Don Sphynx: character, care and maintenance

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Don Sphynx (born Donskoy cat) is a breed of domestic cats that attracts attention with an unusual look. It seems that his peculiarity is to cause a mixed reaction in people.

None of them will remain indifferent, and various reactions, from shock to admiration, from delight to disgust. But more often the first reaction at the sight of the Don Sphynx is a surprise, and then admiration.

After all, it became popular relatively recently, before that people didn’t know about it, and even now few people know it, but the popularity of the breed is growing as an epidemic.

The appearance of this breed is characterized by harmony, nothing can be taken away so as not to disturb it. Therefore, she has such high standards. But where did she come from? What was the source for the emergence of such an unusual cat?

Care for Don Sphynx kittens

If you decide to buy a kitten, it is best to do it in the nursery, since you will receive a healthy, mentally mature animal, accustomed to the tray and with the relevant documents. But buying in other places, you are pretty much at risk.

In order for the kitten's immune system to adapt to a new place, it takes some time. You should be especially careful if there are other animals living in your house that are outside.

Their immune system deals with billions of bacteria that don’t know the domestic Don sphinxes. So within two weeks it is better to isolate the kitten from other animals, plus during this time he will get used to the new environment and people.

You can not dramatically change the diet of a kitten, as this can lead to indigestion. If you change the type of food, do it gradually, mixing them. A one-time change is possible only if you have an allergic reaction to this type of cat food.

You need to feed three times a day: in the morning, at lunch and in the evening. If the time of your feeding and feeding the kitten does not match, then he will get used to it and will not expect a piece from the table. By the way, these are gourmets and they often eat things that are unusual for cats: raw potatoes, tomatoes, bread, noodles, and even mushrooms.

With pleasure eat green grass. You need to be careful with raw chicken, as the Don are more susceptible to salmonella than other breeds of cats. And yes, you should not give tubular bones, the same chicken, for example. Being cracked, they form sharp edges that can pierce the internal organs and kill the cat.

Instead of tubular bones, cartilage, ligament and soft bones can be given.

It is necessary to bathe a kitten on a weekly basis, since they are well tolerated. To do this, fill the bath with warm water (about 40C), lower it and gently wash it using a soft cloth. After the bath, wrap it in a towel and let it dry. By the way, this time can be used to trim the claws.

That's the whole story about a wonderful cat, which is so unlike others. It turned out to be far from complete, and there is much more to be told. I would be glad if you complement, correct or tell your experience in the maintenance of the Don Sphynx, in the comments to this article.

Want to buy a Don Sphynx kitten? Remember that these are purebred cats and they are more capricious than ordinary cats. If you do not want to buy a Don cat and then go to the veterinarians, then contact experienced breeders in good nurseries. There will be a higher price, but the kitten will be accustomed to the tray and vaccinated.

A bit of history

It is not necessary to be a rocket scientist in order to understand: the breed is native and bred in southern Russia by Rostov felinologists. The ancestor was the most common half-grown pooch found at the city dump. The breeders' path was long and thorny, for 10 years of hard breeding work they managed to get a new breed - the Don Sphynx. She received worldwide recognition in 1996.

Description of the Don Sphynx breed

Unlike the Canadian Sphynx, the Don is completely hairless, although by the winter period a slight fluff may appear. The body is wrinkled, tender, slightly velvety and hot to the touch. Excess skin in large folds is collected in the lower part of the body: on the abdomen, groin and legs.

Cats have a strong physique, strong bones, developed muscles. They have high legs with thin elongated fingers, a triangular head with triangular huge ears rounded at the ends, and slightly slanting eyes. Dimorphism is expressed: males are much larger than females.

At birth, kittens have a faint soft fluff, which eventually falls. A distinctive feature of the newborn Sphynx is the presence of twisted whiskers and eyebrows - vibro.

Inside the breed, individuals are born with coarse short hair, resembling a brush, with patches of alopecia in the head, back and neck. Such cats and cats can not get high titles at exhibitions, but they are actively involved in breeding the breed. Their use in breeding work reduces the appearance of "defective" kittens with heart disease, twisting of the eyelids, impaired bite and other pathologies.

Color is allowed and recognized by anyone.

The character of the Don Sphynx

Peaceful animal, absolutely not suffering from any aggression. Very tender, gentle, kind, strongly attached to the owner, but behaves not as a dependent pet, but as an equal member of the home society.

Sphinxes have a calm disposition, lazy, but at the same time playful. Most of the time they prefer to spend in a nap, curled up in a warm place. In the period of wakefulness, they will be happy to rush around the apartment in search of entertainment.

Sphinxes and man

Sometimes they are annoying - they need to communicate and caress, but they feel the mood of the owner. They are well trained: they quickly learn to pot, the mode of the day, are amenable to training - they are happy to learn a few simple tricks.

A strong biofield and an amazing energy have earned the breed petitioners fame for its healing properties. Like it or not - it is not known, but in ancient Egypt, it was bald cats that were considered healers of illnesses. According to fans of sphinxes, one touch to the velvety skin has a beneficial effect not only on the mood, but also helps relieve fatigue.

Many consider the Don Sphynx to be a hypoallergenic breed of cat for humans, but it is impossible to say for sure how true this statement is. It is advisable before you ever get a bald pet for a few days to talk closely with him.

Rules care for the Don Sphynx

Bright representatives of the breed are not adapted for life in natural conditions, they require increased care and compliance with special rules of maintenance.

The lack of wool made animals dependent on cold: the slightest draft, lowering the ambient temperature below comfortable will inevitably lead to colds, so keep them warm and not endure unnecessarily outside.

If suddenly it becomes cold in an apartment for some reason, then it is worth taking care of either additional heating of the room with an electric fireplace or warm clothes for the pet - it’s good to find a cat jumpsuit in our time is not difficult.

Bald skin reacts negatively to ultraviolet, so in the summer you should not get carried away with excessive sunbathing. To protect against burns, some lovers suggest using regular sunscreen for people.

Increased metabolism requires and enhanced feeding: the animal is not able to maintain the heat of its own body for a long time, and it needs a lot of energy to maintain the desired temperature. Sphynx usually fed 3-4 times a day, the diet should include food rich in protein. They are happy to eat sweets, muffins, fruits, but you cannot indulge in all the whims of pets, otherwise digestion problems or allergies will appear.

Sphynxes are bathed more often than furry counterparts, about 1-2 times a month. Once a week, the skin is rubbed with warm cloth or wet wipes without alcohol. During bathing, all wrinkles are especially thoroughly washed, in which dirt can accumulate, accompanied by the proliferation of bacteria and, as a result, the appearance of an unpleasant odor. Wash the animal in a warm, even hot room, the water temperature is not below 38 ° C. Immediately after the procedure, the pet is wiped dry with a towel, smeared on the skin with baby cream or petroleum jelly and wrapped in a warm blanket.

By the way, any hygienic procedures (cutting of claws, cleaning of ears, teeth, etc.) sphynxes endure stoically - they completely trust their master.

The eyes of “donchaks” are susceptible to infection, since there is no natural protection - eyelashes, so they are rubbed several times a week with decoction of chamomile or ordinary tea leaves. Huge ears are subject to pollution - they are cleaned every 7-10 days.

Don Sphynx Health

Very hardy and strong pets that, with proper care, do not cause trouble with health.

One of those breeds that does not require the presence of a person at birth - almost always they pass quickly and without pathologies. Kittens are born strong, on the third day they open their eyes. In rare cases, babies are born with eyes that have already been cut through, which requires immediate treatment with a weak solution of potassium permanganate - this will prevent the development of infection, lacrimation and souring.

TV World TV channel about Don Sphynx:

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History of origin

The Don Sphynx breed takes its origin from the cat Barbara, which in 1987 was found on a street by a resident of Rostov-on-Don. A street kitten, then a kitten, struck a woman with a complete lack of wool, so she took him home.

It is thanks to this woman who has taken, fed and looked after the kitten today there is a breed of Don Sphynx. The first descendants of the Barbara cat did not have official affiliation to any breed, and therefore they were called either “Don” or “Russian Hairless” or even “Russian Lysaka”.

However, over time, perhaps by analogy with the Canadian Sphynx, to which this breed is so similar, the final name was defined - Don Sphynx. The lack of wool in the Don Sphynx is caused by a mutation similar to that due to which Canadian Sphynxes exist.

The only difference is in the greater dominance of mutations in the case of Russian sphinxes. Although, the dominance of the gene is also not complete, and that is why we have partially naked (heterozygous) and completely naked (homozygous) representatives of the breed.

Simply put, if you cross the Don sphynx with cats with normal hair, then the “hairless” mutation will manifest itself in kittens. But its development can be in one of three options: completely naked kittens, velor kittens and “Brush”.

Breed standard - appearance

The Don Sphynx is a medium-sized cat breed. The body is powerful, muscular. The back is straight.
The limbs are of medium length, the paws are slightly rounded, the fingers are long.
The tail is straight, of medium length, with a rounded tip.
The head is wedge-shaped. The forehead is flat, with vertical folds.
The nose is straight, medium length. The muzzle is short, rounded. Chin is strong.
The ears are large, set high, rounded at the tips and slightly tilted forward.
The eyes are almond-shaped or oval, of medium size, of any color.
Wool is completely absent or almost imperceptible fluff present. Numerical folds on the head, abdomen. Colors are varied, everyone admits.

Pros and cons of Don Sphynx

Character is focused only on the owner: Sphynx will lack human warmth and participation during the day, which means that the daily absence of the owner is undesirable. According to breeders and owners, these cats can be selfish, so most likely they will not tolerate other animals.

Kittens or adult animals sometimes have to be “insulated”, i.e. buy or sew and knit blouses themselves. However, if the mistress likes to do needlework, then a naked pet is for such lovely ladies.

Care of the Don Sphynx

Care of the Don Sphynx has its own characteristics, because it is difficult to find another breed of cats, which was just as far from the conditions of the natural habitat. These cats are very thermophilic, so you need to keep them only in warm rooms where there is no draft.

Don Sphynxes also need to be fed better than other breeds - they need to be given more food, because they have a very strong heat transfer and, as a result, a great loss of energy. Feed should be several times a day - divided by about 3-4 meals.

It is desirable to select the diet carefully, after consulting with experts. These cats can eat a lot: vegetables and fruits, sweet, flour. However, it is not worth while giving them everything they want - then they may have problems with the stomach or intestines.

Don Sphynx can not bathe often, just wipe it with a warm damp cloth. However, bathing for dons is necessary, because if you don’t do this, pets start to smell unpleasantly and there is a possibility of various diseases.

Many hygienic procedures don the Sphinx of the Don much easier than their other cat counterparts. For example, clipping claws they freely trust people. In this case, the owners should not be afraid of being scratched by their pets.

Kittens quickly understand how to use a cat's toilet, which saves their owners from many troubles. They also quickly find common language with other pets. They are so peaceful that they can exist without conflicts even with dogs.

The health of a cat can always be determined by its appearance. And we can say with confidence that it directly depends on proper nutrition. What do wild cats eat in the wild? Meat caught birds, mice, rats and even fish. Nobody will undertake the rapacity of cats to challenge.

Even if it is a purebred cat, whose ancestors spent their lives on soft sofas and ottomans, then nothing cardinally changes. Proper nutrition - balanced nutrition. For the breed Donskoy Sphinx, nutrition should be even more balanced.

How to achieve this balance? The diet of the cat should contain all the necessary substances: proteins, carbohydrates, fats and vitamins. If something is missing, then the chance of disease and ill health increases.

Health and Diseases of the Don Sphynx

Very hardy and strong pets that, with proper care, do not cause trouble with health. One of those breeds that does not require the presence of a person during childbirth, almost always they pass quickly and without pathologies.

Kittens are born strong, on the third day they open their eyes. In rare cases, babies are born with eyes already cut through, which requires immediate treatment with a weak solution of potassium permanganate - this will prevent the development of infection, lacrimation and souring.

Facts about the Don Sphynx

Prior to breeding a special genetically modified breed of hypoallergenic cats, sphinxes were the only breed that people with cat fur allergies could keep at home. However, a reaction to the sweat or saliva of sphinxes is possible, therefore, people with allergies have to be prudent and do special tests.
Cats reach sexual maturity by about a year, and roughly half of them are tagged. The number of kittens in the litter varies - from 2 to 5, but more often 3-4 kittens. Sphynxes give birth normally, the tendency to pathology is not observed. Mother-cats are very “dairy”, milk just sprinkles, so nursing cats sometimes have a tendency towards mastitis.
There are lines of sphinxes that are genetically prone to obesity, which manifests itself in appearance as a hanging fat bag on the stomach, thighs, and withers.

Conclusion about the breed

The breed of cats Don Sphynx has one of the youngest pedigrees. But, despite this, she managed to find many supporters thanks to her "unearthly" appearance and very good character. Immediately, we note that the Don Sphynx - this is not necessarily absolutely naked cats.

Purebred cats are also considered with a partial wool coat. This is especially true of kittens, because they often have wool after birth, and as they grow older, it gradually disappears.
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Breed Reviews

The Don Sphynx is a balanced and calm cat. She is sensitive, funny and not at all aggressive. Playful and inquisitive. Smart and sensitive. Very fond of people, sometimes to obsession. Gentle and affectionate. Ready to participate in all household chores.

Curious to strangers. Lives well with other pets. He loves children. She likes to sleep under a blanket.

Prices for Don Sphynx

Unlike many young breeds that are just waiting for world success, Don Sphynxes are already basking in the rays of glory. In Europe and in America, in Russia and in Ukraine, nurseries offer beautiful kittens that meet the standards of the breed and the expectations of people in love with them.

The price of a kitten of this breed can vary from 9 thousand rubles to 30 thousand rubles (3 000-10 000 UAH). The cost is influenced by many factors, among which the reputation of the nursery is not the last.

Our advice

Sphinx is a very sociable and unpretentious cat. На нее достаточно взглянуть один раз, что бы понять -это хрупкое и ласковое животное всегда при всем своем желании никому не способно причинить зло. Все представители данной породы хорошо уживаются с другими животными, в том числе и с собаками.

In food, sphinxes are unpretentious and with appetite they eat everything that the owner offers them. Sphinxes are extraordinarily intelligent, they should not be specially taught to do anything: it’s enough to show the kitten one or two times what and where, and he will understand everything himself.

Before buying a Sphynx kitten, the future owner should seriously think about whether he can give his pet enough time and if he has enough patience to care for the cat, at the same time they do not need a comb, brush and scissors, they do not cause problems with molting.

The lack of wool and musky smell makes sphinxes ideal companions for people with allergies. It is also necessary to decide for yourself who to take - a cat or a cat. Sphynx cats are wonderful moms, have a balanced character.

Sphynx cats are more active and capricious than cats, problems with them can arise during puberty. Despite the presence or absence of pedigree on a kitten, there are several signs that you should pay attention to when choosing a sphinx.

First of all, it concerns the health of a kitten. The conditions in which kittens are kept, how mobile they are, and sociable play a considerable role. To judge the health of a kitten is in its appearance. The main criteria on which to choose, is the exterior, the condition of the skin (wool - if any), eyes, ears and teeth.

In most cases, a kitten's lethargy is indicative of his illness: the animal must be active and curious. Sphinx skin should be clean, supple and soft. The ears are not contaminated, there should be no discharge in the eyes.

By age, it is better to buy a kitten from 2.5 months, it can already eat on its own, most often accustomed to the tray. As with young children at this age, all sorts of incidents can happen, but they are all fixable, sphinxes are very easy to learn.

The history of the breed

If in brief, then one evening, one young woman, returning home from work, saw on the road a lost, lonely kitten. She took him in her arms, and in her hands the fluffy little ball began to tremble violently. A girl named Helen regretted him and decided to take him home.

The days went by, the weeks of the month, and suddenly the woman noticed that her cat, which she called Barbara, was beginning to lose much wool. The decision was made - to consult a veterinarian.

Elena's doubts crept in that the cat was sick and she needed to take adequate treatment immediately. But, to the surprise of the hostess, the cat was completely healthy, active, cheerful, and the doctor did not diagnose any abnormalities in the state of health. Hairlessness was resistant to any procedure and began to be inherited. Later it was possible to establish that the gene that causes the mutation is dominant.

As a result of the first mating, the cat was born litter, one kitten of which was given to Irina Nemykina. Then a long breeding process followed, 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 the felinological organizations, and Irina Nemykina had to make a lot of efforts for the breed to be registered with the WCF, which only happened in 1996. In associations, abbreviations are adopted for the name of the Don Sphynx: DSP - according to the FIFe classification, DSX - according to the WCF classification.

Don Sphynx (Don Sphynx) is a relatively young cat breed, but it has already been used to breed another cat breed - the St. Petersburg sphinx or St. Petersburg.

Video review about cats breed Donskoy Sphynx:

Head and muzzle

In Don Sphynx, the head has a wedge-shaped shape, clearly defined cheekbones and eyebrows. The cat's forehead is flat with many folds, which fan out over the eyes. The nose of the cat is of medium length, the muzzle is easily rounded with a slight pinch. The Don Sphynx has strong and large teeth, long upper cliques that can even look out from under the lips. Sphynx ears are set high, slightly tilted forward and with rounded ends. The shape of their eyes is almond-shaped, of medium size, obliquely spaced and slightly covered. Eye color can be any.

The constitution is proportional, strong, of medium length. Wide enough croup. The hind legs are longer than the front, slender and proportionate to the body. The tail is straight and long.

Leather and coat

The skin is elastic, naked and wrinkled, hot and velvety to the touch. Sphinxes tend to sweat, suffer from acne. Under the sun, the skin of Sphynx sunburns and becomes brighter. Mustache thick can be any length or broken off. Wrinkles are desirable on the face, between the ears, around the shoulders, as well as on the legs and abdomen. A large number of folds should not affect the normal functioning of the body.

In winter, Don sphynxes can have a rare soft fluff all over their body.

Depending on the quality of wool, Don Sphynx is divided into four types

Bare ("rubber", "plasticine") - implies a completely hairless skin. Usually "rubber" kittens are born naked.
Velor - the whole body is covered with a thin short down, which feels like the fabric of the same name. With age, these cats can go bald.
Flock - the skin is covered with short soft wool, which is almost imperceptible from a distance, something like a peach. By the age of two years, flock cats sometimes completely "undress".
Brush (derived from the English “brush” - brush, bristly) - cats with long, hard and twisted hair. Often there are areas of baldness on the head, neck and abdomen. Brush sphinxes can periodically "dress" and "undress", which is associated with many factors (hormonal disruptions, pregnancy, weather, castration and other reasons).

Brushy do not get titles at exhibitions, but allowed for breeding. This is due to the fact that weak kittens are usually born in the litter of two absolutely bare donchaks, with large mutations and often not viable.

Absolutely bare sphinxes do not have residual hair remaining behind the ears and on the nose, sometimes at the tip of the tail. In addition, there is a light invisible down on the skin.

The color is allowed absolutely any, including all types of drawings and combinations of shades with any amount of white.

Breed Don Sphynx is characterized by an interesting expression: "Not a man, but not a cat." They have a gentle character, are attached to their masters, mobile, love attention and affection. Don Sphynx kittens between the ages of 2-4 months are quite active, they are literally interested in everything that is around, regardless of the subject, they are trying to try everything on a tooth. Kittens are always looking for new fun, love the environment, and if they stay alone in the house for a long time, they can be very bored and even cry.

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, caresses more, feeds them, plays with them, and treat them accordingly, in their own way. It is at this age that the character and temperament of the Sphynx cats are finally established, all the habits that they have acquired during this time are fixed. Adult Don cats are the real pride of their owners. It should also be noted that the character of the Don Sphynx cat differs from the character of the Don Sphynx cat. Non-neutered cats are almost always concerned with procreation.

The nature of the Don Sphynx is strongly influenced by their content, the attitude of the owners to the animal, upbringing and genetic makings.

Maintenance and care

Don sphinxes are adapted for life only in the greenhouse conditions of the apartment. Cooling and drafts can lead to colds, so you need to take care of the availability of clothing for your pet. In the summer you should protect the cat from the negative effects of ultraviolet radiation. So that your darling brings you joy, learn to properly care for and feed him. Be sure to purchase for him toys, feeding bowls, a scraper, a toilet with a filler.

Don sphinxes are not hypoallergenic breed and, like others, can cause an allergic reaction.

Don sphinxes require attention, care and regular, very troublesome, daily care from the owner.

Donch donch much more often than other breeds of cats, about once a week using special shampoos. If this is not done, a dark secret of the sebaceous glands accumulates on the skin and an unpleasant smell appears. Every day, it is desirable to wipe the skin between the fingers and folds with a damp cotton pad, in the groin and on the tail; these areas are more prone to dirt and rash, especially in adolescence.

Sometimes bathing can be replaced by wiping with a damp towel or baby wipes. After water procedures, the skin should be well dried with a towel and smeared with baby oil or moisturizer. Sphynxes have practically no instinct to lick, which is connected with the absence of wool, therefore, small kittens, and sometimes adult cats, have to wash their ass after “big things”. Special care due to the lack of eyelashes require eyes donchakov. They are regularly cleaned of sour and rubbed with chamomile tea or tea. Ears are cleaned about once a week. Claws on the front paws are sheared once a week, and on the hind legs once every two weeks.

Diet

Immediately it should be noted that the power of hairless cats has a number of features. This is due to increased energy exchange and high heat transfer, that is, the power must correspond to the rapid metabolism. Sphinx is recommended to feed 3-4 times a day in small portions. Be sure to follow the feeding regime.

Don Sphynx can be fed with natural food or ready-made feeds, the choice always remains with the owner.

If the cat is not picky, you can choose a convenient diet and cook your own food. The basis of natural nutrition is meat, some porridge and vegetables, sometimes dairy products, once a week fish and raw quail egg. Be sure to give courses vitamin and mineral supplements.

But if donchak is fussy and doesn’t manage to provide good nutrition with natural products, then it’s better to stay on finished dry food of premium class and higher. High-calorie rations for domestic active cats or food, designed specifically for hairless breeds, are best suited.

Many sphinxes are prone to overeating, which leads to weight gain. The diet of such pets should be closely monitored.

Health and life expectancy

Most often, Don sphynxes have skin problems, and the reason for the excessive secretion of sebaceous glands, which is an excellent environment for the reproduction of microbes and poor hygiene. For diagnosis it is recommended to do scraping and only by its results prescribe treatment.

Don Sphynx has a number of hereditary diseases:

Microphthalmus - reduction of the eyeball. Congenital malformation leads to reduced vision and the development of other eye diseases
The syndrome of falling asleep kittens often manifested when crossing two "rubber" sphinxes. In babies, an underdevelopment of the vital gland, the thymus gland, is noted, leading to death,
Curvature of the spine in the caudal region is often associated with a number of other pathologies: underdevelopment of the intestine, bone system,
The shortening of the lower jaw can be of varying degrees and differently affects the quality of life,
Vasculitis of the skin - inflammation of the walls of the blood vessels of the skin, which is most prone to donchaks,
Congenital torsion of the eyelids is corrected by surgery,
Nipple hyperplasia occurs when drugs were used to suppress the female's sexual functions before pregnancy. Nipples swell, increase in size and as a result they are recommended to be surgically removed.

It is believed that Don Sphynx body temperature is much higher than that of other cats, but this is not true. It varies in the normal range - 38-39.5 ° C. In young animals closer to the upper boundary, and in pregnant and old to the bottom.

Life expectancy is on average 13-14 years.

Kitten selection and price

Small kittens of the Don Sphynx make a fascinating impression on a person. Imagine the following picture - plump, naked folded lumps are constantly tumbling.

They are very curious, which justifies their early intellectual development. One of the features of the Don Sphynx is that the kittens open their eyes already in the first 1-3 days of life, and not 2 weeks later, like the others.

Regardless of the purpose of the acquisition: for yourself, for the exhibition for breeding, you need to make sure that the baby is healthy. It must be active, playful, mobile and clean with a rounded elastic tummy. The cost of Don Sphynx is influenced by many factors: the merits of the parents, the type of wool, the floor, the class of the animal (for home, breeding, exhibitions), etc.

On Avito kittens without documents, and therefore without confirmation of breed, are sold at a price of up to 5 thousand rubles.