Don Sphynx: cats and cats

The hairless look and distinct personality of the Don Sphynx make it a distinctive and eye-catching breed. These cats, who have their origins in Russia, are renowned for their loving disposition and close relationship with their human partners.

Despite their unusual appearance due to their lack of fur, Don Sphynxes are very gregarious and enjoy being the center of attention. They are wonderful pets for both individuals and families because of their lively curiosity and playfulness.

We will look at the traits of Don Sphynx cats, what makes them unique, and how to take good care of them in this article. You will discover all there is to know about these intriguing cats, regardless of whether you’re considering adoption or are simply interested in learning more about them.

Feature	Description
Breed Origin	The Don Sphynx is a hairless cat breed that originated in Russia in the late 1980s.
Appearance	These cats have a unique wrinkled skin and muscular build, with large ears and almond-shaped eyes.
Temperament	Don Sphynx cats are friendly, social, and love human interaction. They are known for their affectionate nature.
Care Needs	Due to their lack of fur, they require regular skin care to prevent oil buildup and need to stay warm.
Health	They are generally healthy, but may be prone to skin issues and need protection from cold weather.

History of the breed

To put it briefly, one lovely evening a young woman saw a lone, lost kitten on the road while she was making her way home from work. The fluffy lump in her hands started to tremble violently as she picked him up. He was taken home by Elena, a girl who felt sorry for him.

After a few days, weeks, or months, the woman noticed that her cat, Varvara, was suddenly losing a lot of hair. It was decided to seek advice from a veterinarian.

Elena started to question whether the cat really was ill and whether prompt medical attention was necessary. To the owner’s surprise, however, the cat was fully well, active, and happy, and the doctor found no signs of any abnormalities in his health. It was discovered that hairlessness was inherited and was resistant to treatment. It was later determined that the mutation is caused by a dominant gene.

As a result of the first mating, the cat gave birth to a litter, one kitten of which was given to Irina Nemykina. Then followed a long process of breeding the breed, and only with the birth of Chita, the daughter of Varvara and the local handsome Vasily, did the history of the origin of the Don Sphynx begin. Until 1990, they did not make any impression on felinological organizations, and Irina Nemykina had to make a lot of effort to get the breed registered in the WCF, which happened only in 1996. The associations have adopted abbreviations for the name Don Sphynx: DSP – according to the FIFe classification, DSX – according to the WCF classification.

Although the Don Sphynx is a relatively new breed of cat, it has already been used to produce the Peterbald, also known as the St. Petersburg Sphynx.

A review of Don Sphynx cats on video:

Description of the breed

Don Sphynxes are large, muscular cats with strong bones. They are also soft and warm to the touch, and they lack hair, which is one of their distinguishing characteristics. Cats are average in size, with males being noticeably bigger than females. We will next go over this cat breed’s description in more detail.

Head and muzzle

Don Sphynxes have superciliary arches, cheekbones that are well defined, and a wedge-shaped head. The cat has a flat forehead with numerous folds that spread out above the eyes. The nose of the cat is medium in length, and its muzzle has a slight pinch and round shape. Large, powerful teeth with long upper clicks that can even protrude under the lip characterize the Don Sphynx. The sphinxes have rounded ends, high set ears, and a slight forward tilt. Their medium-sized, almond-shaped eyes are set obliquely and have a slight covering. The eyes can have any color.

Body

The body has a medium length, robust, and proportionate structure. fairly large croup. The hind legs are slender, proportionate to the body, and longer than the front ones. The tail is lengthy and straight.

Skin and coat

The skin is velvety to the touch, hot, wrinkly, and elastic. Sphinxes frequently perspire and have acne. The sphinxes’ skin gets brighter and tans in the sun. The whiskers are thick and can be broken off or any length. It’s ideal to have wrinkles on the stomach, legs, shoulders, and in between the ears and on the muzzle. A high number of folds shouldn’t interfere with the body’s ability to operate normally.

The Don Sphynxes may have sparse, soft fluff all over their bodies during the winter.

There are four categories for the Don Sphinces’ wool based on its quality.

• Hairless ("rubber", "plasticine") – implies a completely hairless skin. Usually "rubber" kittens are born naked.
• Velour – the entire body is covered with thin short fluff, which to the touch resembles the fabric of the same name. With age, such cats can go 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 "вrush" – brush, bristly) – cats with long, hard and curly hair. Often there are areas of baldness on the head, neck and stomach. Brush sphinxes can periodically "dress" and "undress", which is associated with many factors (hormonal imbalances, pregnancy, weather, castration and other reasons).

Although they are not given titles at exhibitions, brushes are used in breeding It is permitted to breed. This is because weak kittens with significant mutations and a high degree of uncertainty are typically born in a litter consisting of two completely nude Donchaks.

There are hairy sphinxes but not completely hairless ones; some hair always stays on the nose, behind the ears, and occasionally on the tips of the tail. Furthermore, there is still a faint, undetectable fluff on the skin.

Colors

Any color is acceptable, as are all patterns and shade combinations with any quantity of white.

The hairless appearance and loving nature of the Don Sphynx make it a distinctive and captivating breed. These cats are very gregarious, creating close relationships with their owners, and are frequently characterized as devoted and entertaining friends. Don Sphynx cats are a wonderful choice for devoted pet owners who value their unusual beauty and loving nature, even though they lack fur and need special care to maintain healthy skin.

Character

An intriguing saying that describes the Don Sphynx breed is "Not yet a person, but no longer a cat." They are lively, kind, and devoted to their owners. They also enjoy affection and attention. Don Sphynx kittens between the ages of two and four months are highly energetic; they try their teeth at everything and are genuinely interested in everything that is present. Kittens enjoy their surroundings, are always looking for new adventures, and can become quite bored and even cry if left alone in the house for an extended period of time.

In adolescence, they become calmer, pay less attention to games and give all their attention to their owners. They begin to distinguish who treats them better, who pets them more, who feeds them, plays with them, and treat them accordingly, in their own way. It is at this age that the character and temperament of Sphynx cats are finally established, all the habits that they have acquired during this time are consolidated. Adult Don cats are the real pride of their owners. It should also be noted that the character of a Don Sphynx male differs from the character of a Don Sphynx female. Uncastrated cats are almost always concerned with procreation.

Don Sphynxes’s personality is heavily impacted by his upbringing, attitude toward the animal, and genetic predispositions, as well as by the upkeep provided by his owners.

Reviews of the breed

Of course, owner reviews cannot take the place of in-person interaction, but they can aid in developing a more comprehensive understanding of the breed and its overall perception. Don Sphynxes are calm, completely non-aggressive cats that are devoted to their owners yet maintain their independence and level of behavior with them.

Many pet owners describe their animals as intelligent, well-mannered creatures with unique personalities and habits that you will either have to accept or put up with.

There are roughly equal numbers of "tame" and "independent" Donchaks.

One cat’s tale:

In summary, we will highlight a few personality traits and attributes that are specific to the Rostov-on-Don breed of hairless cats:

• Don Sphynxes are not aggressive, they become very attached to their owner, they are clean and quite smart.
• They require a lot of attention;
• They are talkative;
• They can be touchy, but not vindictive;
• They love heat, they do not tolerate drafts and cold well. Sometimes you will have to dress the cat.
• They eat more and more often than other cat breeds;
• Donchaks require daily care;

Consider your financial and physical capabilities before acquiring a Don Sphynx. Do you have enough time to pay attention to this small child, play with him, caress, feed and wipe the ass from occasion to case, but regularly.

Don Sphynxes are limited to living in an apartment’s greenhouse environment. You must ensure that your pet has access to clothing because cold weather and drafts can cause colds. You should shield your cat from the harmful effects of UV radiation during the summer. To make your pet happy, make sure you know how to feed and take care of it. A scratching post, feeding bowls, toys, and a toilet with filler should all be purchased.

Like other breeds, Don Sphynxes are not hypoallergenic and can trigger an allergic reaction.

Don Sphynxes need their owners to give them constant, very demanding care on a daily basis.

Compared to other cat breeds, Don Sphynxes receive weekly baths with specialty shampoos. If this isn’t done, the skin becomes covered in dark sebum and smells bad. Because the groin and tail are more prone to rashes and contaminants, especially during adolescence, it is recommended to wipe the skin in these areas every day using a damp cotton pad.

Sometimes bathing can be replaced by wiping with a damp towel or baby wipes. After water procedures, the skin should be thoroughly dried with a towel and lubricated with baby oil or moisturizer. Sphynxes have virtually no instinct to lick themselves, which is due to the lack of fur, so small kittens, and sometimes adult cats, have to wash their bottoms after "big things". The eyes of Donchaks require special care due to the lack of eyelashes. They are regularly cleaned of sour spots and wiped with chamomile decoction or tea. Ears are cleaned about once a week. Claws on the front paws are cut once a week, and on the back ones once every two weeks.

Diet

It is important to note right away that hairless cats have a variety of features in their diet. This is because of the high heat transfer and increased energy exchange; in other words, a fast metabolism should be matched with proper nutrition. It is advised to feed Sphinx in tiny portions three to four times a day. It is essential to adhere to the feeding schedule.

The owner can choose to feed Don Sphynxes prepared food or natural food at all times.

You can cook the food yourself and choose a convenient diet if your cat isn’t picky. Meat, vegetables, a small amount of porridge, occasionally fermented dairy products, fish once a week, and a raw quail egg form the foundation of a natural diet. Make sure that courses have supplements of vitamins and minerals.

In the event that your dog is extremely particular and you are unable to feed him a balanced diet consisting solely of natural products, it is best to resort to premium-class ready-made dry food. High-calorie diets for domestic active cats or food intended specifically for hairless breeds are best suited.

Overeating is a common tendency among Sphynxes, which results in excessive weight gain. Such pets need to have their diet closely monitored.

Health and life expectancy

The main causes of skin issues for Don Sphynxes are inadequate hygiene and excessive sebum secretion, which creates a perfect environment for microbial growth. It is advised to perform a scraping in order to establish a diagnosis; treatment is only advised in response to the findings.

Many hereditary illnesses affect Don Sphynxes:

• Microphthalmos – a decrease in the eyeball. Congenital defect, leads to decreased vision and the development of other eye diseases;
• Kitten sleep syndrome most often occurs when crossing two "rubber" sphinxes. In babies, underdevelopment of a vital gland – the thymus, is noted, which leads to death;
• Correction of the spine in the caudal section is often associated with a number of other pathologies: underdevelopment of the intestinal sections, skeletal system;
• Shortening of the lower jaw can be of varying degrees and affects the quality of life in different ways;
• Vasculitis of the skin – inflammation of the walls of the blood vessels of the skin, to which Donchaks are most predisposed;
• Congenital inversion of the eyelids is corrected by surgical intervention;
• Nipple hyperplasia is observed when drugs to suppress the female"s sexual functions were used before pregnancy. Nipples swell, increase in size and are eventually recommended to be removed surgically.

Contrary to popular belief, Don Sphynxes do not typically have significantly higher body temperatures than other cats. Within normal bounds, it varies between 38 and 39.5 °C. It is closer to the lower limit in older and pregnant animals, and closer to the upper limit in younger animals.

Choosing a kitten and price

On a person, little Don Sphynx kittens leave a captivating impression. Imagine the following: a bunch of folded, chubby, nude lumps that are falling all the time.

Their early intellectual development is justified by their intense curiosity. One characteristic of the Don Sphynx is that, unlike other breeds, its kittens open their eyes within the first one to three days of life.

You must ensure the baby’s health regardless of the reason for purchase—for breeding, for display, or for yourself. The price of the Don Sphinces depends on a number of variables, including the animal’s class (for home, dilution, exhibitions), the floor, the kind of wool, the parents’ merits, and its cleanliness and rounded, elastic tummy.

Kittens without documentation, and thus without pedigree verification, are offered for sale on Avito for up to 5,000 rubles.

Cats in the PET class (undergoing castration or sterilization) with paperwork starting at fifteen thousand rubles.

The price of animals for shows and breeding can start at 35,000 rubles. additionally above.

Renowned for its loving demeanor and hairless appearance, the Don Sphynx is a genuinely exceptional breed. These cats have captivating appearances, but they also have kind, amiable spirits that make them the perfect companions.

They have strong bonds with their owners and crave affection, frequently going in search of warmth and comfort. Don Sphynxes, in spite of their peculiar appearance, are lively, inquisitive, and social creatures.

The Don Sphynx might be the ideal cat for your home if you’re searching for a unique-looking pet that is also very affectionate.

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