For everyone dreaming of a Peterbald kitten, here’s our short but packed crash course.
Breed History
Are Peterbalds (St. Petersburg Sphynxes) different from other sphynxes? Yes, absolutely; more on that below. The breed comes from St. Petersburg, Russia’s cultural capital.
All Peterbalds trace their ancestry back to a cat named Nocturne, born to a German-bred Oriental Shorthair mother, Radma von Jagerhof, and a Donskoy father, Afinogen Myth. As early as 1996, the “Petersburg Sphynx” (Peterbald) was recognized by the Russian Selection Feline Federation (SFF), and the breed standard was set. TICA accepted the Peterbald in 1997.
Peterbald Breed Overview
A cat straight out of a fashion magazine: that’s the Peterbald. The embodiment of elegance, Peterbald cats look like runway models. Only instead of the classic “perfect measurements,” St. Petersburg Sphynxes have their own standards of beauty.
- A Peterbald’s head is narrow, long, and “stretched.” Experts point to the graceful curve where the head flows into a long Nefertiti neck:
- the nose is long and straight, with a proud profile typical of the extreme type;
- the ears are large, like all sphynxes’, wide at the base, with the tips set apart. In the Peterbald, a wide-set ear placement is highly valued, where you could lay a sheet of paper across the ears. The head and ears together look like a sharp blade;
- whiskers are usually missing, but if nature kept them, they’re curly;
- the eyes are those of an Eastern queen: almond-shaped, slightly slanted, and amazingly beautiful. The eye color can be yellow, green, light blue, or even deep blue. Kittens open their eyes early, as soon as 3–5 days after birth.
- Adult Peterbalds are medium-sized. The body is long and tube-shaped. That means the shoulders and hips, seen from above, are the same width. The ribs are rounded, and the belly line shouldn’t be tucked up.
The legs are long and slender. A Peterbald’s paws are oval, with thick pads and long toes. Bowed front legs are a serious fault in this breed.
The description of the body wouldn’t be complete without the tail. It’s very long and thin right from the base; in professional terms, “whip-like.” Kinks in the tail aren’t allowed.
Peterbalds are fairly petite and rare. Females weigh about 6.5–8 lb, and males are rarely heavier than about 11 lb.
- Skin and color
These rubbery kittens can come in all sorts of colors. Among them, cream, chocolate, lilac, colorpoint, and parti-colors are especially prized. These cats rarely come in a single color. Solid black, gray, red, or white turns up only occasionally. A Peterbald kitten is most likely artistically painted with all kinds of spots.
St. Petersburg Sphynxes aren’t always completely naked. There are several coat types:
- Brush: kittens are born with fur but may lose it as they grow up.
- Brush point: the kitten has shorter fur than a brush, and a fluffy tail. But an adult keeps thick fur only on the face and legs (sometimes on the tail). The body goes completely bare or is covered in fine flock.
- Velour: the kitten has fur as a baby, but later some may remain on the legs and face, or it may disappear completely, leaving just “socks” or “knee-highs.”
- Flock: the kitten has no eyebrows or whiskers, and its coat is no longer than about 1/16 inch.
- Born bald: no fur at all. And because of special skin secretions, the naked cat’s body feels rubbery.
- Straight-coated Peterbald: the kitten has ordinary whiskers and fur, and they stay that way as it grows. But it has the personality of a sphynx!
It’s fascinating to watch how, without fur, the cat’s color pattern shows right on its skin.
Peterbald Personality
One owner’s review of the breed: “Alarm clock in the morning, homesick in the afternoon, greeter-and-hugger in the evening, always playing with something, always eating everything.” It’s hard to put it more accurately: the Peterbald is sociable, friendly, and doesn’t hold grudges. They’re very set on friendship and ready to be friends with anyone except their owner. Because their owner isn’t someone to “be friends” with, but someone to love!
St. Petersburg Sphynxes are a talkative breed. They chat a lot, and anyone interested in the breed should keep that in mind. They’re graceful and refined, and the way a Peterbald looks reflects its inner self. Cleanliness is in their blood. So are their hunting instincts.
A Peterbald is curious and interested in the world around it. It’s completely pointless to leave one in a closed room: a sphynx will magically get out, either to show its owner as soon as possible how much it loves them, or to explore the outside world of another room.
Health and Diseases
The price of exotic looks is genetic disease. St. Petersburg Sphynxes have only a few:
- the most dangerous is a congenital underdeveloped thymus. This organ is responsible for the growth and development of the whole body and for immune defense. If it’s underdeveloped, the kitten dies in infancy;
- cats in blue, blue-cream, and tortoiseshell colors may develop gum hyperplasia (also a genetic condition);
- signs of skin disease can sometimes appear too. Be careful and steer around these pitfalls in time;
- respiratory illnesses are common in Peterbalds. Your pet must not get chilled!
Peterbalds live 13–15 years.
Care and Living Conditions
Like any proper sphynx, the Peterbald (probably from knowing how unusual it is) sweats and gets dirty. A brownish waxy film comes out through its skin. If this is within normal limits, wiping your pet with baby wipes or a damp sponge is enough.
Still, baths should be regular. If your pet is a real mess, you can bring out the heavy artillery, like a degreasing pet shampoo and a soft washcloth!
IMPORTANT! Dry your Peterbald thoroughly after a bath and make sure it doesn’t get cold. Shaving the cat isn’t recommended. Remove dead hairs without pulling out the live ones.
Since these sphynxes have no eyelashes, discharge builds up in the inner corners of the eyes. So get ready to clean the eyes every day.
And remember the benefits of a little sun! Too much sunbathing can cause burns, but moderate sun brings only outer beauty and inner harmony.
More care tips here.
Feeding
How can you tell your pet isn’t eating right? The brown substance its skin produces becomes excessive. That’s a sure sign the diet doesn’t suit the cat.
Since these St. Petersburg beauties have no fur and a higher body temperature, their metabolism is faster too, and they’re known for their great appetites. They’ll eat whatever you give them without fuss.
A sensible mix of natural food and canned food is best.
Their fast metabolism should affect portion size too. A Peterbald eats a lot, so don’t keep it on short rations.
Photos
With no usual coat, you can see the Peterbald’s rich facial expressions. Their photos come out hilarious!
Where to Buy a Peterbald in the US
This beauty from the banks of the Neva is gradually rising to fame. Peterbalds are known in America and Europe, but the breed isn’t widespread yet. Outside Russia and Eastern Europe, Peterbald catteries are uncommon, so many US kittens come from imported bloodlines.
Sadly, there aren’t many Peterbald catteries. In the US, a Peterbald kitten from a registered breeder usually costs about $1,500–$5,000, with most pet-quality kittens around $2,000.
Choose a Peterbald cattery:
- TICA (The International Cat Association) breeder listings – https://tica.org/find-a-cat/find-a-cat-breeder-listings/;
- Purrsia Cattery (Las Vegas, Nevada; TICA) – https://www.purrsiacattery.com/;
- Magnoliachat Cattery (one of the longest-running Peterbald breeders in the US);
- Klazeekats (home of a TICA Best Peterbald).
“Peterbald” roughly means “bald Peter.” Breeders gave the breed this name in honor of Tsar Peter the Great, the founder of St. Petersburg. And we’ll end our crash course in the spirit of a grand Russian anthem: glory, glory to the great St. Petersburg cat!
