Elf cats: description, character, care and feeding

Elf cats have appeared quite recently, but have already won the love of a huge number of people. The peculiarities of the breed - the absence of hair and charmingly bent ears at the tips - give its representatives a special appeal for many breeders and amateurs. The description of the appearance of cats and kittens even sounds unusual, but in fact such a pet is quite comfortable to keep, and the rules of care and feeding for him are no more complicated than for an ordinary pet.

The elves owe their birth to two enthusiastic breeders from the United States. The Canadian Sphynxes were taken as a basis for creating a new breed of cats. Thanks to them, the animals received a body without a coat, and an elegant build. But their second notable feature - the ears bent outward - the kittens owe to the American curls.

This combination of blood was not at all accidental. The thing is that one of the breeders started breeding after the death of the pet from a complex hereditary disease.

Sphinxes are initially not very resistant to the effects of infections and genetic diseases transmitted from generation to generation. Curls, on the other hand, are famous for their longevity. The result of many years of painstaking work was the emergence of a new breed in 2006. She was devoid of the traditional lack of hairless cats - poor health.

Elves are one of the youngest recognized breeds, it was recognized and included in the experimental list in 2007, and since then it has been successfully bred not only in the USA.Having received the best features from its ancestors - charmingly curved ears, like those of curls, and the absence of hair - it attracts the attention of felinologists and just animal lovers. But there are also some difficulties. Recognition of elves as a breed at the moment has been received from only one of the organizations, TICA, while there are many more of them in the world.

The original appearance is exactly what its fans love this breed for. Elves have a strong muscular body, with a pronounced bulge of the abdomen (the shape of the animal's body is close to a pear). The thoracic region is rounded, rather wide. The tail is rather long relative to the body, its tip is pointed. The weight of an adult animal is up to 8 kg for males, up to 6 kg for females.

The limbs of elf cats are quite graceful, but muscular, the support pads of the paws are rounded. In comparison with the sphinxes, we can say that this breed has a more harmonious physique. The elbows of the forepaws do not diverge to the sides, they are tightly pressed to the body, the legs themselves are longer than in other hairless cats.

Elves are distinguished by a graceful neck line, it has a considerable length, expressive bend. The head is characterized by a wedge-shaped shape, the muzzle is sharpened to the chin. The breed is distinguished by a pronounced line of cheekbones, a straight, well-defined nose with a slight drop.

The ears of the animal have an inclination of 90-180 degrees, with a stable part of the cartilage at a third of the length of the entire organ of hearing. Elves are distinguished by pointed, backward-curved tips of the auricle. The ears themselves are large, have a wide base, and are pyramidal in shape.

Elves are characterized by green, blue, yellow eyes. Their almond shape and expressiveness are especially attractive to owners. The eyeballs are slightly convex, the vibrissae and eyebrows are weak or absent altogether.

The skin of the animal is rather thick, almost naked, with granularity, similar to suede. The surface of the body is always warm. The wrinkling characteristic of elves is most pronounced on the muzzle, in the shoulder area. Short hairs on the outside of the ear, on the nose (in the area of ​​the bridge of the nose), on the tail and paws, and on the genitals are acceptable. As a rule, the presence of wool is manifested in kittens obtained in the first generation, when curls and sphinxes are directly crossed.

The skin color of elves is dim, usually light ash, beige, white or black.

Among the breed shortcomings described in the standard developed by the breeders, it can be noted:

• curvature and deformation of the tail;
• excessively narrow head, lack of a depression on the bridge of the nose;
• too low wrinkling in the head area;
• excessively massive or asthenic physique;
• copious amounts of hair above the ankles;
• improper fit of the auricles;
• grooved or rounded edge of the ear, excessive bending of it.

If these shortcomings are revealed, the animals are not allowed for breeding.

Elf cats are classic companion animals, with all their advantages and disadvantages. These pets are quite active, always affectionate with their owners, friendly. The elf is perfect for acquiring as a family pet - he will be patient with children and will always keep company during household chores. Cats love affection, they go well into their arms and try not to leave their owners for a long time without their company. At night, an elf can most often be seen in the owner's bed, where he will feel absolutely happy.

The breed is characterized by curiosity, playfulness, observation.Kittens are quite actively mischievous, but with age, the behavior of the animal acquires a great degree. Adult cats love height, they try to arrange a bed for themselves as high as possible from the floor surface. Calm in character, elves have a tendency to demonstrative behavior in public - in front of strangers they can be capricious or arrange various antics, thus attracting the attention of their owners.

Cats of this breed do not create problems in the process of training the animal to order. Elves are careful in their food intake and in the administration of natural necessities. But if you show rudeness or cruelty in relation to the pet, he will definitely find a way to pay for the wrongs inflicted. When kept together with other cats and dogs, representatives of the breed behave friendly, easily make contact.

When choosing an elf kitten, or purchasing an adult animal, it is very important to provide him with decent living conditions. A warm house or sleeping place is a prerequisite for creating a comfortable environment for a new pet. If you buy a basket for sleeping, you should choose a model with high sides, it is recommended to install it away from drafts. The temperature in the room itself should also be comfortable - not lower than +20 degrees Celsius.

True lovers of warmth (this feature they inherited from the sphinxes), elves are drawn to the sun and tend to get a good tan. If the animal has settled in a private house, you can arrange for him a "solarium" on the glassed-in veranda. In a city apartment, an ordinary window sill, devoid of flower pots and other dangerous items, will be enough. You can place a special mattress pad here - and the place for sunbathing for your pet will be ready for use.

Do not leave a thermophilic pet unattended when an electric fireplace or heater is on. In addition, in the hottest daytime hours, it is also better to prudently close the windows with curtains or blinds to prevent the cat from sunburn. If the animal spends a lot of time in the sun, pretty soon it will acquire a quite noticeable tan on the skin, which will go away for several months.

You can additionally insulate a baby elf or an adult cat with the help of special clothing for animals. The breed adapts surprisingly easily to comfortable wardrobe items, and feels quite at ease in them. As they grow older, cats can boast a very impressive wardrobe for all occasions.

Dealing with walking issues is a painful moment for pet owners and breeders. In the case of elf cats, there is no need to talk about freedom of movement.

Since elf cats do not have a coat, their bodies need regular hygiene procedures that ordinary fluffy four-legged cats can easily cope with on their own. In particular, regularity is very important in skin care. Every day, you must definitely wipe it with a damp cloth, paying special attention to areas with folds - dust, dead particles and scales of the epidermis accumulate here. If you accustom your cat to such care from a very young age, in the future you will be able to avoid difficulties with the implementation of care as the pet grows up.

Bathing elves are subjected to about twice a month, when washing, the skin is lathered with a special product using a washcloth or sponge, and then rinsed with warm clean water. It is imperative that you choose the right shampoo for hairless breeds.The composition of such funds contains substances that heal microcracks, eliminate skin irritation.

Another step in grooming is cleaning your ears. It allows you to monitor the health of the animal, to promptly eliminate all emerging problems. The large ears of elf cats need special attention. Weekly, they are thoroughly treated inside with a special cotton swab smeared with petroleum jelly or specialized lotion. It is best to have the pet undergo the procedure with the support of a second person, since cats do not like to clean their ears very much, and there is a risk of injury to the animal if you try to cope alone.

It is better to choose cotton swabs for children or special for animals. Do not use homemade tourniquets or other homemade cleansing sticks. They can get stuck inside the ear.

If you detect any signs of inflammation, you should contact your veterinarian. The cause for alarm should be abscesses, the appearance of an unpleasant odor or discharge.

Another unpleasant but necessary procedure for a pet is claw trimming. Excess stratum corneum is cut off with nippers. The length of the tip to be removed should not exceed 2 mm; blood vessels may be located higher. When blood appears on the cut, they should be carefully treated with an antiseptic solution.

If scratches have become a problem, you can use special devices - anti-scratches, which are silicone pads that are put on the claws and fixed with a special glue. They do not allow the animal to injure itself or others, allow to exclude damage to interior items by a cat that is not accustomed to a scratching post.

Elves with bulging eyeballs must have the highest level of eye hygiene. They are treated twice a day, in the mornings and evenings, with a cotton pad dipped in lotion. Warm tea or a decoction of chamomile flowers are also suitable. The normal color of the eye discharge is light. The appearance of brown marks or bloody, purulent drops is a reason for contacting a veterinarian.

Like every predator, feline teeth are one of the most important indicators of health. They are regularly examined and cleaned using specialized tools - veterinary paste, a compact brush (an option for babies is suitable - made of silicone). If the animal receives little solid food, tartar can form on the enamel.

Consider the general principles of feeding elves.

1. The frequency of feeding for kittens should be up to 5 times a day. Adult animals eat no more than 2-3 times a day.
2. Small portions... Elves have a habit of greedily devouring food, neglecting to chew it, which further leads to digestive problems. Owners should remember that a cat of this breed begs for a supplement, even if it is full.
3. The typical serving size per day for natural foods is 250 ml. And it can also be calculated based on the weight of the animal - 40 g of food per 1 kg of body weight.
4. Don't rush when introducing new foods to your diet.

The simplest solution for providing elf cats with a full-fledged diet is to switch to dry ready-made food, pates and jelly in spiders. Among the options suitable for hairless animals are:

• Purina Pro Plan Delicate - super premium diet based on turkey meat, rice, corn, natural oils;
• ACANA Grasslands for Cats - Holistic food based on duck meat, lamb liver, lamb, lentils;
• Royal Canin Sphynx Adult - Takes into account the needs of breeds of cats without hair, but may cause allergies.

When composing a natural diet for an elf cat, you should focus on your pet's own preferences and the recommendations of veterinarians. The feed must contain at least 60% protein components of animal origin. This includes lean meat - chicken, turkey, veal and beef, cottage cheese and low-fat kefir. About 10% of the diet is fat and 30% is carbohydrates.

From vegetables in the diet should be zucchini, carrots, cauliflower, be sure to add cereals - from lentils to rice and oatmeal. A special pot of cat grass will help to replenish the supply of fiber. With its help, the pet will receive fresh vitamins.

All smoked, salted, sweet and fatty foods should be excluded from the diet of an elf cat. It is not recommended to give pork, legumes.

By choosing a balanced diet for the elves, you can provide them with a full supply of energy and prevent the development of obesity, which is dangerous for animals.

Potential owners of elf cats often show quite reasonable concern about the possible manifestation of genetic diseases common to all breeding breeds. But at the moment there is no information about the presence of such problems. Moreover, it is safe to say that with proper care, elves may well live up to 15-18 years.

However, one cannot do without health problems at all. Like representatives of other hairless breeds, elves have a skin sensitive to the effects of various irritants. Dermatitis, rashes, peeling are just a small part of what pet owners are faced with. Consider the causes of skin problems that are most common in elf cats.

1. Hormonal imbalance. In animals, it manifests itself quite clearly and can cause acne.
2. Food allergy. If the food is not suitable for the pet, he accidentally tasted a forbidden delicacy, you can expect a rash with a high degree of probability. Allergy often manifests itself in seafood.
3. Poor hygiene. Your cat's skin needs regular cleansing. With increased separation of fat or dryness of the dermis, hygiene will have to be given special attention.
4. Prolonged sun exposure. Sunburns for cats are serious and can cause redness and flaking of the skin.
5. In young cats, breeding cats there can be intense periods of increased hormonal levels, proceeding with almost the same symptoms as puberty in humans. Skin rashes and increased fat separation are a consequence of these problems.
6. Incorrect selection of food. In elves, it causes a brown coating to form on the surface of the skin. When it appears, it is worth consulting with your veterinarian about possible dietary changes.

It should not be forgotten that the absence of a coat leads to an increased susceptibility of cats to colds. Significant temperature drops, drafts, prolonged exposure to the cold are contraindicated for elves.

More about elf cats - in the next video.