Sphynx (cat)
The Sphynx or Sphinx cat, named after the ancient Egyptian Sphinx, is a nearly hairless Canadian breed.
Character and appearance
Sphynx cats are medium in size and muscular. They have large ears, pronounced cheeks and a strong chin. On closer inspection you can see a light downy hair that covers the entire body.
Sphynx Cats are very intelligent, lively and very affectionate. Due to their lack of hair, it seems that these cats have a higher body temperature than other cats. However, this is not so. Due to the lack of fur body heat is however delivered directly through the skin to the outside, yielding to the touch of the animals has the feeling of excessive heat. Since the average energy requirement of a Sphynx is higher, they need more feed than other breeds. Due to the lack of fur skinned Sphynx cats are more sensitive to sunlight. You can get through unprotected sun contact sunburn and must be specially protected from the sun.
Origin
Even from ancient times to reports of hairless cats exist and the Aztecs are said to have held hairless cats. However, this was not correct on closer inspection. The oldest document along with a picture of hairless cats dates back to the 1902 Mexico.
However, the breeding lines of today's Sphynx cats are descended from cats from Canada. These were bred there since the sixties of course mutant cats from man. Since 1971, the Canadian Sphynx is recognized as a breed.
Legal situation
The prepared on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Consumer Protection, Food and Agriculture opinion on the interpretation of § 11b of the Federal German Animal Welfare Act (prohibition of torture rearing) from 1999 concludes that it then is suffering animals bred in Sphynx cats when the animals vibrissae are missing.
Related breeds
From Russia the Don Sphynx come. In these cats, another gene (that is inherited dominantly ) responsible for hairlessness.
Also from Russia comes the Peterbald. The breed Don Sphynx were bred Orientals to improve the type in cats in this breed.
Hawaiian breeders bred another subspecies of the Sphynx cat, which Kohona Cat whose skin has only small follicles and therefore is completely hairless.
Trivia
The most well-known Sphynx is SGC Belfry Ted Nude -Gent that. , The role of Mr. Bigglesworth, Dr. Evil's cat, plays in the film Austin Powers
Genetic Basis
Sphinx due to a mutation of the gene KRT71 ( Keratin ). The same mutation leads to a different phenotype, the Devon Rex. This breed has a short coat with wavy fur. It is therefore a polymorphism of the gene (see also: Phenotypic Variation # variations within a species and between species).