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The Don Sphynx is a cat breed that draws attention to itself with its amazing appearance. The reaction that causes a creature with big eyes, long legs and a complete lack of hair, can not be called unambiguous.
No one person can remain indifferent at the sight of such a cat. Although the emotions that it will cause may be different. Some are disgusted by looking at a bald animal, others are affection and admiration. But in most cases, the first emotion at the sight of this breed is a surprise, and after it is a delight.
The Don Sphynx acquired its popularity not so long ago, before people did not hear about it, and at the moment not everyone knows about this breed, but the demand for it has grown significantly and continues to grow.
Before reading the description of the breed, its features and character, you should temporarily forget about its appearance. The cat looks more like an alien creature: long legs, large ears, big eyes. But based feature of its appearance - the complete absence of wool. But there are many wrinkles.
Where did this breed come from? What was the source for the appearance of a cat of amazing appearance.
A bit of history
From the name it becomes clear that the Don Sphynx is a native Russian breed. The breeding of the breed began in 1987 in the city of Rostov-on-Don. The ancestor of the clan was an absolutely ordinary bald cat found on the street. Breeders have passed a long and thorny path, over the years of difficult work, they were able to breed a new breed, which was called the Don Sphynx.
It became known all over the world only in 1996. Naturally, in the beginning, no man took the appearance of such an animal seriously. People thought they were being played out, joking unsuccessfully, and treated the breed as a ridiculous mistake.But over time, it became clear that these are amazing cats. Opinion changed overnight. In a short period of time, the Don Sphynx turned from absurdity into an indicator of status and wealth.
The high cost, the original appearance, a small amount - thanks to all this, the popularity of such cats has increased dramatically.
However, there were problems with the number of individuals, since not so many of them appeared. Until about 2000, this breed was crossed with other cats, in most cases with the European Shorthair. This was done to strengthen the gene pool.
To date, the number of representatives of this breed around the world has increased, and such matings are no longer required, now the breed is clean.
It should be borne in mind that such an animal is the carrier of the dominant gene, which means that in the litter of kittens, where at least one of the parents was a Don Sphynx, most of them will show characteristic features of the breed. Because of this, breeding is quite simple. In addition, these cats usually have good health and good immunity, due to which the animal is resistant to viral and bacterial diseases.
Breed description
If you compare the Don Sphynx with the Canadian one, then its main difference will be that it has completely no wool, but in the cold season a barely noticeable fluff can form. The skin has a large number of wrinkles, it is pleasant to the touch, slightly velvety and hot. Excess skin is collected by folds in the lower body, in the abdominal and groin area, on the legs.
The body of the animal is powerful, strong bones, musculature is well developed. Paws and fingers on them are thin and long. The head has the shape of a triangle, the ears are large, also triangular and slightly rounded at the tips. The eyes are large, expressive and slightly slanted. Individuals of the male have a much larger size than the female.
When the kittens are born, they have a slight soft fluff, but after a while it falls.
Inside the breed animals are born, the hair of which is short, hard and resembles a brush. Such males and females will not be able to achieve valuable awards at exhibitions, but they are actively involved in breeding the breed. Thanks to their use in such work, it is possible to reduce the birth of animals with “marriage” - problems with the heart, bite, eyelids and other defects.
Different colors of Don Sphynx are allowed.
Cat character
A cat of this breed has a peaceful nature and never shows any aggression. The animal is kind and affectionate, very attached to its owner. However, his behavior shows that he is not just a pet who depends on him, but a full-fledged member of the family.
The cat is friendly not only to the person, but also to other pets. However, adult males do not always get along well with other males, although in this case the nature of the animal is more influential. Such cats need to communicate, they do not like to be alone, so if the owner is often absent, it is preferable to contain two animals.
Cats have a calm character, they are lazy, but at the same time they love to play. Their favorite pastime is to curl up into a ball in a warm place and take a nap. However, when they are awake, they happily run around the house, looking for entertainment.
If to compare with other breeds, Don sphynxes do not often bite and scratch, therefore they will be an excellent option for a family with a child.
Human relationship
Caress and communication are very important for the Don Sphynx, so in some cases, the pet can be intrusive. However, such cats very well capture the mood of a person.
Schooling to the tray, the daily routine passes for cats of this breed easily. They can even be trained - they will be happy to learn some not difficult teams.
The animal has a powerful energy, due to which the breed is attributed to healing properties. Not established, true or misleading. However, the ancient Egyptians precisely hairless cats were considered healers of diseases.
Fans of this breed say that even touching the velvet skin not only has a positive effect on mood, but also allows you to get rid of fatigue.
It is believed that bald cats do not cause allergies, but it is impossible to say for sure whether this is so. Therefore, before acquiring the Don Sphynx, it is desirable for some time to closely communicate with the animal.
How to care for the Don Sphynx
Such cats can not live in natural conditions, they need the owner to take care of them and respect some rules of the content.
Due to the fact that the animal is absolutely bald, it is very dependent on low temperature: a small draft, a slight cooling will necessarily lead to the fact that the pet has a cold. For this reason, it is necessary that the content of the cat was held in warm conditions, it is not recommended to take it out of the house, if there is no urgent need for it.
If suddenly the temperature in the house for some reason decreases, then measures should be taken for additional heating: turn on the heater, or put a warm overalls on the animal - at the moment a large amount of clothes for cats is sold in specialized stores.
The skin on which there is no hair, have a negative effect of ultraviolet rays, so in the warm season you should not get too carried away by exposure to the sun. To protect your pet from burns, you can use a simple sunscreen designed for people.
The Don sphynx metabolism is accelerated, so they need enhanced feeding: the cat can not long retain body heat. To maintain the optimum temperature, it needs a large amount of energy.As a rule, pets of this breed are fed 3-4 times a day. It is necessary that the pet menu is rich in protein. It is better if this is premium food. Cats will gladly eat sweets, fruits, vegetables, rich products, but you should not fulfill all the whims of your pet without any ado, otherwise there will be violations in his digestive system, or an allergic reaction will occur.
Since the breed has no wool, it becomes obvious that it is not necessary to care for it. But the sweating of such cats is very abundant. In addition, the skin is oily. To remove such effects, the pet should be cleaned once a day with a soft cloth or a damp, alcohol-free napkin and bathed once a week.
At the same time, special attention should be paid to the folds, since they can accumulate pollution, which creates an ideal environment for the reproduction of pathogens, and, as a result, the appearance of a strong odor. Water procedures should be carried out in a warm room, you must use water, the temperature of which is not less than 38 degrees. After bathing your pet, wipe it dry with a soft towel and treat the body with Vaseline or baby cream, then wrap it in a warm blanket.
It should be noted that Don Sphynxes calmly endure when they brush their teeth and ears, cut off their claws and carry out other hygienic procedures, since they completely trust their own owner.
Sphynx eyes are highly susceptible to infections because they do not have eyelashes, which means there is no natural protection. For this reason, 2-3 times a week, the pet's eyes should be treated with chamomile extract or simple brewing. Big ears are stronger than those of other breeds, they are exposed to pollution - they are cleaned once in 1-1.5 weeks.
Don Sphynx and other pets
Cat health
Animals of this breed have endurance and good health, therefore, if properly care for them, they will not give them any particular trouble.
Unlike many other hairless breeds, Don Sphynxes do not need to be present at birth. In most cases, they occur in a short time and without complications.Kittens are born strong, after three days their eyes are being cut. It rarely happens that babies are born already with open eyes. In this case, you must immediately treat them with a non-concentrated manganese solution. This will help avoid the occurrence of infection, the eyes will not water and sour.
Video: Don Sphynx
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