The Egyptian cat (Sphynx cat) is a special breed of cat with a very unique and attractive hairless appearance. Despite their unfriendly appearance, they are very gentle and friendly, so this is one of the most popular cat lines today despite the extremely expensive price of Egyptian cats.
1. Learn about the Egyptian cat breed (Sphynx)
1.1 The Egyptian cat originated in Egypt?
The Egyptian cat English name is Sphynx, also known as the sphinx cat, was discovered in the city of Toronto (Canada) in 1966 due to a genetic mutation that occurs naturally when a normal cat gives birth to a kitten. hairless, from here people continue to breed them.
The Sphynx was recognized by the International Cat Association (TICA) in 2005 and the Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) in 2002.
So why are they called Egyptian cats but not native to Egypt? It is because their appearance is quite similar to the sphinx statue in Egypt that people call them Egyptian cats or sphinx cats.
1.2 Appearance characteristics of hairless Egyptian cats
The Egyptian cat is a medium-sized cat with outstanding appearance with the following characteristics:
- Soft and wrinkled skin forms wrinkles.
Medium size, slim body, toned muscles.
The neck is long and the large, triangular ears resemble bat ears.
The eyes are large and round with many different colors but the most common are blue, amber or dark brown.
So do Egyptian cats have hair?
From a distance, sphinx cats look like they are completely hairless, but this is not true. The Egyptian cat can have a soft, fuzzy coat that is barely visible. Also they may not have beards or eyelashes.
1.3 Coat colors in the Egyptian cat (Sphynx)
Although they do not have the same coat as other cats, sphinxes can have patterns in their skin, including:
- Monochrome motifs such as white, black, gray, brown, red, etc.
- The pattern combines many colors such as white with copper, smoke, blue/tin.
- Loofy pattern, pattern that loops around the tail or legs and tends to fade.
- Black or red spotted pattern all over the body.
1.4 Personality traits of the Egyptian cat (Sphynx cat)
Despite its cold appearance, the sphinx cat has a friendly personality and always wants to show affection to its owner. They love to be cuddled and attract the attention of their owners by rubbing their heads against their paws, curling up in your lap.
This is also a very active cat breed that loves to play and explore. However, Sphynx cats will feel uncomfortable when being exposed to the sun for too long, because they have no hair, so their skin is very susceptible to sunburn and also cannot withstand extreme cold temperatures.
Although they have a gentle and friendly personality, if there are other cats in the house, they will become aggressive and appear annoyed, so you should only keep a sphinx cat in the house and spend a lot of time caring and playing with them.
2. Egyptian Cat Diet
2.1 What food do Egyptian cats eat?
You do not need to be too picky about the food of the Egyptian hairless cat, you just need to pay attention to provide a lot of protein, fat and some other necessary nutrients. They can eat any type of wet or dry cat food such as pate, seeds, etc. The quality and quantity of the food depends on the age, size, activity level and health of each cat.
2.2 The diet of the Egyptian cat in each stage
Diet for cats depends on many factors such as developmental stage, size and health. Each stage of a cat's life needs to be provided with the right nutrients:
- Newborn kittens: need nutrients from breast milk or replacement breast milk to best support development and increase resistance.
Kittens 3-6 months: When kittens stop drinking mother's milk, you can give them soft, liquid foods and feed them 4-5 meals/day such as minced fish, porridge, kitten pate, squash red, green... - Adult cats over 6 months: when reaching adulthood, cats need to be provided with nutrients appropriate to their health and physical condition. Note that adding more protein, calcium as well as fiber from vegetables and limiting overeating will lead to obesity.
- Elderly cats: need to be provided with adequate nutrition and suitable for their health status with soft, dilute and easily digestible foods. In foods containing a lot of protein and fiber from vegetables, especially should limit fat and starch.
3. How to take care of an Egyptian cat (Sphynx cat)
3.1 Care and hygiene for cats Sphynx
Hairless Egyptian cats do not mean that you do not need to care and clean them as often as other cats. Care and cleaning includes the following operations:
- Coat Care: Because there is no hair, the Sphynx cat's body secretes a lot of oil, so bathe your cat weekly or every two weeks to keep your cat's coat and skin clean.
- Dental hygiene: regularly brush your cat's teeth to maintain oral health and limit unpleasant odors.
- Ear cleaning: due to the large size of the ears, they need to be cleaned regularly by using a cotton swab soaked in cleaning solution once a week.
- Eye hygiene: Sphynx cats do not have eyelashes, so they are very susceptible to dirt accumulation. To clean your cat's eyes, gently wipe them with a damp cloth. Note that you should not use alcohol that will irritate your baby.
- Health care: bring to the veterinarian for regular health check-ups and full vaccinations.
- Keep cats warm: Because of the small amount of hair, Egyptian cats need to be kept warm. Some ways to keep warm you can refer to, such as: Give your cat a soft and cool place to lie down like a window with sunlight coming in; Keep your cat in a cool temperature environment, away from cold wind or hot sun.
3.2 Common health problems Egyptian cats face
In general, the Egyptian cat breed is healthy, with few diseases, their average life expectancy is from 8-14 years old. Common health problems include:
- Skin problems: atopic dermatitis, tinea pedis, ear infections, scabies,...
- In addition, they can suffer from a number of other diseases such as: diabetes, obesity, liver disease, heart disease, FIV disease, leukopenia, etc. To keep your cat healthy, take them to the vet. veterinarian for regular check-ups.
4. How much does an Egyptian cat cost?
On the question of how much money an Egyptian cat is difficult to determine. In fact, the price of a hairless Egyptian cat can vary depending on many factors, including: age, sex, skin color, origin, pedigree and purity.
In general, the price of a hairless Sphynx cat can range from VND 8-12 million. This is the selling price for cats that are bred in the country, so there will be no proof of origin.
The price of imported Egyptian cats is often many times higher depending on the place of purchase, gender and purity, ranging from 40-80 million. If you want to buy a kitten, find a reputable supplier and make sure the cat has been tested for health.
- Learn about the type of sphinx cat depending on your preferences before buying.
- Check the health and age of the cat, avoid buying old cats with health problems.
- Ask the seller for information about health and disease history before buying.
- Limit buying cats from unscrupulous places, to avoid buying cats with health problems or cannot prove the origin and pedigree.
- Consult with professionals to make sure you are buying the right purebred cat.
5. How to recognize purebred Sphynx cats?
The first sign to identify a purebred Sphynx cat is that the price ranges from 8-80 million VND. In addition, cats also have the following identifying characteristics:
- Sleek body, toned muscles
- Wrinkled, white or textured skin
- No hair or fine undercoat
- Long, slender tail
- Long and big ears
- Large, yellow or blue eyes
