Sphynx Cat Picture

A Sphynx cat picture but no ordinary picture. This is a gloriously smooth and accomplished cat photograph by Helmi Flick. There are many millions of cat photographs on the internet but you will see very, very few like this. Remember, please, that this photograph is protected by copyright.

An interesting aspect of this photograph is the way the pattern of the fur – if Annali had had any – is seen in the skin. It seems that Annali has no whiskers. Sphynx cats can have whiskers but they are fragile and break. They also have downy fur and need grooming like any other cat. They are not hypoallergenic. But they are playful, intelligent and accomplished monkey-like climbers.

The Sphynx cat first appeared as a hairless kitten in a litter in Ontario, Canada in 1966. As he grew to adulthood a fuzz of hair grew. Hairlessness is caused by a recessive gene.

Normally the dominant gene that dictates haircoat suppresses this gene.

The CFA breed standard says that all color and patterns are acceptable. They list coat types such as black, blue and chocolate and even tabby coats. I think that you would find it hard to see these coat types as they are normally seen in the fur. However, as stated this cat breed is not entirely hairless and the skin reflects patterns.

So in a Sphynx cat picture you will see more that just skin if you look hard enough!

You will also see very prominent cheekbones and very large ears. Another noticeable feature is the solid, rounded abdomen. The Sphynx is not a delicate looking cat but solid and athletic. The Russian namesake, the Don Sphynx is more slender being similar is shape to the rangy Oriental Shorthair.

You probably know that the Sphynx is possibly the smartest cat amongst all the cat breeds. That excludes the random bred cats and the wildcats. The latter are the smartest cats of them all.