Why are sphinxes evil? Are sphinxes evil or kind cats?

Origin story

Two hairless breeds are recognized - the Don and Canadian Sphynxes.

The history of the Canadian breed began in 1966, when an ordinary cat in Canada gave birth to a hairless kitten. The baby was given the nickname Prune. He was crossed with his mother, resulting in both furry and hairless cubs. Prune continued to participate in matings with relatives. Hairless kittens were born weak, many died.

The history of the breed could have ended before it really began, but in 1975 a boy was born in the city of Waden, who was given the nickname Epidermis. Then a healthy bald girl was born. These individuals were sent to a nursery for breeding. Thus began the successful spread of the breed.

The history of Don cats is shorter. In 1986, Rostov resident Elena Kovaleva saw boys mocking a kitten. The woman drove away the hooligans and took the unfortunate animal home. The stress experienced was so strong that all the fur came out of the kitten, named Varvara. The treatment was unsuccessful.

Four years later, Varvara gave birth to hairless kittens from a short-haired cat. One of the cubs, the girl Chita, was taken for breeding by breeder Ira Nemykina. This cat became the ancestor of the Don Sphynxes. The breed was registered in 1996.

Who broke the colossus' nose?

When Napoleon arrived in Egypt in 1798, he saw a mysterious monster without a nose, which is proven by drawings of the 18th century: the face was like this long before the arrival of the French. Although one may come across the opinion that the nose was recaptured by the French military.

There are other versions. For example, it is called the shooting of Turkish (according to other sources - English) soldiers, whose target was the face of an idol. Or there is a story about a fanatical Sufi monk in the 8th century AD who mutilated a “blasphemous idol” with a chisel.

Fragments of the ritual beard of the Egyptian Sphinx. British Museum, Photo from EgyptArchive

Indeed, there are traces of wedges driven into the bridge of the nose and near the nostril. It looks like someone hammered them in on purpose to break off the part.

Breed varieties

Although the Don and Canadian Sphynxes are similar in appearance, they have different genetic origins. Among “Canadians,” the bald body gene is recessive, that is, in order to give birth to hairless babies, both the female and the male must be its carriers. In Don cats, the gene is dominant, so hairless kittens are born, even if one of the parents is furry.

Don Sphynx cats come in 4 coat varieties:

• bald;
• flock - with soft fur, similar to the touch, like peach skin, disappearing with age;
• velor – with wool up to 3 mm long;
• brush – with sparse and coarse hair.

Canadian cats are never completely hairless; their body is covered with soft, feather-like fur, which is slightly longer on the face, ears, tail and limbs.

How old is the giant anyway? Writer vs. Scientists

Researcher John Anthony West
There is currently a lively debate over the dating of the monument. Writer John Anthony West was the first to notice signs of water erosion on the lion's body. Other structures on the plateau show wind or sand erosion. He contacted geologist and associate professor at Boston University Robert M. Schoch, who, after studying the materials, agreed with West's conclusions. In 1993, their joint work “The Secret of the Sphinx” was presented, which received an Emmy Award for Best Research and a nomination for Best Documentary.

Although today this area is arid, about 10,000 years ago the climate there was humid and rainy. West and Schoch concluded that the Sphinx would have to be between 7,000 and 10,000 years old to produce the observed effects of water erosion.

Scientists have rejected Schoch's theory as wildly flawed, pointing out that the once common violent rain storms across Egypt had ceased before the sculpture's appearance. But the question remains: why was it only this Giza structure that showed signs of water damage?

Description of the breed

Both Canadian and Russian cats have an elegant physique, a neat muzzle, large eyes, soft, elastic, hot to the touch, covered with folds skin.

Interesting! The folding of the skin of the Don Sphynx is especially pronounced; the muzzle can be so wrinkled that the cat seems angry. Although modern selection is aimed at reducing folds.

Appearance and standards

The breed standard for the Sphynx is strict; a description of the appearance of Don and Canadian cats is given in the table.

Colors

The Sphynx breed comes in a variety of colors. Cats are:

• solid colors - black, white, red, blue, silver, lilac, brown (chocolate and cinnamon), cream;
• tabby - patterned (spotted, striped, marbled);
• bicolors - two-color;
• tortoiseshell – multi-colored with the obligatory presence of black and red;
• color point – Siamese color;
• calico - white color with black and red spots;
• Van – white color with slight cream-blue spotting.

The color of the iris is determined by the color, the pet can be green-eyed, yellow-eyed, blue-eyed. White sphinxes come with heterochromia - different eyes.

Character and behavioral characteristics

The Sphynx is a sociable cat, tightly attached to its owner, requiring constant attention. Loneliness for her is a disaster.

The character of sphinxes is kindness and tenderness, turning into pestering and importunity. Contact with the owner is so important for a cat that it can even interfere with his business. The pet's attitude towards strangers is friendly and welcoming.

Representatives of the breed willingly participate in children's games and are not inclined to bite or scratch. They get along with other cats and non-aggressive dogs without problems. The hunting instinct of sphinxes is poorly developed, so there is no need to worry about the fate of parrots and hamsters.

Mating cats

Estrus occurs in the first six months of life, but the cat must reach 2 years for her body to form. If the owner intends to breed sphinxes, then you should not first give the pet drugs that suppress estrus. Before mating begins, partners must be checked by a veterinarian. You cannot vaccinate 10 days before the meeting. It is important to remember that before blue cats are bred, it is better not to wash the cat: this will destroy the natural scent and the male may not be interested in her. The kitten that is born after this is either hairless or short-haired.

Care and maintenance

Sphynxes are heat-loving indoor pets; you shouldn’t take them out for walks, otherwise you can’t avoid catching a cold. The cat's place in the house should be removed from heating sources and protected from drafts. If your home is cool, you should insulate your cat's body with a soft cat sweater.

Attention! Sphynxes love to lie in the sun. But prolonged sunbathing is unacceptable; a burn may remain on the delicate skin.

Hygiene rules

Bath the Sphynx cat with zoo shampoo for hairless breeds. The owner decides how often to bathe, but usually once every 1–2 months, when the body begins to emit an unpleasant odor. Hairless pets tend to sweat excessively. If you ignore bathing, you will have to clean the furniture from brown discharge left by the animal’s skin.

The hairless sphinx's eyes lack eyelashes, which is why discharge often appears on the tear ducts. They need to be removed daily with a cloth moistened with boiled water.

The ears are cleaned with cotton wool soaked in veterinary ear lotion. The claws are shortened with a nail clipper, being careful not to touch living tissue. The procedure is carried out once every 3 weeks.

Education and training

Sphinxes have high intelligence, they are understanding, obedient and obsequious. Therefore, training a litter box, the rules of behavior and hygiene is not difficult.

A one-year-old kitten can be taught to follow simple commands: “come to me,” “give me,” “sit.” Training should take place in a playful way, and positive results should be reinforced with treats and affection.

It is strictly forbidden to be rude and aggressive in raising a Sphinx. The pet is touchy and will forever remember cruel treatment.

What to feed the Sphynx

The best option for feeding the Sphynx is store-bought super premium or holistic food. It is advisable to choose a product designed for hairless cats.

If the cat eats natural food, then the diet should include:

• meat and offal;
• cereal porridge;
• eggs;
• vegetables;
• fermented milk products.

Important! Due to their fast metabolism, sphinxes are gluttonous; the daily portion of food for them is 2 times more than for ordinary cats. But overfeeding is unacceptable; it poses a great health hazard.

You can't feed the sphinx:

• fatty meat;
• fried foods;
• salinities;
• smoked meats;
• sweets;
• spices;
• bakery products;
• waste from the master's table.

Claws

Perhaps this point applies to almost all cats. It is necessary to trim the claws once every two weeks, this will protect the furniture and, as for Sphynxes, they will not be scratched after playing. It is also customary to trim nails before visiting the veterinarian, exhibitions and before mating.

Only the white tip of the claw needs to be cut off. Special tweezers are used for cutting.

Sphynx kittens

You should buy a kitten from a reputable cattery. The seller must draw up a sales contract, provide the buyer with a veterinary passport indicating the vaccinations performed and a metric on the basis of which a pedigree can be requested.

Breeding

Crossing the Don and Canadian Sphynxes is prohibited. You cannot breed two completely hairless individuals, even of the same breed, as the cubs will not be viable.

Males mature at 8 months. The first estrus in females is observed at 6–7 months and proceeds rapidly. The Sphynx girl meows at the top of her lungs and behaves nervously and fussily. But you can’t knit at an early age, it will negatively affect the offspring and the health of the parents. Both the male and the female must be one and a half years old.

Vaccinated and healthy animals checked by a veterinarian are bred. Their claws are trimmed to prevent accidental injuries. The cat is taken to visit a gentleman and left for a couple of days.

Pregnancy lasts 63–65 days. Childbirth usually occurs without complications and human assistance is not needed. There can be up to 12 cubs in a litter.

Price

The cost of a representative of the breed is determined by pedigree and exhibition category. A pet-level pet (companion) can be bought for at least 5 thousand rubles. And the cost of breed kittens (for breeding) and show-level kittens reaches 100 thousand rubles.

How to choose the right one

When choosing a kitten, pay attention to the following signs of a healthy animal:

• affectionate, playful, active, friendly behavior (if the kitten is angry and fearful, then he is being mistreated or has mental problems);
• moderately well-fed body;
• clear teardrops of the eyes;
• ears and anus without discharge;
• skin without signs of dermatitis.

How to care in the first months

A kitten is purchased when it is 3 months old; at this age it already knows how to use a litter box and is vaccinated. The breeder is obliged to tell the buyer how to care for the pet. It is worth getting a phone number from the breeder so you can call if you have questions.

You should ask the breeder what food the kitten was fed in the nursery. The transition to another diet should be smooth so that the pet’s digestion is not disrupted.

The purchased kitten is taught to bathe and other hygienic procedures. Up to six months they feed 6 times a day, up to a year - 3 times, then - 2 times.

How to maintain?

Such a pet must have warm clothes.
Owners should take care of having warm clothes for sphinxes to protect them from cold and drafts. Nutrition determines the correct development of a pet. Cats have a big appetite, but to prevent your adult pet from gaining weight, you should follow some rules. The kitten feeds on mother's milk for up to 1.5 months, but after that the owner takes care of its diet. At first, young cats should be given complementary foods consisting of eggs and cereals. From 3 months it is worth adding chopped chicken, lamb and veal. Food should be handled with caution as it can cause diarrhea.

From 3 months it is recommended to give food 25 g 6-8 times a day. Afterwards, it is worth changing the feeding schedule to two or three meals a day, 40-60 g each. Pregnant hairless cats require more food, and older cats require less. It is recommended to give your pet a combination food (dry and wet). The Canadian Sphynx cat breed does not tolerate fried meat, raw fish, sweets and marinades.

TOP 10 facts about sphinxes

Here is a brief summary of everything interesting about sphinxes:

1. Hairless cats existed in ancient times. The Egyptians kept them in temples, and the Aztecs considered them healing animals.
2. The ancient cats became extinct. And the living sphinxes are an artificial breed obtained as a result of a gene mutation.
3. The average lifespan of cats is 14 years. But there are long-livers, reaching up to 17–19 years.
4. The body temperature of the sphinx reaches 39 °C.
5. Representatives of the breed love swimming in warm water.
6. Sphynx cats are not hypoallergenic, despite their lack of fur. Their saliva contains the same amount of allergen protein as other breeds.
7. Hairless cats love to sleep in the master's bed under the blanket. After all, this is the warmest place.
8. A newborn kitten opens its eyes after 3-4 days.
9. Sphynx cats have sensitive skin, so they love to be petted and caressed.
10. Due to their increased metabolism, cats defecate 3 times more often than other breeds, and the smell of their feces is intense. Therefore, you have to clean the tray often.

God in reverse or what the giant symbolizes

In Ancient Egypt, the figure of the Lion personified the power of the pharaohs. In Abydos, the cemetery of the first Egyptian kings, archaeologists discovered about 30 skeletons of adults who were under 20 years old, and... the bones of lions. The gods of the ancient Egyptians were always depicted with the body of a man and the head of an animal, but here it’s the other way around: a man’s head the size of a house on the body of a lion.

Maybe this suggests that the power and strength of the lion combined with human wisdom and the ability to control this power? But to whom did this strength and wisdom belong? Whose facial features are carved in stone?