Thursday Thirteen

#14 - 13 Questions about Sphynx cats answered, in honour of our new Sphynx kitten Dragonheart

1. Can people with allergies live with Sphynx?
   
   Some people who suffer from cat allergies can tolerate living with Sphynx cats. However, depending on the type and severity of the individual's allergic reactions, there are still people who cannot live with this breed.
   My husband is allergic to cats, but fortunately he can tolerate Sphynx. Dragonheart doesn't bother his allergies at all.
   
   
2. Are Sphynx friendly?
   
   You bet! Sphynx are friendly, extremely inquisitive and love to be the center of attention.
   
   
3. What do they feel like?
   
   Dragonheart, our Sphynx, feels like a warm chamois to pet. According to the Cat Fanciers' Association, "The texture of the Sphynx skin has been likened to suede, a hot water bottle, or a heated chamois."
   
   
4. Do they get cold?
   
   Sphynx get cold only if it is cold enough for a human to also be cold. If a human needs a sweater indoors, chances are Sphynx need one too, although they're also happy to find a warm human to curl up with (or another cat or even a dog if they are around).
   Also, Sphynx have a very high natural metabolism. Because of this higher metabolism, they eat more and more often than "regular cats" do, and need to be fed very high quality pet food. Their bodies have to work harder than that of other cats to keep themselves warm, due to the lack of fur.
   
   
5. Are Sphynx completely hairless?
   
   Sphynx are not always totally hairless; they can have fine down on the body. Some light hair is often present on the nose, tail and toes. Dragonheart is hairless except on the bridge of his nose.
   
   
6. With the lack of whiskers, do they lack the sensitivity other cats have?
   
   Sphynx do not have any whiskers, or if they are present, they are short and sparse. Dragonheart has very short, curly whiskers. Sphynx do not seem to suffer for their lack of whiskers. As to why, no one knows! But even when it is dark out, Sphynx have no problems getting around, they get their bearings easily, don't bump into furniture, and love acrobatics of all sorts. They are very agile cats. So this is one fact about Sphynx that remains a mystery!
   
   
7. Are Sphynx sensitive to the sun?
   
   It depends on the colour of their skin. White Sphynx are more sun-sensitive, and will burn if shade is not provided for them. Sphynx are very intelligent cats, however, and if they feel their skin becoming warm, they will seek shelter in a shaded area.
   
   
8. Do Sphynx cats clean themselves like other cats?
   
   Sphynx do clean themselves with their tongues, like other cats do. However, because of the lack of hair that would normally absorb body oils, Sphynx need to be bathed periodically. Their self-bathing isn't sufficient to remove all the oil. Dragonheart needs to be bathed about once a week to keep him healthy.
   
   
9. Why are they called Sphynx?
   
   A Cat Fanciers' Association judge, David Mare, named them in 1973. To him, these cats resembled a famous Egyptian cat statue in the Louvre in Paris. When he thought of Egypt, he thought of the many Egyptian sphinxes, including the Great Sphinx. Thus this breed of hairless cats came to be known as Sphynx.
   
   
10. What colours can Sphynx be?
    
    Sphynx come in almost every colour imaginable. Cat breeders in Europe and North America have bred the Sphynx to normal coated cats and then back to hairless for more than thirty years. This produced a wider gene pool for the breed and allowed the modern Sphynx to exhibit most of the eye and color patterns available in many of today's cat breeds.
    
    
11. How large do Sphynx become?
    
    The Sphynx is a medium-sized cat. On average, adult females weigh 6-8 pounds while males are 8-10 pounds. Dragonheart's breeder thinks that he will be a large Sphynx, like his grandfather, who was 15 lbs.
    
    
12. How old is Dragonheart?
    
    He's currently 4 and a half months old.
    
    
13. Have you logged Dragonheart on Catster?
    
    
    
    
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    He also has his own blog, which you can check out if you want to learn more about Sphynx.
    

If you have any other questions about Sphynx, or about Dragonheart, leave your question in your comment, and I'll try to answer them in future Thursday Thirteens.


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Tags: memes, cats, Dragonheart, Thursday Thirteen, Sphynx, hairless cats, kittens