Sphynx cat

The Sphynx is a domestic cat breed with little or no visible coat, prominent ears, and wrinkled skin. Its hairlessness results from a naturally occurring genetic variant.

Cat coat genetics: The study of genes and inheritance patterns that shape domestic cats’ fur, color, and coat type. A recessive variant in this genetic system produces the Sphynx’s characteristic hairlessness.
Thermoregulation: The processes by which an organism maintains a suitable internal temperature. With little insulating fur, Sphynx cats lose heat readily and seek warmth.
Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: A heart disease in which the heart muscle thickens, potentially impairing cardiac function. The condition is reported in Sphynx cats, so veterinary screening matters.
Canadian Sphynx: The hairless cat breed developed from naturally occurring hairless kittens in Canada and subsequent selective breeding. The modern Sphynx breed traces its development to hairless kittens born in Canada in the 1960s.
Peterbald: A Russian cat breed that ranges from hairless to short-coated and often has a slender build. It is another hairless or sparsely coated breed, developed through a different breeding history.
KRT71: A gene that encodes a protein involved in hair formation and curly coat traits in cats. A variant in KRT71 is associated with the Sphynx’s reduced coat.
Sebum: An oily substance produced by sebaceous glands that lubricates skin and hair. Without a full coat to absorb it, skin oils can accumulate on a Sphynx.
Veterinary genetic testing: Laboratory analysis of an animal’s DNA to identify inherited variants or disease risks. Testing can help breeders assess inherited risks, though it cannot replace clinical examinations.
Prune (cat): A hairless kitten born in Toronto in 1966, often cited in accounts of the modern Sphynx’s origins. Prune became an early foundation cat in efforts to establish a hairless breed.
Donskoy: A Russian cat breed whose hairlessness arises from a dominant genetic variant. Its distinct genetic basis separates it from the Sphynx’s inherited coat trait.

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