Despite the unusual appearance and peculiarities of care, the life expectancy of the sphinx differs little from its relatives. These creatures live from 9 to 15 years, on average up to 12, but there are rare cases when a cat has lived to be twenty years old. If the animal is a full member of the family, it is important for the owner to familiarize himself with the rules that will help prolong the life of his beloved pet.
The longest life expectancy of this breed is 30 years.
The character of the Canadian Sphynx
Characteristics of the Canadian Sphynx
By nature, the Canadian Sphynx is an active, mischievous, playful cat. They are curious, sociable, quickly become attached to their owner, and need constant attention. But curiosity can ruin a sphinx, for example, if he tries accidentally left needles, buttons or beads on his teeth. Be careful. Unlike many of their fellow tribesmen, sphinxes are docile, completely devoid of rancor and not aggressive. They get along well with children and patiently endure even involuntary rudeness. It is almost impossible to piss them off. However, they are endowed with a subtle mental organization and react very poorly to aggression. If you shout at the sphinx or, even more so, beat it, the cat will receive severe psychological trauma. Dissatisfaction can be expressed using a stern but soft tone - the Sphinx will perfectly understand that he was wrong. Sphinxes are smart and easy to train. They can carry small objects in their teeth, perform tricks, and open doors. They willingly go for walks on a leash, so in sunny weather they can be taken out onto the grass. But make sure that the sphinx does not get sunburned. Canadian Sphynx cats get along well with other animals. They are not afraid of dogs, and they have practically no hunting instinct. Sphynxes are partial to plants. Therefore, to prevent them from encroaching on your ficus, buy them a tray with special grass. The Sphinx will be grateful if you buy for him not only toys, but also gymnastic equipment and labyrinths. They are hypoallergenic, so they are even suitable for families with a person who suffers from allergies. They do not tolerate loneliness well, so they need an owner who spends most of their time at home.
What is an animal
The Canadian Sphynx is good-natured, peaceful, intelligent, has an excellent memory, is very well trained, playful: if he is not occupied with anything, he will start playing pranks to get rid of boredom.
These cats are extremely loving and affectionate: they do not tolerate loneliness well (they fall into depression, become withdrawn and even aggressive), they love their owner very much: when he is at home, they follow him on his heels, ask to be held and, if allowed, sleep with pleasure next to him on the bed.
They sense the mood of their owner very well, and if they see that he is out of sorts or ill, they do not leave his side and try to cheer him up with affection and purring.
Sphynx care
Maintaining hygiene and caring for the Sphynx requires great attention; they do not have a protective coat, and their eyelids do not have eyelashes.
- Monitor the condition of the skin and keep it clean. Constant sweating, many sebaceous glands secreting fatty secretions cover the body with a dirty film and smell bad. To keep the skin clean and healthy, your pet is often bathed and wiped with wet wipes.
- Dust and dirt accumulate in the large form of the ears, which leads to dark waxy discharge. Care and maintenance of the Sphynx ears consists of removing mucus using swabs and cotton swabs.
- In the evening, discharge accumulates on the mucous membrane of the eyes, unprotected by eyelashes; they are transparent, similar to tears, and must be regularly removed with wet wipes. Dark, purulent accumulations in the corners indicate infection. In this case, immediately seek advice from a veterinarian.
Skin care
The skin of hairless cats resembles human skin and requires constant care for sphinxes, which includes the following hygiene procedures:
Basic moments
This cat is attractive not only for its unusual appearance. There are several benefits to keeping it in your home. The Don Sphinxes can be characterized as follows:
- very smart, obedient;
- loyal to the owner, strongly attached to him;
- good-natured, considered the most peaceful pets;
- friendly and affectionate, they require constant human contact;
- require a lot of attention, can be offended if they do not receive it;
- active, inquisitive, love to play;
- very jumping, can jump up to 1 m in length, easily master various tricks;
- requires minimal coat care, does not shed, and is a hypoallergenic breed;
- the body is soft, pleasant to the touch and very warm, temperature up to 42˚;
- They are only suitable for keeping indoors, as they constantly freeze and are afraid of drafts, so it is not recommended to let them outside;
- get along well with other pets and children;
- due to active metabolism, these cats have an increased appetite, they are constantly hungry, swallow food without chewing;
- they love to bask in the sun, but their skin is sensitive to ultraviolet rays and burns quickly appear;
- just like a person’s skin is prone to tanning and can sweat;
- the immune system is strong, but skin diseases often develop;
- the skin secretes a special substance similar to wax, brownish in color; with insufficient hygiene, pets can stain furniture;
- they have long flexible fingers on their front paws; cats can use them to pick up food and other objects;
- The peculiarity of kittens of this breed is that they are born sighted immediately or open their eyes after a few hours.
Hereditary diseases of sphinxes
The frequency of hereditary diseases is about 1-2%. These include:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. With this disease, the heart muscle thickens, due to which the volume of the ventricles of the heart decreases. This leads to disturbances in the functioning of the organ, and if the cat does not receive appropriate treatment, thromboembolism of the femoral, mesenteric, renal and cerebral arteries develops. The disease can manifest itself at any age and be asymptomatic, therefore, before any manipulations using anesthesia (castration, dental treatment, etc.), it is recommended to perform echocardiography.
- Mitral valve dysplasia. This is a congenital heart abnormality. It manifests itself during the 1st year of life with shallow rapid breathing (tachypnea) and audible breathing sounds. Treatment is carried out in case of congestive heart failure. A decrease in physical activity and restriction of salt in the diet are shown. Such cats are not allowed for breeding.
- Muscular dystrophy (myopathy). This is a genetic disorder that affects the muscles. It is non-inflammatory in nature. It is believed to occur due to a lack of alpha-dystroglycan in muscle tissue. It appears at the age of 6-9 months, after which it either proceeds statically or slowly progresses. There is no cure.
These diseases can significantly shorten a cat's life. Therapy for such conditions is aimed only at maintaining the animal. However, such diseases are relatively rare; sick animals are usually removed from breeding.
How long do Sphynx cats live at home?
The name of the breed directly indicates its origin. Sphinxes appeared in Egypt and they are considered the very cats that were worshiped as the earthly incarnation of the goddess Bastet. True, today such a characteristic can be found not only about sphinxes, so whether to believe it is a question. The first cats of this breed were discovered in America, from where they later came to Russia. The breed is considered quite young: it is not even a century old, and some of its representatives are even younger - they are 10-15 years old.
The lack of fur, which is the “calling card” of sphinxes, is a fixed genetic mutation. Initially, it was natural and rare, but later breeders secured it through crossing with short-haired cats. This mutation could not but affect the health of the animal, which became the reason for the frequent question of how long Sphynx cats live.
The average life expectancy of sphinxes is 9-12 years.
These numbers are indeed somewhat lower than those of other cat breeds. However, according to experts, sphinxes can live 13-15 years if they are carefully looked after. But only a few live to be 17-18 years old. When purchasing such a pet, you should prepare for the fact that it will need a lot of attention and care. Some owners even joke that with a sphinx it is no easier than with a child.
Healthy lifestyle
Caring for and maintaining sphinxes in the house is a great joy, but also a certain hassle. Like all of the cat family, the life of the hairless breed is short-lived, and how long Sphynx cats live largely depends on many conditions to ensure a happy and healthy life in the house, which can increase the life expectancy of hairless animals.
The following factors influence life expectancy:
Normal weight
Sphynx cats are prone to overeating, so you need to keep your pet's food intake under control. If cats are not restricted in their diet, they will become obese, which leads to health problems.
Movement
So that the pet can avoid gaining excess weight and to ensure energy expenditure, a playground is installed for it and they are provided with outdoor games. This will keep your pet in good physical shape.
Cleanliness and hygiene
Maintaining cleanliness is due to the fact that specific fat is secreted on the naked body, in the folds. Germs multiply on the skin if you do not bathe daily or when you wipe it coldly. Regularly wipe eyes and ears to remove discharge.
Body temperature
Hairless Sphynx cats do not have fur that can protect them from freezing. Changes in temperature make them catch cold easily. Therefore, they buy warm clothes for the winter and equip them with a cozy, warm place to sleep.
Tan
Hairless cats get burns after prolonged exposure to the sun. Therefore, they provide protective capes and protect them from direct midday rays.
Curiosity and Curiosity
Light, agile sphinxes are not only inquisitive, but also curious; in order to protect against injury, they remove dangerous objects away.
Loneliness
Sphynxes do not like to be alone; they get very bored when their owner is absent for a long time, so it is recommended to keep them in pairs or with another animal.
Heredity, diseases
The presence of long-lived grandparents gives a chance that the pet will not have congenital defects or diseases. It is very important to maintain good immunity by providing your pet with a nutritious diet.
Sterilization, castration
How long a Sphynx cat lives depends on the fact that if the owners do not plan to have offspring, then after sterilization, her hormonal processes are regulated, diseases of the reproductive system do not occur, diseases of the mammary glands do not appear, and her lifespan increases.
If the above conditions are met, the period of a happy and healthy life of sphinxes is extended, on average it is 9-12 years, but can reach up to 15 years.
Average lifespan of a hairless cat
How long do Sphynx cats live? This question interests every owner of such a charming pet. The breed is not long-lived, and the average lifespan varies from ten to twelve years. Hairless cats are native to Egypt.
The ancient Egyptians painted images of naked cats on vessels and frescoes and worshiped cats as deities. Animals were valued, fed with the best dishes, and presented with gifts. The sphinxes lived in temples, where they were given care no worse than the pharaohs. How long Sphynx cats live depends on the specific breed, be it Don, Canadian, or Brush. Also, life expectancy directly depends on care and living conditions.
Interesting facts about sphinxes
Contrary to popular belief, Sphynx cats are an ancient breed of cat, but this is not entirely true. Ancient hairless cats became extinct for various reasons, and sphinxes are an artificially bred breed that was created due to mutations.
Typically, Sphynx cats live for about 14 years. The longest living cat of this breed died at the age of 19 years. The key to success in the longevity of these cats is proper care and a minimum of stress.
Sphynxes are very hot animals, as their body temperature reaches 39 degrees Celsius. It was not for nothing that the ancient Aztecs used sphinxes as living hot water bottles. Given their temperature, cats of this breed are extremely heat-loving and cannot tolerate cold weather.
Sphynx cats are suitable for people who really want to have a cat, but are allergic to fur. The absence of hair is also a plus in caring for a pet. Sphynxes love to swim in warm water.
Newborn Sphynx cats have drooping ears, and their body is covered from head to toe with folds, some of which straighten out with age.
Hairless cats were considered sacred in many nations. Their gracefulness was glorified in antiquity, and the cult of cats in ancient Egypt did not bypass the oldest representatives of hairless cats.
Sometimes sphinxes do show aggression, but this is not the norm for their behavior. Aggressive sphinxes are cats that have suffered some kind of stress or received psychological trauma. Such cats should be gradually rehabilitated, but trust will be extremely difficult to restore.
Sphynx cats have very sensitive skin. They should definitely be stroked and scratched, as this gives them pleasure, makes them happy and even more attached to their owner.
Description of the breed
Don Sphynxes are massive cats with strong bones and developed muscles, soft and warm to the touch with a characteristic feature - the absence of hair. The size of cats is average, with males being much larger than females. Next, we will go through the description of this cat breed in detail.
Head and muzzle
The Don Sphynx has a wedge-shaped head with clearly defined cheekbones and eyebrows. The cat's forehead is flat with many folds that fan out over the eyes. The cat's nose is of medium length, the muzzle is slightly rounded with a slight pinch. The Don Sphynx has strong and large teeth, long upper clicks, which can even peek out from under the lip. Sphynx ears are set high, slightly tilted forward and have rounded ends. Their eyes are almond-shaped, medium-sized, obliquely spaced and slightly closed. Eye color can be any.
Body
The physique is proportional, strong, of medium length. Fairly wide croup. The hind legs are longer than the front legs, slender and proportional to the body. The tail is straight and long.
Skin and coat
The skin is elastic, bare and wrinkled, hot and velvety to the touch. Sphynxes tend to sweat and suffer from acne. Under the sun, the Sphynx's skin tans and becomes brighter. A thick mustache can be of any length or broken off. Wrinkles are desirable on the face, between the ears, around the shoulders, as well as on the legs and belly. A large number of folds should not affect the normal functioning of the body.
In winter, Don Sphynxes may develop sparse soft fluff all over their bodies.
Depending on the quality of the coat, the Don Sphynx is divided into four types
- Hairless (“rubber”, “plasticine”) - implies completely hairless skin. Typically, “rubber” kittens are born naked.
- Velor - the entire body is covered with a thin short fluff, which to the touch resembles the fabric of the same name. As they age, these cats may become bald.
- Flock - the skin is covered with short soft hair, which is almost invisible from afar, somewhat reminiscent of a peach. By the age of two, flock cats sometimes completely “undress.”
- Brush (derived from the English “brush” - brush, bristly) - cats with long, hard and crimped hair. Areas of baldness are often observed on the head, neck and abdomen. Brush sphinxes can periodically “dress” and “undress”, which is associated with many factors (hormonal imbalances, pregnancy, weather, castration and other reasons).
Brushes do not receive titles at shows, but are allowed for breeding. This is due to the fact that in a litter of two completely hairless Donets, weak kittens are usually born, with large mutations and often not viable.
There are no completely hairless sphinxes; residual hair is preserved behind the ears and on the nose, sometimes at the tip of the tail. In addition, a light invisible fluff remains on the skin.
Diseases of sphinxes associated with their hairlessness
Health problems can significantly shorten your pet's life. Especially if they were not detected on time and the animal did not receive proper treatment. Therefore, it is important for all owners to know about the diseases that most often affect sphinxes.
Skin cancer
This is an oncological disease characterized by the development of tumors on the skin. Occurs due to prolonged exposure of the animal to the sun. It can appear at any age, most often in the elderly (over 10 years).
Skin cancer can be recognized by its characteristic symptoms: any pigment spots that change in color or size. The disease develops very quickly, melanoma metastasizes to internal organs, primarily to the lungs, from which the animal dies in a matter of weeks or months.
Early diagnosis and monitoring by highly qualified veterinarians is extremely important. For treatment, the immunomodulator Roncoleukin is prescribed or surgery is performed to remove the tumor.
But most often, any therapy is aimed only at slightly improving the quality of life and slightly prolonging it. Therefore, disease prevention is necessary: limiting the pet’s stay outside to a few minutes, including on the balcony or in front of an open window. At the same time, he should be wearing clothing that covers his torso as much as possible. It is best not to allow the animal to be in the sun or even in the open air at all.
Respiratory diseases
Respiratory diseases occur due to hypothermia or as a result of contact with a sick animal. Among the first symptoms indicating that your pet is unhealthy are lethargy, loss of appetite, and difficulty swallowing. Soon these symptoms are joined by cough, difficulty breathing, possible bowel irregularities, increased tearfulness, and hyperthermia.
Does castration prolong the life of cats?
It is impossible to say unequivocally how long castrated Sphynx cats live. But we can say for sure that the operation will extend the life of the pet by two or even three years. Neutered cats are calmer, more balanced, they do not run off for walks, do not disappear for a long time, and the possibility of contracting sexually transmitted diseases is completely excluded.
Of course, there are also disadvantages to castration: the cat’s hormonal levels may become disrupted and obesity may appear. In order to avoid such problems, you need to feed your pet balanced food and monitor the amount of food consumed. It is difficult to monitor the standards for the food eaten by sphinxes, because they eat a lot even if they are not castrated. Large amounts of food are necessary to regulate body temperature. Since cats are hairless, they freeze, losing a lot of energy, hence the need to absorb large amounts of food.
How to choose and how much does an exotic kitten cost?
Purebred kittens should never be purchased from poultry markets or from dubious breeders, but for the Sphynx this rule takes on special significance.
Due to the high prices for exotic kittens, many unscrupulous breeders, in pursuit of profit, ignore the rules of compatibility during breeding, which for a breed based on a “natural error” can lead to fatal consequences.
Important! An inexpensive Canadian Sphynx, “possibly with defects” is an attitude that you should immediately forget about when choosing a kitten!
If you don’t want to see your pet suddenly begin to pull its hind legs behind it, scream painfully because its kidneys have failed, and die in terrible pain in your arms, don’t save money and buy only a purebred animal in a nursery with a good reputation.
Or adopt a barn cat from a shelter.
If we talk about numbers, it all depends on the class of the animal. As you know, purebred kittens are sold in three classes - pet, breeding and show. To put it simply, a pet-class kitten is a pet.
The animal has all the characteristics of the breed, but it is not used for breeding and must be sterilized.
The breed class assumes that a cat (males do not have this category) can be used for breeding, but it still does not reach the highest, “champion” characteristics.
Finally, show-class cats are exactly what allows you to do a real business selling kittens and receive various titles at international exhibitions.
The minimum price for a Sphynx kitten is $400. If you want to buy a cat with breeding rights, be prepared to pay at least 500–800 US dollars for it.
Finally, the cost of truly elite animals starts from 3 thousand dollars and can definitely reach 5 thousand.
Any purebred kitten is sold with a veterinary passport, which must contain all information about vaccinations.
If the animal is exported abroad, vaccination against rabies and additional documents confirming the kitten’s health condition are required (their list needs to be clarified depending on the specific country).
Did you know? Interestingly, the result of crossing Canadian Sphynxes and American Curls was another amazing breed of cat - the elf. These animals are even more similar to aliens than their progenitor, but the price is steep. The cost of an elf kitten starts from two thousand North American dollars.
Separately about the pedigree. Regardless of the conditions under which you buy a cat (with or without breeding rights), you have the right to receive a pedigree from the breeder, registered in your name.
Its presence confirms that the mating of the parents was officially registered in the club, and, therefore, took place in compliance with basic requirements for the cleanliness of the lines.
Another thing is that some breeders transfer the original pedigree to the new owner only after the animal acquired without the right to breed has been sterilized.
There are clubs that formalize such pedigrees right away, but with a note about the lack of breeding rights, both options are normal practice.
Important! If you are going to use the Canadian Sphynx for breeding, it is better for you to take a homozygous animal, that is, one that does not carry the “hairless” gene in combination with the Devon Rex gene. Such kittens are born without any fur at all, while heterozygous sphinxes always have light fluff at an early age. This difference in kittens lasts the first week, maximum two, after which the difference ceases to be noticeable.
If there are no Devon Rexes among the closest ancestors of your future pet, this does not mean at all that the animal is homozygous - the rules of genetics operate in such a way that a given gene can appear in any generation, and Devon Rexes were present in the creation of the breed of hairless cats, therefore, No one can give any guarantees of their manifestation.
Therefore, the only opportunity to purchase the correct “breeding material” is to visit the future seller in the first week after his cat lambs.
Origin story
The ancestors of modern hairless cat breeds were known back in the times of the Aztecs and were called Mexican Hairless. This breed was distinguished by its elongated body and wedge-shaped head, as well as long whiskers and amber-colored eyes. The last representatives of this breed did not leave any offspring in the last century.
Somewhere in the 30s of the last century, information about cats without fur appeared in countries such as the USA, Morocco and France. Despite this information, the year of birth of the hairless cat is considered to be 1966. This year, a hairless kitten named Prune was born in Ontario. When the kitten grew up and became an adult, it began to be crossed with its mother, and then with new offspring.
The results of such work had to be expected for several years, and already in 1970 this breed was registered with the CFA as a new breed of Sphynx. As for the United States, the ancestor of hairless cats is considered to be the cat Jezebel, who gave birth to two hairless kittens in 1976. This offspring subsequently produced the best breeder of Sphynxes in TICA.
After the breed was approved by TICA in 1986, other organizations agreed to allow Sphynx dogs to begin participating in championships.
Interesting fact! The first generation of Canadian Scythians in Russia appeared from the cat Nefertiti and the cat Aztec Baringa, who was nicknamed Pelmen. At one time, the founder of the Ruaztec nursery took a cat and a female cat from the USA.
The Canadian Sphynx today is considered the oldest and most sought-after breed, in whose veins the blood of the Devon Rex flows. The Don Sphynx was bred 20 years later, only in 1986, in Rostov-on-Don. The Peterbalds were born even later, only in 1994, and are of St. Petersburg origin. This breed is the result of crossing an Oriental cat and a Don Sphynx. The Ukrainian Levkoy was created as a result of the mating of the Scottish Fold and the Don Sphynx even later, only in 2000.
