Breed History

The Core Misconception: Not Ancient Egyptian

While they are named after the Great Sphinx of Giza, Sphynx cats are not ancient Egyptian relics. The name was chosen for their majestic and statuesque appearance. The breed’s history begins in the 1960s.

The Beginning: A Natural Genetic Mutation

The defining trait of the Sphynx—hairlessness—is the result of a natural recessive genetic mutation.

1. The First Recorded “Starter Cat”: Prune (1966)

   • Location: Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

   • The Kitten: A domestic black and white cat gave birth to a hairless male kitten named Prune. This was a spontaneous, natural mutation.

   • The Breeder: A cat fancier named Riyadh Bawa recognized the uniqueness of Prune. Along with other breeders, she began a selective breeding program by backcrossing Prune to his mother (a practice used to reinforce the mutation). This initial line was known as the “Canadian Hairless.”

2. Initial Challenges:

   • The early breeding program faced significant hurdles. The gene pool was tiny, and the genetics were not well understood.

   • Tragically, the breeding program struggled and was nearly abandoned. Many kittens had serious health issues, and the breed was not yet stable.

The Breed’s Salvation: Two More Foundations

The Sphynx breed as we know it today was saved by two separate, natural occurrences of the hairless mutation in the 1970s.

1. The Minnesota Barn Cats (1975)

   • Location: Minnesota, USA.

   • The Cats: A farmer named Milt and Ethelyn Pearson discovered that a hairless kitten had been born in their barn cat colony. This female, named Epidermis, was followed by another hairless kitten named Dermis. These cats were sold to Oregon breeder Kim Mueske, who integrated them into the growing Sphynx gene pool.

2. The Minnesota Stray (1978)

   • Location: Toronto, Canada (again!) and Minnesota, USA.

   • The Cat: A Siamese breeder named Shirley Smith found three hairless kittens in her colony in Toronto. She sent two of them, Bambi and Punkie, to Dr. Hugo Hernandez in the Netherlands to help preserve the breed in Europe. The third kitten, Palm, made its way to Georgiana Gattenby in Minnesota, who bred him with the Pearson lines.

Key to Survival: Outcrossing

The most critical decision for the breed’s health and survival was outcrossing—breeding the hairless cats with other, normal-coated breeds.

• Purpose: This introduced much-needed genetic diversity, which improved the overall health, robustness, and fertility of the Sphynx. It helped eliminate the early severe health problems.

• Primary Breeds Used:

  • Devon Rex: This was the most important outcross. The Devon Rex has a fine, short coat and a similar body structure to the Sphynx. The genetic compatibility was excellent, and most modern Sphynx lines have Devon Rex ancestry.

  • American Shorthair: Provided a sturdy foundation and genetic diversity.

  • Other domestic shorthairs.

Through careful breeding, it was determined that the hairless gene is recessive. This means a kitten must inherit the gene from both parents to be hairless. Kittens with only one copy of the gene will have normal coats but are “carriers” that can produce hairless offspring.

Recognition and Today

• The International Cat Association (TICA) was the first major organization to grant the Sphynx championship status in 1986.

• The Cat Fanciers’ Association (CFA) granted the Sphynx full championship status much later, in 2002.

Today, the Sphynx is a beloved and distinct breed known for its:

• Extroverted and dog-like personality: They are incredibly affectionate, energetic, and people-oriented.

• Unique appearance: Beyond being hairless, they have prominent cheekbones, large lemon-shaped eyes, and large ears.

• Warm, suede-like skin: Contrary to popular belief, they are not truly hypoallergenic (allergies are mostly to a protein in cat saliva, not the fur itself).