Sphinx

Canadian Sphynx: description, features of care and feeding

Content

Origin history
Description and character
How to choose a kitten?
Care Rules
What to feed?
How to choose a name?

Sphinx is the most unusual, interesting and affectionate breed of cats. The main distinguishing feature of these handsome men is the absence of thick coat. So, kittens of the Canadian sphinx are initially born bald, but this does not prevent them from leading a normal life. Such pets need competent care. Today we will take a closer look at the features of the Canadian sphinx and see how to care for it.

Origin history

In 1966, the first kitten of this breed was born in Canada (but at that time not a single person knew about it). Naked, the newborn boy was the only one in the entire litter and was nicknamed Prun. It was his breeding that made it possible to strengthen the hairless genes. However, at that time, the breeders had not yet had time to find 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 issue has been relevant for 10 years. The epidermis corrected the situation. That was the name of the hairless cat who lived in Waden. Soon there was born another cat of a similar type. She found herself in the cattery 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 the 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 beautiful. Bambi's behavior and character traits fully corresponded to his name. However, this cat was street and more than once suffered from fights. Because of one of these situations, the poor cat lost one eye and lost the ability to reproduce.Bambi was famous, he lived a very long time and became a long-liver. Fans of this animal together celebrated its 19th anniversary.

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

Description and character

Canadian sphinxes have a medium-sized head. In its structure, it is more like a kind of wedge with a rounded outline. As for the length of the head - it is slightly larger than the width. Cheekbones are prominent, stand out well. The jaw of these cats is powerful, there may be a 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 widely spaced. The ears of the Canadian sphinx grow large, on the outside, at the base, they can be slightly flattened. There are no brushes on the ears.

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

The sphinx has a chest of residual width. Because of her, the front legs are spread wide. The limbs are usually thin with long fingers. Paws on the back, as a rule, are longer than the front paws, which affects the gait of the animal. A light fluff may be present at the tips of the paws.

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

Judging by the reviews of breeders, cats of this breed can boast of a "golden" character. They are very loving and love to sit in their arms. In terms of intelligence, they resemble a three-year-old child. Canadian sphinxes are not jealous and can coexist calmly with other domestic animals in the same territory.

It should be noted and the fidelity of these interesting animals. They are loyal to the owner.

But keep in mind that Canadian sphynxes are proud cats. They never beg for handouts. If they want to eat something, then most likely they will steal what they need on their own. Sometimes it may seem that the Canadian sphinxes are not quite aware that they are animals. If you look at their behavior, then it seems that these pets think that they are people. These animals do not behave aggressively and are even able to treat a small headache.

How to choose a kitten?

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

you need to choose a good nursery - there are also such nurseries that deliver the kitten to a 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 monitor the chosen kitten - stroke it, look at the behavior, find out how it reacts to attention from the person; if the sphinx is shy, snuggles when touched, starts to hide or reacts aggressively, then this is a bad sign;
find out how kittens eat; do not forget about it, because at first the baby will need to be fed the same as the breeder fed him;
it will be useful to look at the sphinx-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, birth injuries and other nuances;
it is necessary to find out whether the castration / sterilization of the babies was performed; usually in kennels such procedures are carried out for all kittens of a pet-class;
take a look at the very room where the kittens are kept - if the breeder has many cats of different breeds, this may indicate that for him this is only a source of income, therefore he hardly cares about the kids; the lack of interest of the breeder to the reason why you want to buy a baby will also indicate this;
in the end, it is advisable to seek advice on the care and maintenance of the Canadian sphinx.

Care Rules

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

You can not only constantly wash the cat, but also wipe it with a damp cloth. This animal is washed in the same way as the bathing of a small child. Use gentle baby shampoo. It is necessary to ensure that water does not get into the ears. You don’t need to take care of the tail separately, but many owners of such cats notice that the sphinxes are not very clean with respect to this part of the body. Often you have to wipe the cat after visiting the toilet.

You need to properly care for the ears of the cat. Sulfur should be removed from them using cotton swabs.

Another vulnerability of these cats is the eyes. They will need to be cleaned from the formed secretions with a damp cloth. You need to do this daily. If a cat eats only dry food, then problems with her teeth will occur very rarely, otherwise they will need to be cleaned of formed tartar. A simple hygienic procedure is cutting the sphinx claws. Here the animals of this breed do not require any special treatment.

What to feed?

There are no specific dietary rules for the Canadian Sphinx. Cats of this famous breed feed on the same as their furry counterparts. Consider the following features of feeding such animals of different ages:

the kitten can be weaned not earlier than 12 weeks after birth; at this age, the kitten can already eat by himself, he 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, the young cat is transferred to a two-time diet, which he will adhere to throughout his life.

Leftovers should not be left in a bowl. Be sure to remove it before the next meal. An exception is only dry food - it can lie in the dishes all day long. Of course, the cat should have access to water. Kittens are advised to buy special foods designed specifically for babies. For Canadian sphinxes, only premium or superpremium treats are suitable. If you want to feed the 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 with dry or natural foods. It is advisable even before buying a kitten to determine how exactly you will feed him, so that in the future not to 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 a single meal.

In no case do not feed the Canadian Sphinx with food from your table - this rule must be strictly observed 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. The Canadian Sphinx can be fed 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 given to the animal raw or boiled. If you feed a cat a fish (it is advisable to give only low-fat fish), then it must be cleaned of stones. All products must be fresh.

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

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

You can’t give the cat potatoes. It is also better to protect the Canadian sphinx from legumes. Make sure that the pet does not overeat. Canadian sphinxes are especially prone to obesity. Always watch what and in what quantities your cat eats. Do not give in to a mournful feline look. It's not even that the obese sphinx is a terrible sight. Excess weight is very harmful for these pets. Thick sphinxes live less than their lean brethren.

A piece of raw meat is a delicacy that no cat can resist, so you should not refuse such a pleasure to the sphinx. However, before this, 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 to choose a name?

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