It began with one kitten
The breed began in Toronto in 1966 when a hairless kitten, named Prune, was born to an ordinary cat.
Fancy cats · A lot of time and space
Sphynx
Pedigree breed · from Canada
A cat with no fur, wrinkled pink or grey skin, a lean body, enormous ears and a whip-like tail.
- Size
- About 25cm at the shoulder; 3 to 5kg
- Lives for
- 8 to 14 years
- Suits
- Warm homes, with time for weekly baths
Trots after you, looking for somewhere warm. Move your pointer and see.
Good to know
Six things about the sphynx
Not quite bald
It is covered in a very fine down and feels like a warm peach.
It feels hot
With no coat to hold the heat in, its skin feels hot to the touch. It seeks out radiators, laps and sunny windowsills.
It needs baths
Oil that fur would soak up stays on the skin, so it needs washing about once a week.
A big appetite
It burns more energy keeping warm and eats more than other cats of its size.
It can get sunburnt
It must be kept out of strong sun, and out of the cold.
The real thing
Photos of the sphynx
Photos are from Wikimedia Commons, used under the free licences shown. They have been resized, and cropped where they appear in link previews.
Looking after one
Bath weekly, clean the large ears, and provide warm beds and jumpers in winter. It is very sociable and should not be left alone for long.
Before you get one
A Sphynx is not allergy-free, whatever people say. It is clownish and affectionate, and takes more looking after than a furry cat.
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