The kohana cat is a feline from Hawaii and, in fact, is not a distinct breed, but a mutation of the sphynx cat, also being a completely hairless specimen as it lacks hair follicles. Temperamentally, it is an ideal cat for the home, as it has a docile, endearing, affectionate and playful character and gets along well with children and other animals. In the care of these cats, special attention must be paid to the protection of their sensitive skin due to the absence of hair, in addition to carrying out the same care and attention that any other cat needs.
If you want to know the origin of the kohana cat, its characteristics, character, care, possible he alth problemsand where to adopt a copy, continue reading this article on our site.
Origin of the cat kohana
The Kohana cat, also called the Hawaiian bald cat, Hawaiian hairless cat, or rubber baby, is an American small cat native to Hawaii that first appeared in 2002 At first it was thought to be the result of a natural mutation in a wild litter born in Hawaii that caused the total absence of hair, later it was thought that they had arisen from the cross between a donskoy cat and a sphynx cat, but it was more recently when the DNA was analyzed and it was concluded that it is a natural mutation that occurs occurs in the sphynx cat
International feline federations do not consider the Kohana cat as a breed, but rather as a variety of the Sphynx cat. Today it is a huge minority breed due to the fact that there are very few specimens and that those that exist usually present he alth problems due to inbreeding.
Kohana Cat Features
The kohana cat is a muscular, wide, medium-sized feline, which can weigh between 3 and 6 kg and measure 17 to 23 cm. The hind legs of these cats are longer than the front ones, which gives them a peculiar movement when walking. The musculature of these cats is very well defined, which is even more appreciated as they lack hair. They have a broad chest and a long, curved tail
The head is conical in shape, with large ears with curved ends and large, almond-shaped eyes. The nose is straight and the chin and cheekbones are well defined.
Kohana Cat Colors
The kohana cat is a feline that lacks hair and hair follicles, having rubbery skin to the touch, so the The color of these cats will be that of their skin, which is generally white, black or cream.
It should be noted that these muscular cats have wrinkles all over their bodies, especially on their heads, forehead and cheeks.
Kohana cat character
Kohana the cat is a very affectionate, sociable, intelligent, energetic and playful feline He loves spending time with his caretakers and enjoys a lot of be in the limelight. In addition, they always seek to be with the caregiver with whom they have bonded the most, because these cats tend to have a favorite person.
Being sociable, it tolerates home visits better than other breeds, as well as the introduction of new animals, as long as it is done correctly. He is always ready to play, so he does not hesitate to provoke and request games with his people. He doesn't like being home alone, so to avoid frustration and behavior problems, it's a good idea for this cat to have enough environmental enrichment resources in the home.
Kohana cat care
These cats are hairless, so they do not have hairball problems and do not require frequent brushing. However, the absence of hair greatly harms their skin, which is fully exposed to the sun, cold, allergies and pathogens. To prevent them from burning, they should apply sunscreen In the colder months, the house should be at a good temperature and putCoats for cats or blankets so they don't suffer the consequences of low temperatures. To sanitize their body surface due to the accumulation of a lot of fat and detritus due to the lack of hair, you can pass them cleaning wipes for cats or wet cloths, then it is essential dry them to avoid moisture and catch cold.
Continuing with the care of the kohana cat, the hygiene of the ears, eyes and teeth should be like that of any other cat to prevent infections and inflammations that affect said body locations. These cats also lack eyelashes, so eye hygiene cannot be forgotten to prevent eye conditions such as conjunctivitis.
Being so energetic and hairless, their energy needs are greater and, therefore, these cats require greater amounts of food per dayThe food must be complete and intended for the feline species, as well as given in several feedings with water always at its disposal, if possible on the move to encourage its consumption. Don't miss this other article where we talk in detail about What cats eat.
Finally, these cats require committed guardians, with enough time and desire to play and take care of them for a long time every day, since that, let us remember, are very demanding animals. Likewise, they should have at least one sandbox with suitable sand and, if possible, non-scented to avoid irritation. A scratching post, at a minimum, is also important for them to develop scratching behavior and prevent them from scratching on household furniture, as well as high places, interactive toys and other environmental enrichment measuresso that they are always active and do not get bored or develop behavior problems.
Kohana Cat He alth
These cats can live up to 17 years without problem, as long as they are not cats that have suffered he alth problems derived from inbreeding due to the limited availability of specimens around the world. If this is not the case, these cats can be in good he alth, without forgetting that you have to be very careful with dermatological problems, since due to the characteristics of their skin may be prone to developing them. Therefore, it is important to prevent them by protecting your skin on a daily basis and practicing good hygiene for the rest of your body.
In addition, to keep them in good he alth and quality of life, it is very important that good preventive medicine is carried out with deworming, vaccinations, sterilization and routine check-ups at the veterinary center. All this will allow us to prevent diseases and quickly diagnose and treat he alth problems that appear.
Where to adopt a kohana cat?
Adopting a kohana cat is extremely difficult and is not recommended due to the inbreeding of the breed and its he alth problems. If you have fallen in love with this hairless cat, you should know that there are also other feline breeds or crossbreeds of them that lack hair and that need responsible adoption. Even if they have fur, any other cat that you can find in your closest protector or shelter deserves your adoption just as much. And remember, before adopting a cat you should stop to think if you really are a good candidate, have the time and commitment that a living being needs to have a good quality of life.
If you want to adopt a kohana cat because it is allergic to cat hair, it is important to emphasize that it is not the coat that causes the allergy and that, therefore, the sphynx cat and its variants, Like the Kohana, it is not considered a hypoallergenic cat. We talk about it in this other article: "The best cat breeds for allergy sufferers".
