Hairless Cats

[oneh2obabe]

Why talk your friend out of getting the cat if that's the breed they want? As the old saying goes - to each their own.

In 1966 a domestic cat gave birth to a hairless kitten in Toronto Canada. It was discovered to be a natural genetic mutation and the Sphynx cat, as we know it today, came into existence. This cat and a few other naturally hairless cats have been found worldwide; produced by Mother Nature, they are the foundation for this unusual breed. Cat breeders in North America and Europe have bred the Sphynx to normal coated cats and back to hairless cats for more than thirty years. The purpose of selective breeding such as this was to create a genetically sound cat with a large gene pool and hybrid vigor. When properly bred, the Sphynx is a very robust breed with few serious health or genetic problems.

Living with a Sphynx from an owner's viewpoint.
https://www.catster.com/cats-101/living ... phynx-cats

What to know before getting a Sphynx.
https://pethelpful.com/cats/Sphynx-Cats

[Bsuds]

They are UGLY!

[GordonH]

impo our climate is to cold (mid-Fall to late Spring) for a Sphynx aka Hairless Cat.

[MalaPropina]

I have a friend that wants to get a hairless cat. I've been trying to talk them out of it as I don't support the industry of breeding them in the first place, and I hear they can be rather expensive to look after as well as having other issues that regular cats don't have.
Anyone had any experiences with these?

I don't have first hand experience but as someone who works in rescue I would strongly advise against it.

Most breeding involves heavy inbreeding which, as with humans, leaves the possibility of many future abnormalities such as heart disease, muscular function diseases and stomach issues are the most common with the breed.

They are very high maintenance. Because they have no fur they require regular bathing. If they aren't kept sufficiently warm after bathing they can develop respiratory infection. They are susceptible to cold and sunburn alike and require a carefully controlled environment. And they tend to be very needy and need almost constant attention. They are not a long living breed and their lifespan is less than most other breeds or mixed breeds.

Unless one has an easily disposable income and a lot of free time on their hands and/or works from home it's not recommended getting one.

Your friend would be much better off adopting instead of shopping. Or if she's not sure at this point were her life journey will take her and can't fully commit to a pet for the next 15-20 years or more perhaps she could become a foster. Many rescues are always looking for loving foster homes.

[normaM]

I would love one - but they are both expensive and quite needy. I have visions of opening the door to let the pupper out and poof there goes the cat.
They sweat poor things so our Summers here bad as the winters for them

[alanjh595]

If they are trying to avoid a cat allergy.......it doesn't work.

[Jlabute]

A friend of mine took care of a Sphynx for a while and actually enjoyed it. He wanted one himself. lol. They would for sure be an indoor cat and need regular baths to clean their skin and peach fuzz. While the individual breed might be susceptible to some issues, I don’t think you can blame that on interbreeding, otherwise all purebreds would have issues. They are a little more work, but they tend to be very affectionate too. There are something like 6 different types of hairless cats. Not my thing. If I did get a cat, maybe a savannah.

[MalaPropina]

A friend of mine took care of a Sphynx for a while and actually enjoyed it. He wanted one himself. lol. They would for sure be an indoor cat and need regular baths to clean their skin and peach fuzz. While the individual breed might be susceptible to some issues, I don’t think you can blame that on interbreeding, otherwise all purebreds would have issues. They are a little more work, but they tend to be very affectionate too. There are something like 6 different types of hairless cats. Not my thing. If I did get a cat, maybe a savannah.

Most purebred cats and dogs are susceptible to breed specific genetic issues. This is due to inbreeding to achieve certain breed standards for maximum resale value. Some are debilitating and life threatening, some aren't. Some are evident at a young age, some aren't. Some might never develop issues but still carry the genes, but the ones that do succumb tend to be very very costly. Some breeders are trying to "breed out" certain genetic abnormalities such as PKD in persian breeds but its all about money to most breeders... after the animal leaves their care they aren't responsible for genetic abnormalities and the suffering of the animal of the cost to the owner.

Savannahs are not good pets for people with no experience with the breed. Sadly, a large percentage of Savannahs end up abandoned, abused, treated horribly or left at shelters because they are not easly animals to live with and people can't handle them. They are wild animals. Yes, you see all these wonderful cute stories about them, but rarely do people even bother to look at the other side. There are sanctuaries and rescues devoted to taking in Savannahs and other wild bred cats to give them the care and proper environment to live their lives... they are not house cats.