Although they may seem unfriendly, independent and not very affectionate cats, in reality Sphynx cats, also known as sphinxes, are one of the most affectionate and sociable breeds that exist. What makes the breed so popular is the absence of hair, which is due to a recessive mutation that occurred spontaneously in Canada in 1966, when domestic shorthair cats had a litter in which a cat was born hairless. This was not the first hairless kitten to be born, but it was the beginning of the selective breeding of hairless cats until the sphynx breed we know today.
Due to the inheritance of the absence of hair of the sphynx cat, a sphynx with hair cannot be born, but they can be confused. If you have adopted a sphynx cat and you have noticed that it has hair, keep reading and discover in this article on our site why a sphynx cat can have hair
Are there sphynx cats with fur?
The sphynx are medium-sized cats, with strong and muscular chests, with long and thin legs in which the blood vessels can be seen well. The expression of the look is unique, with deep-set eyes without any hair around. The head also has no whiskers or tactile hairs, it is triangular and rounded in the forehead area. The body is full of wrinkles and releases fat due to its accelerated metabolism, a consequence of the absence of hair and the need to maintain a higher temperature to compensate.
The characteristic of absence of hair that the sphynx have responds to a mutation of recessive origin, that is, for it to appear in the offspring it must carry the two recessive alleles of the gene, which are not transmitted in a dominant way. Or what is the same, assuming that the S gene is the one that produces this mutation (S as the dominant allele and s as the recessive allele), only sphynx cats that are "ss" will be born without hair and not those that are "Ss" or "H. H". However, for a cat to be truly considered to be of the Sphynx breed, two hairless specimens are crossed in the offspring, that is, "ss" so, in reality, no one can be born specimen sphynx with hair
Why does my sphynx cat have fur?
As we have commented, for a sphynx cat to be born, two hairless specimens (ss) must be crossed and, given this combination of genes, there is no room for a dominant allele (S) that makes born with hairAnother thing is if a hairless sphynx (ss) is crossed with a cat with hair or with some hair, whose offspring can be born with hair and with a of sphynx, hence the confusion. So, when in doubt as to why your Sphynx cat has fur, it is most likely a mongrel cat.
It is also possible to confuse sphynx cats with another breed of cat named don sphynx, which is very similar, but the mutation in this case has a dominant character and is different from that of the sphinx breed, so they can be born with some hair. In the don sphynx we can find four types of felines depending on the presence or absence of this characteristic:
- Brush: they are the ones with the most hair. They are born with it and progressively lose it in the head, neck and upper back.
- Velour: they are born with woolly hair that they lose throughout their first year, leaving some short hair on places such as the face, tail and legs.
- Flock: they do not have hair but they do have a kind of down that offers a velvety touch that disappears as time goes by.
- Rubber bald: they are completely hairless cats from birth.
What to do if my sphynx cat has fur?
If your sphynx cat has fur, you already know the reason and there is no problem, on the contrary. Sphynx cats that do not have hair have skin problems and are more sensitive to cold or very hot temperatures, so a good caretaker of these cats must be aware and keep the home at a good temperature. In addition, if they are exposed to the sun, especially in summer, we must protect them with sunscreens with filters for the sun's rays, since they are more predisposed to burns, allergies and other dermatological problems that would have a lower incidence with the presence of hair.
If you are allergic to cat hair You may be wondering if a sphynx with fur can give you a greater allergy and the answer is no Sometimes it is even favourable. In fact, the Sphynx cat is not among the recommended breeds for allergy sufferers and now you will see why. What really causes allergies is not the cat's hair, but the proteins in its saliva and the peeling of the skin, which is more abundant in a Sphynx cat, but if it has hair, these allergens are reduced by being trapped in it. For this reason, you shouldn't shave a sphynx under any circumstances, as we will be harming it and performing an unnecessary and counterproductive action.
Whether you have discovered that your sphynx has hair because it is a mongrel cat or because it belongs to another feline breed, keep in mind that the most important thing is not that it is of one or another breed or that it is a "pure" cat, but the company and affection that you give each other. Therefore, offer him all your love, know his needs to cover them and you will have a faithful companion by your side forever.
