellent appetite) and a light waxy skin.
Ukrainian Levkoy
If you take a little bit of Peterbald, a little bit of Don Sphynx, a little bit of Scottish Fold and a little bit of unknown breed, you will get Ukrainian Levkoy.
The first result of this experiment, a cat named Levkoy Primero, was born on January 21, 2004.
Bambino
Sphynx + Munchkin = baby Bambino! A very unusual breed, the breeding of which in some countries is prohibited at all.
But the fascination of the Bambino is so great that there are enthusiasts in the world who are ready to fight for the Bambino to become a recognized breed. What makes these guys so captivating to the public? Of course, first of all, the way they run on short legs. At the same time, the spine of the bambino is problem-free and the exterior does not affect the health of the cat in any way.
Elf
Another breed not yet recognized by any organization. But that doesn’t stop its fans from admiring the Elves. Just look at the photos of these wonderful kittens – flexible body, touching hazel eyes and curly ears, the main characteristic feature of the Elf cats.
Eared elves are American in origin. Their “parents” are breeder Karen Nelson and Kristen Lido.
Dwelf
Do you think that’s where the breeders stopped? Not at all! The hairlessness seemed to felinologists not enough, short paws – not enough. And if the qualities of the Canadian Sphynx would be added to Bambino paws and ears of Elf, then it would be… Dwelf: mini-cat, which saw the world in 2009.
Hairless cat breeds care tips
Such cat breeds with no fur require special care.
If you got a holo-born kitten, congratulations, you can save money on a furminator. However, this is the only point of savings.
Cause:
- Sphynx sweats, therefore:
- The animal should be washed regularly with wet wipes. Alcohol-containing wipes are prohibited, as they can cause a burn;
- the cat should be bathed regularly (on average, once a week) with a special shampoo, the pH of which is suitable for these cats. The water temperature should be at least 38ºC;
- make sure that bald cats are not exposed to cold air drafts, otherwise they can get cold and get sick.
- The ears of a Sphynx cat accumulate dirt, so the black-brown secret from the ears should be cleaned once a week, using both cotton swabs and special cleansing drops.
- No fur cats can get cold, so:
- not to let the animal get too cold;
- cat can get burned by proximity to a hot radiator or a working heater, make sure that this does not happen;
- cat should have clothes, and there should be plenty of clothes (for all occasions of a cat’s life).
- The skin of Sphynxes is sensitive to ultraviolet light, so:
- they need to take sunbathes;
- in summer the skin of a bald cat should be smeared with sunscreen to exclude sunburn.
- The eyes of hairless cats do not have eyelashes. And in order to prevent infections, the eyes is wiped with decoction of chamomile or special drops every seven days.
- Tail. Yes, no fur cats, like all other cats, have a tail. And on the outside of the tail are sebaceous glands. But if in all other breeds they are hidden in the hair, but in bald cats sebaceous glands secrete their secret directly on the skin. Therefore, every few days the tail needs to be wiped separately.
Health features of bald cat breeds
- Fading Kitten Syndrome
Often, kittens begin to fade in 10-14 days after birth for no visible reason. Specialists attribute this to abnormalities of the thymus. It is not possible to save such kittens with medicines.
- Gum hyperplasia
Hereditary disorder, mainly characteristic of blue and tortoise-colored cats. It can be treated with medication, but often relapses.
- Carp Bite
This abnormality is quite common in bald breeds and is expressed by the fact that the cat’s lower jaw is noticeably shorter than the correct size. It is impossible to cure.
- Underdevelopment of tail vertebrae
Often exists together with a carp bite and general delay in development. There is no treatment. Animals with these anomalies are not allowed to breed.
- Microphthalmia
By this term, experts mean various eyeball defects. Particularly inherent in bald felines. It’s often caused by early eye opening in newborn kittens. Sometimes plastic surgery can help.
- Entroption
Geneticists recognize that this disease is inherited in bald cats. But the formula for inheritance has not yet been identified. Often a congenital entroption can be surgically removed.
- Hyperplasia of the nipple
In this case, geneticists have proven that nipple hyperplasia is transmitted from the mother cat to the daughter cat. It occurs most often in blue-colored cats with blue eyes.
- Breast diseases
Naked cats of tortoiseshell color mainly suffer during puberty. Mammary gland diseases progress quite rapidly and are poorly treated with medication. Surgery can stop the problem
- Acne
Acne comes in two varieties (comedones and ulovatocystic acne) and is more often hereditary. It has been observed that blue, cream and red cats are more often affected by acne. Acne is easy to treat.
- Seasonal dermatitis
Females are susceptible to this during the heat period. Most often disease passes on its own.
- Allergy
Bald cats are very allergic. They can give an allergic reaction to anything from litter, to a houseplant. Removing the allergen usually stops the attacks.
- Vasculitis
Vascular inflammation (vasculitis) can be drug-induced, infectious and … stress-related. Vasculitis is common among bald cats after exhibitions, long journeys. Boosting the cat’s immune system helps to manage vasculitis.
- Myopathy
A neuromuscular disease that can show itself when the kitten is six months old. Mild myopathy doesn’t affect a cat’s quality of life much, the severe form leads to the death of the animal.
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
That’s a cardiac pathology, which leads to the thickening of heart vessels, and blocking the flow of blood. Early diagnosis is the key to a pet’s life.
- Respiratory tract obstruction syndrome
Respiratory obstruction is associated with recessive genes and is not treatable.
Healthy bald cats live long enough – 12-15 years.
Hairless Cat Breeds Feeding
The metabolism of bald cats is very high, because they spend a lot of energy warming up their bodies, so they love to eat.
But you should be careful!
First of all, you can simply overfeed the cat and ruin his metabolism and stature. And secondly, bald cats = allergic cats and not all food, including cooked food, is good for them.
The natural diet of a no fur cat, if it isn’t prone to allergies, is no different from the diet of any other breed: 60% protein, 10% fat, 30% carbohydrates. But various allergies can occur. That is why breeders and veterinarians recommend owners of bald cats to opt for prepared dry food, particularly those specially formulated for hairless cat breeds.
Wet food is also allowed, but more as a treat rather than a regular diet.
What are the features of prepared dry food for bald cats:
- feed is high-protein;
- formula of the food is intended to strengthen the cardiovascular system of the cat;
- dry food pellets gently clean cat teeth from plaque and stones;
- it has no flavorings or preservatives that cause health problems;
- and allergy-provoking foods are excluded.
The most popular types of dry food among bald cats’ owners:
- Royal Canin Sphynx
Taurine and the EPA and DHA oils in the food are responsible for the health of the cat’s heart
- Innova Cat and Kitten
This is a holistic food, so you can be sure of its quality and its proper effect on the pet’s body
- Eagle Pack
Among all the small ranges of this holistic, we should mention Sensitive, which is especially suitable for hairless cats.
- Acana
Grain-free, low-carbohydrate and optimal for the menu of bald cat breeds
Also note that some lower-grade products may work for your pet as well:
- Hills for cats
- Nutro Choice
Naked cat owners reviews
Jane: “My truth about the Canadian Sphynx: I wasn’t prepared for the amount of problems that came into our house with Chanel. She’s not very smart and it’s getting more and more noticeable as she gets older. Getting her potty trained proved to be an unreal challenge. Chanel finally figured out where she had the toilet only by the time she was a year old. She didn’t bother with hygiene, so my Chanel doesn’t smell like a number 5. She also sweats a lot and traces of her sweat remain on velour furniture and window sills. I won’t get a breed like that again.”
Kate: “When I brought a Peterbald kitten into the family, my husband didn’t understand what kind of animal it was. But my son fell in love with it with all his heart. As a result, the bald cat grew up, but doesn’t acknowledge my husband as the owner. In general, the cat is extraordinary – noble and very discreet. He won’t crawl into someone else’s arms and won’t beg for food. I respect him and he seems to return the favor”.
Olga: “I took my turtle (a tortoise-colored Don Sphynx) with great apprehension. They say that Sphynxes are sickly, hysterical, and… And so? The no fur kitten disproved all the rumors and myths. My beautiful cat eats everything, cuddles like a dog, and has never even been sprinkled! And smells nice! It is the aroma of oriental spices!
Price
Purebred Sphynxes cost from $1760 to $4400. Some breeders charge $3000 to $9800 for rare color or higher quality Sphynx cats.
Suitable for
If you want to have a silent cat at home, the bald breed is not for you!
No fur cats are temperamental, active and theatrical. They need an audience and attention. Therefore, bald cats will suit people who can appreciate their playfulness, who have an opportunity to take care of an exotic cat.
Who can afford high-end, expensive food and have a car (because transporting a bald miracle in public transport is fraught with danger for both the miracle and the transport).
And, of course, naked cats are suitable for those who are allergic to cat fur. But remember that absolutely hypoallergenic cats do not exist.