Hairless Cat Breeds: Everything You Need to Know

If you are even so much as considering adopting a hairless cat, it’s important that you take the time to learn about these hairless breeds first. Hairless cats are a good option if you love cats but are allergic to cat fur, or simply prefer a hairless cat. But be prepared because hairless cats come with a lot of responsibility with their personal care. 

There are also some “almost” hairless cat breeds that could be an alternative option, should you change your mind after reading this article and learning about what it takes to care for a hairless cat.

About Hairless Cats: Their Background Story

The Sphynx is by far, the most common and well-known hairless cat breed. Their origin story is actually quite interesting. Back in the 1960s in Toronto, Canada, a litter of kittens were born but, because of a natural genetic mutation, one was born completely hairless. And thus, the Sphinx was born. 

Since then, these hairless cats have been selectively bred to expand and diversify their breed. Breeders have bred Sphynx with and without fur, on and off for years now. This is in order to create a large and diverse gene pool for this newly encountered breed of hairless cat. Doing this leads to minimal health problems overall. 

Hairless cat breeds prices can range anywhere from $1500 to $3000, depending on the specific breed, how purebred they are, and of course, the breeder themselves. These seemingly high costs have a lot to do with how special of a breed they are, in addition to how pure their breeding is. 

Hairless Cat Personality

Hairless cats have a wonderful and outgoing personality. They love their people and interacting with them. A hairless cat owner may come home from work to be greeted by their Sphynx talking up a storm and begging for attention. 

Hairless cats are also very intelligent and playful. This means if you are considering adopting one of these unique cats you will need a space for them to play and be active. Have some toys ready for them to play with, rather than letting their curiosity get the best of them and them potentially finding something that is not a toy to play with. 

Another interesting, yet not surprising, personality quirk of these cats is that they enjoy sleeping under the blankets with their owners. This should come as too much of a surprise, considering how cold they must be all the time without a fur coat. 

Caring for a Hairless Cat

Knowing how to properly care for a hairless cat is the most important thing to know and be prepared for before adopting one. They are a very special breed of cat that does not have fur, meaning their skin is going to need a lot of of attention. Their lack of fur also leads to other factors that need to be considered, including their temperature. 

Hairless Cat Skin Care

Hairless cat skincare starts with a weekly bath to wash off excess oils that are present on the skin due to their lack of fur. An over the counter hypoallergenic pet shampoo that is scent and dye-free will work just fine. It’s important to rinse off all shampoo so that there is no residue left on their skin to cause irritation. Also be sure to dry them off well after their bath to avoid them becoming too cold. 

Cleaning your hairless cat’s ears is also an important part of your weekly hygiene routine with them. Their ears will become dirty quickly, for the same reason their skin becomes oily: lack of fur. If you are unsure or nervous about cleaning their ears for the first time you can ask their vet to walk you through the process so that you can safely wash their ears during each bath time. 

Hairless Cat Temperature Management

A cat’s fur doesn’t just keep them warm, but it helps them to regulate their core body temperature to warmer or cooler, depending on their environment. This means, that you will need to accommodate your cat if you live in an area with extreme weather fluctuations such as summer and winter. 

In the hotter months of Spring and Summer, you will want to make sure there is a cool place for your hairless cat to go to cool down, otherwise, they could overheat. Likewise, in the cooler months of Fall and Winter, you need to provide your hairless cat with blankets or even a sweater to help keep them nice and warm.

Conclusion

Hairless cats make excellent companions and love to talk to and interact with their owners. It’s important to understand the type of care they require regularly. Hairless cats don’t have the personality for it but, they are high maintenance cats. Be prepared and knowledgeable of this fact before heading out to adopt a hairless cat for your home. 

If you now feel ready to adopt a hairless cat you are accepting the responsibility of weekly baths that include ear cleaning, the use of special shampoo, and thorough drying after their bath. If this is something that you feel you can handle, then know you are in for a long and loving relationship with your hairless cat.

How many breeds of hairless cats are there?

There are at least ten breeds of domesticated hairless cats that are known to man. These breeds include the Peterbald, the Donskoy, the Sphynx, and the Elf cat, just to name a few of the hairless cat breeds that are out there.

How to care for hairless cat breeds.

Hairless cats are a high maintenance type of domesticated cat. They especially need attentive skincare on a regular basis. Normally, a cat’s fur helps to control the level of oil that’s present on a cat’s skin. Due to their lack of a fur coat, hairless cats need regular bathing and skincare.

What are the hairless cat breeds?

The hairless cat breeds include the Sphynx, the Minskin, the Elf cat, the Peterbald, the Donskoy, the Dwelf, the Oriental Shorthair, the Bambino, the American Curl, and the Ukrainian Levkoy. These are the ten hairless cat breeds that are currently known of.

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