History

Although hairless cats have been reported throughout history, breeders in Europe have been working on the Sphynx breed since the early 1960s. Like so many other feline breeds, the present day Sphynx line has been a creation of the simultaneous work performed by nature and many committed, competent individuals. Two different sets of hairless felines discovered in North America in the 1970s provided the foundation cats for that which was shaped into the existing Sphynx breed.

The current American and European Sphynx (also known as Canadian Sphynx) breed is descended from two lines of natural mutations:

Dermis and Epidermis (1975) from the Pearsons of Wadena, Minnesota, USA.
Bambi, Punkie, and Paloma (1978) found in Toronto, Canada, and raised by Shirley Smith.[2]

   

Care

Care should be taken to limit the Sphynx cat's exposure to outdoor sunlight at length, as they can develop sunburn and skin damage similar to that of humans. In general, Sphynx cats should never be allowed outdoors unattended, as they have limited means to conserve body heat when it is cold. In some climates, owners provide coats or other clothing in the winter to help them conserve body heat.