Hairless Cats

About Hairless Cats

For many of us, our first introduction to hairless cats probably came from the Austen Powers movie featuring a feline character named Mr. Bigglesworth. This cat started out fluffy enough, but lost his fur through misadventure. In reality, hairless cats are not made, they are born that way, barring any skin disorders that result in baldness.

The culprit that causes the hairless condition is a recessive gene that must be present in both parents to produce a hairless kitten. While two hairless mates will produce hairless kittens, two furred mates may also produce one or more hairless kittens if each parent harbors the recessive gene in it's background.

The term "hairless" can also be a bit of a misnomer, as some of these cats do carry a very small amount of fuzz, but the overall effect is that of a cat without fur.

Although hairless kittens do occasionally pop up unexpectedly in a litter from time to time, there are actual cat breeds that perpetuate the hairless gene to produce these wonderful oddities.

These include such interesting breeds as:

• Sphinx cats
• Peterbald cats
• Bambino cats (Still in development.)
• Kohana cats (An extremely rare Hawaiian hairless.)

Caring for Your Hairless

Hairless cat breeds present definite care challenges for their owners, such as dealing with the oils on the skin.

Environmental Exposure

A hairless cat is exposed to all the elements, including sun, wind and rain, so these felines should be mainly confined indoors unless suitable outdoor shelter can be provided for short periods.

Sun exposure is a real concern, since these cats lack the protection against sunburns and heat stroke that fur normally provides. Sun block lotion is useful for filtering harmful ultraviolet rays, but needs to be reapplied, just as you would for a human baby.

Drafts present another concern. It's crucial to keep these cats in a cozy environment to stave off possible respiratory infections and pneumonia.

Skin Care

A lack of fur doesn't mean these pets don't need grooming. In fact, a hairless may actually require more care than some furred ones.

Normally, fur provides protection to keep the skin from being scraped or injured in some other way. Additionally, oils produced by the skin that are distributed through normal cat grooming behaviors are instead left to collect on the skin surface. This can result in a fairly greasy cat who requires more frequent bathing.

Since frequent bathing may also dry out the skin, some owners prefer to use a gentle baby shampoo, followed with a bit of baby lotion to the skin afterward to keep the skin supple. Never use a blow dryer on your pet, since this could result in a burn. Better to dry him or her with a soft flannel blanket, or smooth velour towel.

It's also important to provide these cats with soft bedding as added protection to keep scratches to a minimum.

Not a Solution for Cat Allergies

It would be incorrect to assume that a hairless cat is hypo-allergenic. In fact, these cats still shed skin cells and saliva flakes that contain the same proteins that cause an allergic reaction in the first place. The fact that they do not shed fur is a plus, but it isn't a complete solution for allergy sufferers.

While science is currently exploring genetic manipulation to produce a truly hypo-allergenic cat, the availability of such a pet is still a long way off.

Other Hairless Pets

If you find you're really smitten with hairless cats, you might also enjoy these other fur-challenged pets.

• Skinny Pigs, are a type of hairless Guinea pig, or cavy as they are properly called. You can go for the completely hairless variety, or opt for a Baldwin, a naked cavy with a small patch of hair on it's head and feet. These cavies look a bit like a hippopotamus in a bad toupee, but they are undeniably cute.
• Hairless rats are similar to the cavies, but far more active.
• Hairless mice look much the same as new born pinkies, but more physically developed.

Not for Everyone

Hairless cats have their own unique beauty, and can certainly make wonderful pets, but they are not the breed for everyone. These felines require extra care to keep them warm and healthy, so unless you are prepared to give a hairless the special attention it so richly deserves, you might be better off choosing one of the furry breeds.

However, if you do decide you can provide the care and environment a hairless needs, you will likely find the rewards of owning one of these felines far outweighs the challenges. Hairless cats love a good cuddle, and seem to truly enjoy a close relationship with their human companions.

External Links

• Sphinx cat info from Cats-Central.com
• Peterbald Cat and Kitten Central, another division of Cats-Central.com that includes a directory of breeders and rescue groups.

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