Introduction

Though hairless cats have always existed, the weird looking Sphynx appeared as a breed in the 1970s in Canada. Imported from Toronto to the Netherlands by Dr Hernandez, the first Sphynx founded lines in France before reaching the United States. Sphynx’s hairlessness, from total absence of hair to suede-like down hair, results from a spontaneous mutation. The specificity of this breed does not only reside in its hairlessness but also in its unique distinguishable type.

Head:

medium, the head is longer than wide. It is wedge shaped with defined rounded contours, high cheekbones and pronounced pinch. From the side, top of skull and forehead are flat, continued by a concave curve, from bridge of nose. The latter is straight.

Muzzle:

rather short, rounded and well-developed, the muzzle is strongly pinched, detached from the skull. Whisker pads are well-rounded. The chin is firm and well defined.

Eyes:

lemon shaped, the eyes are large, well opened and expressive. All colours are accepted in relationship with coat colour.

Ears:

very large, the ears are wide at base and open. Set as much on top as on the side of the head, the lower base being in line with the outer corner of the eye, they should look oversized compared to the head. The interior is totally hairless and they are rounded at tip.

Neck:

medium sized and well-muscled, it is arched with the head coming well off the shoulders.

Body:

semi-cobby in type, the body is firm. The musculature, well-defined under the skin, is round. The chest is barrel-shaped, broad and deep. The abdomen is well-rounded, as if the cat had recently eaten, without sign of obesity. Hips and croup are rounded.

Legs:

the legs are rather finely boned, yet firmly and well muscled. The forelegs are slightly arched.

Feet:

oval, the feet have fine elongated and prominent toes. Paw pads are thicker than in other breeds, which gives the impression that the Sphynx walks on air cushions.

Tail:

the tail is long, whippy and slightly thick at base, looking like a rat’s tail.

Skin and texture:

the skin of the Sphynx can be totally bald or chamois-like. The skin is very wrinkled in kittens. The adults should retain as many wrinkles as possible, especially on the head, although wrinkling should not be so pronounced as to affect the cat’s normal functions. Whiskers and brows are sparse or absent.

Allowances

A few hair tufts are acceptable on some areas of the body: base of ear, nose, scrotum, end of legs, end of tail.
Jowls can be very prominent in adult males.

Penalize

Cobby type.
Concave curve of profile not distinct.
Almond shaped eyes.
Ears not oversized compared to the head.
Narrow chest.
Short tail.
Lack of wrinkles on head.

Withhold all awards

Frail or delicate look, thin body, fine boning in adult cats.
Foreign type.
Strictly straight or bumped profile.
Small ears.
Corkscrew tail.
Hair that looks like the Devon Rex’s wavy hair or the Cornish Rex’s hair in molt.
Obvious depilating and/or shaving.
Dirty ears and/or nails.
General show penalties and withholdings.