Sphynx

Temperament

The Sphynx acts as if people were its personal radiator and entertainment rolled into one. It greets guests at the door, climbs into strangers' laps, sleeps under the covers snuggled against its human and keeps checking what everyone is doing. It is curious, bold and intelligent, and it quickly learns tricks, harness walking and how to open doors. It is quite vocal, though not as loud as a Siamese. It usually accepts other cats and dogs very well and does fine with children who are old enough not to scratch or tug at its delicate skin. Its weak spot is loneliness: a Sphynx copes badly with long hours without company, which is why breeders often suggest getting a pair. It is a cat for a home where someone is around for most of the day.

Energy

calmvery energetic

Affection

independentvelcro pet

With children

not idealgreat

With other pets

difficultgreat

Trainability

stubborneager to learn

For first-time owners

for experienced ownersyes

With strangers

waryoutgoing

Playfulness

dignifiedeternal puppy

Shedding

minimalheavy

Grooming

easydemanding

Being left alone

strugglescopes well

Apartment living

needs a house and yardgreat in a flat

Talkativeness

quietchatterbox

Indoor-only life

needs outdoor accessgreat

Scores of 1–5 compare the breed with other breeds of the same species, based on the sources at the bottom of the page. Every animal is different. How we score traits

Who is the Sphynx for?

A Sphynx suits people who work from home, or families where someone is always around, who are happy to spend time on baths, ear cleaning and skin checks. People with allergies sometimes tolerate it better, but it is not hypoallergenic: the allergen comes mainly from saliva. We do not recommend it for anyone who wants an independent cat, cannot provide ongoing veterinary care (including a cardiologist), or is uncomfortable with the ethical questions around breeding hairless cats.

Size and looks

Care and exercise

Caring for a Sphynx means caring for skin, not fur. The oil that a coat would absorb in other cats stays on the skin, so the cat is usually bathed every 1–2 weeks with a mild shampoo, and between baths the folds, armpits and the areas around the claws are wiped with a damp cloth. The ears quickly collect dark wax and need cleaning every week, without pushing a cotton swab into the canal. The sun can burn its skin, so a Sphynx should live indoors and go outside only under supervision, on a harness or in an enclosure. It seeks out warm spots: a blanket, a bed near the radiator and your sheets are its favorite places, and a sweater comes in handy in a cool home. It has a fast metabolism and eats more than a cat of the same size, but easily overeats when bored.

Health and breed-related conditions

Having no coat is not just a matter of looks. International Cat Care lists hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, other heart defects, numerous skin diseases (including Malassezia yeast overgrowth, ear infections and urticaria pigmentosa), corneal sequestrum, urate stones and movement disorders in the Sphynx. Sphynxes lack whiskers, which cats use to find their way, and their skin burns and gets injured easily. Some cats carry the recessive mutation that causes congenital myasthenic syndrome, which a DNA test can detect. In a UK VetCompass analysis, the Sphynx had the shortest life expectancy of the breeds studied, about 6.7 years from birth, although TICA gives a range of 7–15 years. Breeders should screen the parents' hearts with regular ultrasounds.

• hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)Strongly suspected to be inherited; affects young and adult cats. Other heart defects, such as mitral valve dysplasia, have also been reported.
• congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS)A recessive muscle disease shared with the Devon Rex; a DNA test (COLQ) is available.
• skin and ear diseaseOvergrowth of Malassezia yeast, ear infections and urticaria pigmentosa.
• sunburn and skin injuriesSkin without a coat is sensitive to sun, scratches and cold.
• periodontal diseaseThe CFA lists periodontal disease among the breed's problems.

This is general breed information, not a diagnosis. If something worries you, talk to your veterinarian.

Breed history

The first known hairless kitten of this line was born in 1966 in Toronto to an ordinary house cat. The spontaneous mutation turned out to be recessive, so for years breeders crossed hairless cats with coated ones to build a healthy gene pool. In 1975, more hairless kittens with the same mutation appeared in Minnesota. Jokingly named Epidermis and Dermis, they also contributed genes to the breed. Building the Sphynx took about thirty years. The CFA accepted the breed for registration in 1998 and granted championship status in 2002. Today the Sphynx is recognized by all the major registries, although International Cat Care believes a coat is essential to a cat and that hairless cats should not be bred.

Fun facts

• The first hairless kitten that started the breed was born in Toronto in 1966.
• Two hairless cats found in Minnesota in 1975 were named Epidermis and Dermis.
• The Sphynx has no whiskers or eyelashes, or only vestigial ones.
• A Sphynx's color shows on its skin, because the pigment is in the skin, not just in the hair.

Frequently asked questions

This breed also appears in

• Cats for allergy sufferers

Sources

1. 1International Cat Care – Sphynxicatcare.org
2. 2TICA – Sphynx breedtica.org
3. 3CFA – Sphynxcfa.org
4. 4GCCF – Sphynxgccfcats.org
5. 5UC Davis VGL – Sphynx and Devon Rex Congenital Myasthenic Syndromevgl.ucdavis.edu
6. 6Teng et al. 2024 – UK cat life tables (phys.org summary)phys.org
7. 7FIFe – Breedsfifeweb.org
8. 8WCF – Breed standards hairlesswcf.de

Last reviewed: November 12, 2026. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.