AMAZING

National Ballet of Canada rehearsing Swan Lake photo by Daniel Neuhaus

Andrei Bolotin in Bolshoi’s La Bayadere

Sphynx cats are bred for deformity. Being hairless has many negative consequences for them and serves no purpose other than making them look appealing to some people. Contrary to popular belief, they are not even hypoallergenic. (link)

The problems faced by sphynx cats are:

Inability to stay warm. Without a coat, they lose heat very easily. In colder climates, it may be necessary for them to wear special clothes to keep them warm. Kittens are very susceptible to respiratory infections due to their inability to regulate their body temperature.

Sunburn. If they are permitted outside, sphynx cats skin burns like ours does and can become damaged.

Bathing. Cat skin produces oils, which is usually absorbed by hair. without the hair to soak up their natural oils, sphynx cats need to be bathed once or twice weekly, which can be very stressful for them. Have you ever tried giving a cat a bath? Here’s a video of a sphynx cat being bathed: (link). He’s obviously used to it and is handling the situation in a very dignified way but you can see he really doesn’t want to be there. Cats with hair never have to put up with this. Dirt and oils build up in their ears and in their paws, so they have to be cleaned regularly too.

Lack of whiskers. Sphynx cats can have ordinary whiskers, or broken ones, or no whiskers at all. Whiskers are vitally important sense receptors, which allow cats to feel the world around them. If removed, cats can become fearful and disorientated. (link) Sphynx cats born without whiskers are considered acceptable despite being deprived of an entire sensory experience.