(ORDO NEWS) — The first representatives of the Sphynx breed appeared in 1966. But why did it happen that they do not have wool?
Sphynxes are easily recognizable by their lack of fur and folds on their bodies. However, they require good care, as their skin is sensitive to the sun and cold. In addition, they need to be bathed regularly.
However, they are not completely hypoallergenic, although they are better suited to allergy sufferers compared to other breeds. But why are they bald?
According to Charlotte Corney, zookeeper and founder of The Wildheart Trust, the gene responsible for providing hair with keratin protein (the keratin 71 (KRT71) gene) has mutated in these cats.
Interestingly, some sphinxes have hair, but it is very short and fluffy, it grows all over the body or only in certain places.
In addition to sphinxes, there are other hairless cats. They are obtained by crossing sphinxes with other breeds.
1 – Bambino. This is the result of crossing sphinxes with munchkins. These cats have large ears and short legs.
2 – Minskin. This is also the result of crossing a Munchkin with a Sphynx. However, cats of this breed are more like kittens. This was done by adding the genes of the Devon Rex and Burmese cats. Therefore, a cat of this breed will have a small and stocky body with short legs.
3 – Don Sphinx. This breed has nothing to do with the sphinxes themselves and it was discovered in 1987. The absence of hair in such cats is not a recessive, but a dominant mutation. This means that their offspring are more likely to be fur-free too.
4 – Peterbald. This is a Don Sphynx that was crossed with an Oriental Shorthair. Cats may not have not only hair, but also mustaches or eyebrows.
5 – Ukrainian Levkoy. This breed was obtained by crossing the Scottish Fold with the Don Sphynx. Cats at the same time are larger than cats.
6 – Elf. A breed of hairless cats, which was formed by crossing the American Curl with the Canadian Sphynx. From the first, the elf took the ears characteristic of this breed.
7 – Dwelf. Such a cat is the result of crossing three breeds: the Munchkin, the American Curl and the Sphynx. Such animals differ in a long body.
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