Sphinx

Meet Sphynx

Canada (US)

## History and description

The starting point is the appearance of this breed - Ontario, Canada, 1966. Domestic cat named Elizabeth gave birth to a hairless kitten male named Prune (Prune). These two cats, Prune and Elizabeth, were purchased and Ridyadom Yaniey Bawa (Bawa), and who want to bring this wonderful breed. Keyes and Rita Tenhouv (Tenhove) soon joined Bava couple in their hard work for the removal of the bald cats. By the way, originally Sphynx was referred to as "Moonstone cats", and later "bald Canadians." The name used today, there was not so long ago.

Thus, two pairs of Sphynx Bava and Tenhouv launched a joint breeding. Naturally, at the beginning of its formation, the breed had no right to be registered, and therefore there is very little documentary evidence about the first cats and the first breeding programs.

In 1971 CFA withdrew altogether temporary status species, given to her before. First of all, this was due to the very small number of hairless cats, as well as the complexity of the care for these animals that are killed more often than their counterparts, covered with hair.

About Bawa line cats-Tenhouv not much is known. A cat called epidermis was acquired by David Mare of San Francisco, and a couple of cats came to Sandy Kaiser in her kennel «Mewsi-Kal» in 1973.

The epidermis is largely contributed to the involvement of its owner David Mare (Mare) in the process of removing the breed Sphynx in the United States. Mare is actively interested in the new fancy cats and later also bought a bald cat Alopecia (Alopecia Totalis) Dr. Hugo Hernandez (Hugo Hernandez) from the Netherlands, which will be discussed further. Third Canadian Sphynx Mare was bald cat from North Carolina, named ET, which have been exhibited at cat shows at Madison Park (Madison Square Garden) in the 1980s. Last information about E.T. They say that he lived in Sacramento, California, with the couple, Bill Benson. Unfortunately, the Sphinx Mare no known offspring.

Progeny couple of Nefertiti and Duchi Pruna Napoleon acquired Sandy Kaiser, was sent to Europe, the Dutch doctor, Hugo Hernandez in 1978. It was a cat Starsky (Mewsi-Kal Starsky) and cat Johnny (Mewsi-Kal Jhonny). Thus began removing kanadsikh sphinxes outside the continent.

In the same 1978 Shirley Smith (Smith) from the Canadian city of Toronto rescued two abandoned kittens mother, born from domestic shorthair cat: long-haired cat, black and white hairless kitten, later received the name of Bambi. Because of the numerous wounds Shirley was forced to sterilize Bambi. However, he lived a long happy life in the kennel «Aztec» in Canada and died at the age of 19 in 1997. Bambi's mother in 1980, gave birth to two hairless female kittens. Since mother Bambi and cats in the neighborhood were not bald, it was found that hairless gene was recessive in nature, and cats were carriers of the gene and probably unrecorded descendants Pruna. After all, the properties shown by recessive genes occur in phenotype in the offspring only if both parents is present this recessive gene. Smith called kittens Skueki (Squeakie) and Pinky (Pinky). Subsequently, they were framed in Holland and appeared in the breeding program Sphynx Dr. Hernandez punk (Punkie) and Paloma (Paloma).

Referring to the experiments of the Dutch doctor Hernandez, who made a significant contribution to the elimination of the Canadian Sphynx. Dr. Hernandez at first tried to cross a brother and sister Starsky and Johnny. However, the results did not meet expectations of the doctor: the only all kittens litter died, as his mother abandoned them. After Punks and Paloma arrived from Canada, Dr. Hernandez tried to breed with Starsky "newcomers ladies." Starsky is in no way wanted to accept new cats and Dr. Hernandez had to castrate him in 1981. Paloma gave another Dutch breeder Nanny Nathan (Hannie Nathans), and then discovered that the cat was pregnant by Starsky course. Unfortunately, Paloma could not bear cubs and lost droppings. At the disposal of the Dutch breeders there was not a Sphynx for use in a breeding program. And then Dr. Hernandez decided to use the first Devon Rex cat. Punks was mated with Devon Rex named Kerer van Dzhetrofin (Curare van Jetrophin). In the litter of kittens are born hairless and it was a real victory. To replenish the genetic material breed Sphynx cats regularly began using Devon Rex, thanks to which the sphinxes have won big ears.

Another well-known mutation hairless kitten was found in cats on a farm couple Pearson (Pearson) in Minnesota in 1975. Persons were bald in a few litters of kittens. Presumably, the hairless gene has been imported somehow from cats earlier breeding program. Persons were not breeders and their cats bred indiscriminately.

In 1981, Kim Muesk (Muesk) from nursery «Stardust» Oregon has acquired two hairless cats in person. They were called Epidermis (Epidermis), cat color brown classic tabby, born in July 1975, and the dermis (Dermis), blue mackerel color, born in April 1976. Their parents were the usual striped shorthair cat and a cat. After unsuccessful attempts to get the bald kittens when mating the epidermis and dermis with American shorthair cats Kim Muesk on the advice of Dr. Solveig Pfluedzhera acquired Devon Rex for his program.

Thus, almost at the same time, Canadian Sphynx displayed in the United States and Holland, using cats Devon rex.

In the early 1980s, the breeding of this breed also become involved in France (breeders and Patrick Shalen couple Philippe and Aline Noel).

In 1985, Carol and Walt Richard kennel "Britanya" in Texas started its own breeding program of this species through the work of a doctor Pfluedzherom Solveig (Solveig Pflueger), chairman of the department of genetics in TICA. Cat out of the kennel Lady Godiva Britain (Bitanya's Lady Godiva) became the first sphinx, reached in 1986, the status of the championship Supreme Grand Champion in TICA, and also received the title of TICA - Sphinx year.

In 1998 this breed received official recognition of the CFA.

In 2002, the CFA has been opened for them to champion class.

Currently, reports continue to appear hairless kittens suddenly born in litters of domestic shorthair cats worldwide. Some nurseries, for example, the above mentioned nursery «Britanya», as well as the nursery «Kattewyk» use of cats in their breeding programs to expand the gene pool of the breed Sphynx.

Today, on the one hand, an increase in the number of breeders of this breed, which is entirely devoted to the rise of the human understanding of these beautiful creatures, the development of the breed. However, there is a downside. The number of those wishing to earn extra money for "stamping" Sphynx is also increasing. The result generated by "factory style" sphinxes and ignored such important from the point of view of both aspects of feline breed standards compliance, character and temperament of these animals.

Sphynx - a cat of medium size and heavy build with very soft contours of the figure. Thick skin sphinx resembles suede to the touch and forms numerous folds on the body. As a rule, because of the "suede" and strong pigmentation of the skin colors of Canadians are more pronounced than colors Don Sphynx and Peterbald. The most common speckled (various options for basic color white) and white (sphinxes pinkish hue). Fur is retained on the nose with the back of the ears, and allowed a small amount of a gun at the ends of the legs and tail. A feature of the Sphynx is their thick pear-shaped belly. Hind legs longer than their front, which is why at the Sphinx formed peculiar gait. More external characteristic "moon Canadian" found in Article breed standard.

Inquisitive, playful and unusually friendly animal sphynx is known not only as a reliable partner, but also as a "small home buffoon", able to lift the mood of the whole family.

Cats of this breed have a pronounced sexual dimorphism: males are much larger than females. The general impression is - a medium-sized animal round with very soft contours, contact, friendly, having a lively temperament.

Coat: very short fuzz on his nose with the back of the ear may be a small amount of a gun at the ends of legs, scrotum and tail.

Skin: suede to the touch, thick, forming folds on the head, neck, abdomen and torso. The folds must be present on the chin, cheeks and neck. Skin color corresponds to a different possible coat color in cats: a uniform, tabby, tortie, point, van and others.