Sphinx

Canadian Sphynx: description, features of care and feeding

Content

Origin story
Description and character
How to choose a kitten?
Care rules
What to feed?
How do I choose a name?

The Sphynx is the most unusual, interesting and affectionate cat breed. The main distinguishing feature of these beauties is the absence of thick wool. So, kittens of the Canadian Sphynx are initially born bald, but this does not prevent them from leading a normal life. These pets need competent care. Today we will take a closer look at the features of the Canadian Sphynx and figure out how to care for it.

Origin story

In 1966, the first kitten of this breed was born in Canada (but at that time not a single person knew about it). The naked newborn boy was the only one in the whole litter and was nicknamed Prun. It was his breeding that made it possible to strengthen the hairless genes. However, at that time, breeders had not yet had time to figure out everything in the mechanism of the birth of sphinxes. They looked like representatives of a new breed, but it was difficult to figure out how to achieve stability in the offspring.

This question remained relevant for 10 years. Corrected the situation Epidermis. That was the name of the hairless cat who lived in Vaden. Soon, another kitty of a similar type was born there. She ended up in the nursery Z. Stardust. It is from there that this unique breed takes its start.

Considering the history of this breed, it is worth paying special attention to a black and white cat named Bambi. It was found on the streets of Toronto back in the 70s of the last century. According to eyewitnesses, he was just wonderful. Bambi's behavior and character traits fully corresponded to his name. However, this cat was a street cat and suffered from fights more than once. Due to one of these situations, the poor cat lost one eye and lost the ability to reproduce.Bambi was famous, he lived for a very long time and became a long-liver. Fans of this animal celebrated its 19th birthday together.

Important! The hairless cats Paloma and Pinky, discovered together with Bambi, were transported to Holland, from where the European breed line originates.

Description and character

Canadian Sphynxes have a medium-sized head. By its structure, it looks more like a kind of wedge with a rounded outline. As for the length of the head, it is slightly greater than the width. The cheekbones are prominent and well defined. The jaw of these cats is powerful, there may be very short pubescence.

The nose of an animal of this breed is usually wide, but the nose itself remains short. It is also covered with short hair. The ears of these cats are wide and also quite wide apart. The ears themselves at the Canadian Sphynx grow large, from the outside at the base they can be slightly lowered. There are no tassels on the ears.

Kittens of this breed open their eyes early. Often, sphinxes are immediately born sighted. The eyes are quite large, somewhat similar to a lemon. The gap between the ocelli is slightly larger than their width. As for the color - it can be anything. As a rule, it is combined with the direct coloration of the animal. Antennae are almost not observed in such a sphinx. In a number of individuals, they remain, the standards allow it.

The sphinx has a residual width of the rib cage. Because of her, the front legs are wide apart. The limbs are usually thin with long fingers. The back paws, as a rule, are longer than the front ones, which affects the gait of the animal. Light fluff may be present on the tips of the paws.

The tail of the Canadian Sphynx is long, like a whip. It is usually not omitted. But there are situations when such a cat grows a tail like a lion, that is, a brush is formed at the end. A cat of this breed is characterized by its folds on the body. Such an animal has so much skin that, even if you stretch the cat to its full height, the body will not become perfectly smooth. There will always be folds on the forehead, on the neck and on the legs.

Judging by the reviews of the breeders, the cats of this breed can boast of a "golden" character. They are very loving and love to sit on their hands. In terms of their intellect, they resemble a three-year-old child. Canadian Sphynxes are not jealous and are able to coexist peacefully with other pets in the same territory.

The loyalty of these interesting animals should also be noted. They are loyal to the owner.

But it should be borne in mind that the Canadian Sphynxes are proud cats. They never beg for a handout. If they want to eat something, they will most likely steal what they need on their own. Sometimes it can seem as if the Canadian Sphynxes are not quite aware that they are animals. If you look at their behavior, it will seem that these pets think that they are people. These animals do not behave aggressively and are even able to treat a minor headache.

How to choose a kitten?

If you decide to choose a kitten of this famous breed for yourself, then you should start from the following important criteria:

you need to choose a good cattery - there are catteries that deliver a kitten to the place in the nearest regions and even throughout Russia;
you can buy a kitten from a private person, often breeders can provide a pedigree.
you need to carefully follow the chosen kitten - pet him, look at the behavior, find out how he reacts to attention from the person; if the sphinx is fearful, cuddles when touched, begins to hide or reacts aggressively, then this is a bad sign;
find out how kittens eat; do not forget about this, because at first the baby will need to be fed with the same thing that the breeder fed him;
it will be useful to look at the sphinxes-producers - it is worth familiarizing yourself with their documents, ask about their state of health; it is important to know about all hereditary diseases, if any, vaccinations made, birth injuries and other nuances;
you need to find out if the babies were castrated / sterilized; usually in catteries, such procedures are carried out for all pet-class kittens;
take a closer look at the very room in which the kittens are kept - if the breeder has many cats of different breeds, then this may indicate that for him this is only a source of income, so he hardly takes care of the babies properly; the lack of interest of the breeder in the reason why you want to buy a baby will also indicate this;
Finally, it is advisable to ask for recommendations on the care and maintenance of the Canadian Sphynx.

Care rules

The Canadian Sphynx, like any other pet, needs proper and careful care. The biggest problem with cats of this breed is their capricious skin. Since there is no fur on it, a specific plaque may appear. From the outside it will seem as if the animal is sweating. In fact, this is how the sebaceous glands work, protecting the pet from negative external factors. Literally a few days after bathing, both the body of the sphinx and the bedding on which it lies turn brown.

You can not only constantly wash your cat, but also wipe it with a damp cloth... Washing this animal is done in the same way as bathing a small child. Use a gentle baby shampoo. Care must be taken so that water does not enter the ears. There is no need to take care of the tail separately, but many owners of such cats notice that in relation to this part of the body, the sphinxes are not very clean. Often you have to dry your cat after going to the toilet.

You need to properly care for your cat's ears. Sulfur should be removed from them using cotton swabs.

Another vulnerable spot of these cats is the eyes. They will need to be wiped off the resulting discharge with a damp cloth. This should be done daily. If a cat eats only dry food, then problems with teeth will occur very rarely, otherwise they will need to be cleaned of the formed tartar. A simple hygiene procedure is to trim the claws of the sphinx. Here animals of this breed do not require any special treatment.

What to feed?

There are no specific rules regarding the composition of the diet for the Canadian Sphynx. Cats of this famous breed eat the same food as their furry cousins. Consider the following features of feeding such animals of different ages:

the kitten can be weaned from its mother no earlier than 12 weeks after birth; at this age, the kitten can already eat itself, it can be given the same food as for adult cats;
a kitten aged 3 to 5 months should eat about 4-5 times a day; then gradually 1-2 meals are skipped;
from 9 months, a young cat is transferred to a two-time diet, which he will adhere to throughout his life.

Leftover food leftovers should not be left in the bowl. Be sure to remove it before your next meal. The only exception is dry food - it can lie in the dishes around the clock. Of course, the cat must have access to water as well. Kittens are advised to buy special foods designed specifically for babies. For Canadian sphinxes, only premium or super premium treats are suitable. If you want to feed your baby with natural food, then vitamins should be added to it so that the animal receives all the necessary nutrients in full.

An adult cat can also be fed dry or natural foods. It is advisable, even before buying a kitten, to decide exactly how you will feed it, so that in the future you do not injure the animal with a frequent change of food. You can combine food for an adult sphinx. But it is advisable to do this within the framework of one meal.

In no case do not feed the Canadian Sphynx food from your table - this rule must be strictly followed if you want your pet to be active and healthy.

We must not forget that cats are small predators, so meat or fish should be present in their diet. It is permissible to feed the Canadian Sphynx with a rabbit, beef, chicken or veal. It is not recommended to give pork, sausage and all kinds of semi-finished products. Meat and fish can be fed to the animal raw or boiled. If you feed the cat with a fish (it is advisable to give only lean fish), then it must be de-stoned. All products must be fresh.

In addition to deli meats, the following foods should be given to the Canadian Sphynx:

low fat milk or dairy products;
boiled chicken or quail eggs;
greens;
vegetables;
cooked cereals.

You can't give the cat a potato. It is also better to protect the Canadian Sphynx from legumes. Make sure your pet doesn't overeat. Sphynxes are especially prone to obesity. Always keep track of what and in what quantities your cat eats. Don't fall for the plaintive feline gaze. It's not even that an overweight sphinx is a terrible sight. Excess weight is very harmful for these pets. Fat sphinxes live less than their lean counterparts.

A piece of raw meat is a delicacy that no cat can resist, so you should not deny the Sphynx such pleasure. However, before that, the meat must either be thawed or thoroughly doused with boiling water.

If these simple procedures are not carried out, then the cat runs the risk of acquiring parasites, for example, helminths.

How do I choose a name?

A simple nickname, such as Vaska, Murzik or Barsik, will not suit the Canadian Sphynx. Representatives of this breed should choose other suitable names. The girl can be named as follows: