Sphynx cats are a high-maintenance breed and require a lot of grooming, despite their lack of hair. This is because they create a lot of body oils, but don’t have enough hair to absorb the oil. Instead, the oil builds up on their skin and becomes greasy.
Are Sphynx Cats High Maintenance?
Naturally, I thought a hairless cat would be low maintenance, but the sphynx requires a lot of care.
Naturally, this breed doesn’t need to be brushed, but they do need to be bathed frequently—usually once a week. Typically, when a cat grooms itself, their coat absorbs oils from their skin and releases them. Because Sphynxes are hairless, grooming is insufficient to remove oil from their skin. Sphynx Cats have oily skin as a result, which makes them easily dirty.
Not to mention what might stick to their oily little feet from the litter box, they’ll get dirt in all the little wrinkles on their bodies, under their arms, and around their necks.
Where Do Sphynx Cats Come From, and Why Are They Hairless?
As unlikely as it may seem, a genetic mutation in Ontario during the 1960s gave birth to the first hairless kitten, dubbed Prune, who was the ancestor of the modern Sphynx cat. After realizing how special Prune was, his owners bred him to produce more hairless cats. These kittens were originally called Canadian Hairless Cats.
Two different sets of hairless kittens—Punky and Paloma in Toronto and Dermis and Epidermis in Minnesota—were born in the middle of 1970. It is thought that these two lineages are where the American sphynx that we know today first appeared. Breeders eventually began calling the kittens Sphynx Cats instead, as they resembled the well-known limestone sculpture found in the Egyptian desert.
Sphynx Cats Are Not Hypoallergenic
You may want to rethink your adoption plans if you believe that Sphynx cats are the only breed that won’t aggravate your allergies.
The misconception that these cats are hypoallergenic due to their lack of fur is what leads to a lot of people adopting them. Human allergies typically come second to skin allergens on cats.
People may even be more allergic to hairless cats than to cats with long hair.
By: Kate Hughes
Featured : iStock.com/Exquisite-Japan
FAQ
Can Sphynx cats be left alone?
What are the cons of a sphynx cat?
Do Sphynx cats have a lot of health problems?
Do Sphynx cats smell?