Editing Sphynx cat

{{Short description|Hairless breed of cat}}
{{Redirect|Sphynx|the legendary creature|Sphinx||Sphynx (disambiguation)}}
{{Infobox cat breed
| name          = Sphynx
| image         = Sphynx - cat. img 031.jpg
| country       = {{CAN}}
| cfastd        = https://cfa.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/sphynx-presentation.pdf
| acfastd       = https://www.acfacat.com/Breed%20Standards/SPHYNX.pdf
| ticastd       = https://www.tica.org/phocadownload/sx.pdf
| ccastd        = https://www.cca-afc.com/documents/BreedStandards/SPHYNX_20220529_202420.pdf
| acfstd        =
| gccfstd       =
| fifestd       = https://fifeweb.org/app/uploads/2023/10/SPH.pdf
| otherstd      =
| notrecognized =
| note          =
}}

The '''Sphynx cat''' (pronounced {{respell|SFINKS}}, {{IPAc-en|ˈ|s|f|ɪ|ŋ|k|s|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-Sphynx.wav}}) also known as the '''Canadian Sphynx''', is a [[List of cat breeds|breed of cat]] known for its lack of [[fur]]. Hairlessness in [[cat]]s is a naturally occurring genetic mutation, and the Sphynx was developed through [[selective breeding]] of these animals, starting in the 1960s.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cfa.org/sphynx/|title=The Sphynx|publisher=The Cat Fanciers' Association|access-date=27 October 2020|quote=In 1966 a domestic cat gave birth to a hairless kitten in Toronto Canada. It was discovered to be a natural genetic mutation and the Sphynx cat, as we know it today, came into existence.}}<br />- {{Cite web|url=http://mentalfloss.com/article/69740/11-not-so-fluffy-facts-about-sphynx-cats|title=11 Not-So-Fluffy Facts About Sphynx Cats|author=Kirstin Fawcett|date=15 May 2015|website=Mental Floss|access-date=27 October 2020|quote=But the modern-day Canadian Sphynx—the hairless breed we know in North America—has been defying expectations since the mid-1960s, when an Ontario cat gave birth to a hairless kitten, the result of a natural genetic mutation. Then, in the mid-1970s, two separate sets of hairless kittens were born to owners in Toronto and Minnesota. Thanks to various breeding efforts, their lineages resulted in the affectionate animal we love today.}}</ref> 

The skin has a texture of [[chamois leather]],<ref>{{cite web |title=TICA Sphynx Breed Introduction |url=https://tica.org/Breed_Introductions/Sphynx_Breed_for_Website.pdf |website=The International Cat Association |access-date=4 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240204211712/https://tica.org/Breed_Introductions/Sphynx_Breed_for_Website.pdf |archive-date=4 February 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> as it has fine hairs, or the cat may be completely hairless. Whiskers may be present, either whole or broken, or may be totally absent. Per the breed standards, they have a somewhat wedge-shaped head with large eyes and ears, quite long legs and tail, and neat rounded paws. Their skin is the color that their fur would be, and all the usual cat markings (solid, point, van, tabby, tortie, etc.) may be found on the Sphynx cat's skin. Because they have no fur, Sphynx cats lose body heat more readily than coated cats, making them both warm to the touch and prone to seeking out warm places.

==Breed standards==

[[File:2 Sphynx cats sleeping together.jpg|thumb|Two Sphynx sleeping, black and white colors|alt=Two Sphynx females sleeping, black and white colors]]

The breed standard from [[The International Cat Association]] (TICA) calls for:<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tica.org/phocadownload/sx.pdf |title=Sphynx Standard 05/02/2014| publisher= [[The International Cat Association]] |access-date=27 October 2020}}</ref>

* Wedge-shaped heads with prominent cheekbones
* Large, lemon-shaped eyes
* Very large ears with hair on inside, but soft down on outside base
* Well-muscled, powerful neck of medium length
* Medium length torso, barrel-chested, and full, round abdomen, sometimes called a [[Abdominal obesity|pot belly]]
* Paw pads thicker than other cats, giving the appearance of walking on cushions
* Whiplike, tapering tail from body to tip, (sometimes with fur all over tail or a puff of fur on the tip, like a lion)
* Muscular body

==History of the cat breed==
The contemporary breed of Sphynx cat is distinct from the Russian hairless cat breeds, like [[Peterbald]] and [[Donskoy cat|Donskoy]]. Although hairless cats have been reported throughout history, breeders in Europe have been developing the Sphynx breed since the early 1960s.<ref name=":5" /> Two different sets of hairless felines discovered in North America in the 1970s provided the foundation cats for what was shaped into the existing Sphynx breed.

The current American and European Sphynx breed is descended from two lines of natural mutations:
* Dermis and Epidermis (1975) barn cats from the Pearson family of [[Wadena, Minnesota]]<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://www.wadenapj.com/news/469144-prestigious-sphynx-cats-once-considered-feral-breed|title=Prestigious Sphynx cats once considered 'feral' breed|date=21 January 2012|work=Wadena Pioneer Journal|access-date=27 October 2020}}</ref>
* Bambi, Punkie and Paloma (1978) stray cats found in [[Toronto]], [[Ontario]], Canada, and raised by Shirley Smith<ref name=":5">{{cite web|url=http://beeblebroxsphynx.com/health/about-the-breed/history/|title=Sphynx History|date=15 July 2016|author=James Thoene|website=Beeblebrox Sphynx|access-date=27 October 2020|archive-date=26 February 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130226130801/http://beeblebroxsphynx.com/health/about-the-breed/history|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== Toronto ===
The Canadian Sphynx breed was started in 1966 in Toronto, Ontario, when a hairless male kitten named Prune was born to a black and white [[Domestic short-haired cat|domestic shorthair]] queen (Elizabeth).<ref name=":5" />

After purchasing these cats in 1966 and initially referring to them as "Moonstones" and "Canadian Hairless", Ridyadh Bawa, a science graduate of the [[University of Toronto]], combined efforts with his mother Yania, a longtime [[Siamese cat|Siamese]] breeder,<ref name= ":2">{{Cite web|url=https://www.cat-world.com.au/sphynx-cat-breed-profile.html|title=Sphynx Cat Breed Profile|author=Julia Wilson|website=Cat-World|date=5 July 2017|access-date=20 October 2020}}</ref> and Keese and Rita Tenhoves to develop a breed of cats which was subsequently renamed as ''Sphynx''. The Bawas and the Tenhoves were the first individuals able to determine the autosomal recessive nature of the Sphynx gene for hairlessness while also being successful in transforming this knowledge into a successful breeding program with kittens which were eventually capable of reproducing.<ref>{{cite web |url= https://torontoist.com/2013/03/toronto-invents-the-sphynx-cat/| work= [[Torontoist]] |title= Toronto Invents: The Sphynx Cat|author= Jamie Bradburn|date=20 March 2013| access-date=27 October 2020}}</ref> The Tenhoves were initially able to obtain for the new breed provisional showing status through the [[Cat Fanciers' Association]] (CFA) but ultimately had the status revoked in 1971, when it was felt by the CFA Board that the breed had concerns over fertility.<ref name=":2" />

The first breeders had rather vague ideas about Sphynx [[genetics]] and faced a number of problems. The [[gene pool|genetic pool]] was very limited and many kittens died. There was also a problem with many of the females suffering [[convulsion]]s. In 1978, cat breeder Shirley Smith found three hairless kittens on the streets of her neighborhood. In 1983, she sent two of them to Dr. Hugo Hernandez in the Netherlands to breed the two kittens, named Punkie and Paloma, to a white [[Devon Rex]] named Curare van Jetrophin.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news| url= https://www.petfinder.com/cat-breeds/sphynx|title=Sphynx / Hairless Cat |work= Petfinder|access-date=27 October 2020}}</ref> The resulting litter produced five kittens: two males from this litter (Q. Ramses and Q. Ra) were used, along with Punkie's half-sister, Paloma.<ref name=":2" />

=== Minnesota ===
The first noted naturally occurring foundation Sphynx originated as hairless stray barn cats in Wadena, Minnesota, at the farm of Milt and Ethelyn Pearson.<ref name=":1" /> The Pearsons identified hairless kittens occurring in several litters of their domestic shorthair barn cats in the mid-1970s.<ref name=":1" /> Two hairless female kittens born in 1975 and 1976, Epidermis and Dermis, were sold to [[Oregon]] breeder Kim Mueske, and became an important part of the Sphynx breeding program.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":1" /> Also working with the Pearson line of cats was breeder Georgiana Gattenby of [[Brainerd, Minnesota]], who outcrossed with [[Cornish Rex]] cats.<ref name=":3" />

==Genetics and breeding==
Other hairless breeds may have body shapes or temperaments that differ from those of Sphynx standards. There are, for example, new hairless breeds, including the [[Don Sphynx]] and the [[Peterbald]] from Russia, which arose from their own spontaneous gene mutations. The standard for the Sphynx differs between cat associations such as [[The International Cat Association]] (TICA), [[Fédération Internationale Féline]] (FIFE) and [[Cat Fanciers' Association]] (CFA).

=== Breeding ===
In 2010, DNA analysis confirmed that Sphynx hairlessness was produced by a different [[allele]] of the same [[gene]] that produces the short curly hair of the [[Devon Rex]] (termed the "re" allele), with the Sphynx's allele being [[incompletely dominant]] over the Devon allele and both being recessive to the [[wild type]].<ref name=":4">{{Cite journal|last1=Gandolfi|first1=Barbara|last2=Outerbridge|first2=Catherine A.|last3=Beresford|first3=Leslie G.|last4=Myers|first4=Jeffrey A.|last5=Pimentel|first5=Monica|last6=Alhaddad|first6=Hasan|last7=Grahn|first7=Jennifer C.|last8=Grahn|first8=Robert A.|last9=Lyons|first9=Leslie A.|date=October 2010|title=The naked truth: Sphynx and Devon Rex cat breed mutations in KRT71|journal=Mammalian Genome|volume=21|issue=9–10|pages=509–515|doi=10.1007/s00335-010-9290-6|issn=0938-8990|pmc=2974189|pmid=20953787}}</ref> Other associations may vary, and the [[Russian Blue]] is a permitted outcross in the [[Governing Council of the Cat Fancy]] (GCCF).<ref>{{cite web |title=Sphynx Registration Policy |url=https://www.gccfcats.org/Portals/0/BreedRegPols/Sphynx%20Registration%20Policy%20updated%202017.pdf?ver=2017-11-09-125944-257 |publisher=Sphynx Breed Advisory Committee |access-date=30 October 2019 |date=2017}}</ref> 

=== Genetics ===
The Sphynx's distinctive hairlessness is primarily due to a mutation in the KRT71 gene, which also affects other breeds, such as the Devon Rex and Selkirk Rex, albeit with different outcomes. This gene is responsible for the keratinization of the hair follicle. In the Sphynx, the mutation, known as "hr", leads to a complete loss of function, damaging the structure of the hair. Normally, KRT71 helps produce strong hair that is securely anchored to the skin. However, due to the "hr" mutation, the hair of Sphynx cats lacks a solid root or bulb, making it extremely weak. Consequently, the hair is fragile and loosely attached, causing it to fall out easily and contributing to the breed's nearly hairless appearance.<ref name=":4" /> Sphynx cats may still retain very soft, short hair on parts of their body, such as the nose, tails, and toes, but overall, their coat is significantly reduced and lacks the typical structure seen in other cats.<ref name=":4" /> 

In the Devon Rex mutation, a residual activity of the protein still exists.<ref name=":4"/> The Selkirk Rex [[allele]] (sadr) is dominant over the wild type gene, which is dominant over the Devon Rex allele (re) and the Sphynx (hr), which forms an allelic series of : KRT71SADRE > KRT71+ > KRT71re > KRT71hr.<ref name="splice variant">{{cite journal |last1=Gandolfi |first1=B. |last2=Alhaddad |first2=H. |last3=Joslin |first3=S. E. |last4=Khan |first4=R. |last5=Filler |first5=S. |last6=Brem |first6=G. |last7=Lyons |first7=L. A. |year=2000 |title=A splice variant in KRT71 is associated with curly coat phenotype of Selkirk Rex cats |journal=Scientific Reports |volume=3 |pages=2000 |doi=10.1038/srep02000 |pmc=3683669 |pmid=23770706}}</ref>

<gallery widths="200px" heights="145px">
File:Cat Sphynx. Kittens. img 48.jpg|alt=Sphynx mother with kittens|Sphynx mother with kittens
File:2 week-old Female Sphynx (Suki).jpg|Two-week-old Sphynx kitten
</gallery>

==Behavior==
Sphynx are known for their extroverted behavior. They display a high level of energy, intelligence, curiosity and affection for their owners.<ref name="animal discovery">{{cite web |url=http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/catprofile.do?id=4070 |title=Cat breed directory: Sphynx |website=Animal Discovery |publisher=Discovery Communications, LLC. |date=10 September 2008 |access-date=27 October 2020 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120701145700/http://animal.discovery.com/breedselector/catprofile.do?id=4070 |archive-date=1 July 2012 }}</ref> They are one of the more [[Puppy cat|dog-like breeds]] of cats, frequently greeting their owners at the door and are friendly when meeting strangers.<ref name="animal discovery"/> Sphynx cats tend to be highly attached to their owners, often demanding large amounts of attention, and if said attention is not given, can get into trouble. The mischievous cats love to cuddle for body warmth, due to their lack of fur.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Findlay |first=Sonia |title=What to Know About a Sphynx Cat |url=https://www.webmd.com/pets/cats/what-to-know-about-sphynx-cats |access-date=2023-10-19 |website=WebMD |language=en}}</ref> A study was conducted by the ''Journal of Veterinary Behavior'' in 2012, and while further research needs to be conducted, purebred Sphynx cats were rated by their owners as friendlier than purebred European cats.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Asselineau |first=B. |last2=Abitbol |first2=M. |last3=Deputte |first3=B. L. |date=2012-11-01 |title=Do cats from established breeds behave differently toward humans than outbred cats? |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1558787812001244 |journal=Journal of Veterinary Behavior |volume=7 |issue=6 |pages=e1 |doi=10.1016/j.jveb.2012.09.006 |issn=1558-7878|url-access=subscription }}</ref>{{expansion needed|date=July 2022}}

==Care==
Care should be taken to limit the Sphynx cat's exposure to outdoor sunlight at length, as they can develop sunburn and skin damage similar to that of humans. In general, Sphynx cats should never be allowed outdoors unattended, as they have limited means to conserve body heat when it is cold. In some climates, owners provide coats or other clothing in the winter to help them conserve body heat.<ref>{{Cite web|title=How To Keep Sphynx Cats and Other Hairless Cats Warm|url=https://www.petmd.com/cat/care/how-keep-sphynx-cats-and-other-hairless-cats-warm|access-date=2021-07-11|website=PetMD|language=en}}</ref>

While they lack much of the fur of other cat breeds, Sphynxes are not necessarily [[hypoallergenic]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Allred |first=Alexandra Powe |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-VCWohlbCuoC |title=Cats' Most Wanted: The Top 10 Book of Mysterious Mousers, Talented Tabbies, and Feline Oddities |date=2014-05-14 |publisher=Potomac Books, Inc. |isbn=978-1-61234-293-1 |pages=102 |language=en}}</ref> Allergies to cats are triggered by a protein called [[Fel d1]], not cat hair itself.<ref name=":0">{{Cite book |last=Robbins |first=Nancy |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KdOUDwAAQBAJ |title=Domestic Cats: Their History Breeds and Other Facts |publisher=Barnes and Noble Press |isbn=978-1-9870-6180-2 |pages=264 |language=en}}</ref> Fel d1 is a [[protein]] primarily found in cat [[saliva]] and [[sebaceous glands]].<ref name=":0" /> Those with cat allergies may react to direct contact with Sphynx cats.<ref name=":0" /> Even though reports exist that some people with allergies successfully tolerate Sphynx cats, they are fewer than those who have allergic reactions.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://www.ankhamun.com/Hypoallergenic%20cats.htm |url-status= dead| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110718192703/http://www.ankhamun.com/Hypoallergenic%20cats.htm| archive-date= July 18, 2011 |title= The Big Question, What about allergies? |website=Ankhamun and Utopia Sphynx |access-date= February 9, 2017}}</ref>{{Better source needed|date=October 2020}} 

The skin of the Sphynx cat is known for its excessive production of a greasy secretion, which often results in the accumulation of a sticky, dark brown, or reddish-brown layer that necessitates regular cleaning.<ref name=":10">{{Cite journal |last=Åhman |first=Susanne E. |last2=Bergström |first2=Karin E. |date=December 2009 |title=Cutaneous carriage of Malassezia species in healthy and seborrhoeic Sphynx cats and a comparison to carriage in Devon Rex cats |url=http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1016/j.jfms.2009.04.011 |journal=Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery |language= |volume=11 |issue=12 |pages=970–976 |doi=10.1016/j.jfms.2009.04.011 |issn=1098-612X |via=Elsevier Science Direct|pmc=11318777 }}</ref> Furthermore, Sphynx cats typically produce more earwax than most hairy domestic cats. This increased wax production is attributed to the minimal to absent hair within their ears, which allows for the accumulation of dirt, skin oils (sebum), and ear wax, thereby requiring frequent cleaning. Additionally, they often accumulate oils and debris under their nails and within their numerous skin folds due to the lack of fur. Regular maintenance of these areas, including the nails and skin folds, is essential for the health and hygiene of the breed.<ref name=":10" />

==Health==
The Sphynx faces challenges because of its lack of protective fur. Skin cancer may be a problem if exposed to sunlight for long durations of time.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://cfa.org/Breeds/BreedsSthruT/Sphynx.aspx|title=About the Sphynx|publisher=Cat Fanciers Association|access-date=27 October 2020|archive-date=23 April 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190423235850/http://cfa.org/Breeds/BreedsSThruT/Sphynx.aspx|url-status=dead}}</ref> 

The lack of hair can cause health issues with kittens in the first weeks of life because of susceptibility to respiratory infections. Reputable breeders should not let their kittens go to new homes without being at least 14 weeks of age to ensure the kitten is mature enough to cope in a new environment.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Sphynx: The Australian Experience |last1=Irvine|first1=Angela|last2=Trevor|first2=Dawes|last3=McAuliffe|first3=Michael|last4=Bowd|first4=Neil |publisher=OzSphynx|year=2006|isbn=9780646473093|pages=14}}</ref>

In a review of over 5,000 cases of [[Bladder stone (animal)|urate urolithiasis]] the Sphynx was over-represented, with four recorded cases out of a population of 28.<ref name="pmid22443437">{{cite journal |last1=Albasan |first1=H. |last2=Osborne |first2=C. A. |last3=Lulich |first3=J. P. |last4=Lekcharoensuk |first4=C. |title=Risk factors for urate uroliths in cats. |journal=[[Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association]] |date=2012 |volume=240 |issue=7 |pages=842–847 |pmid=22443437 |doi=10.2460/javma.240.7.842 |pmc= |url= https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/eutils/elink.fcgi?dbfrom=pubmed&tool=sumsearch.org/cite&retmode=ref&cmd=prlinks&id=22443437}}</ref>

=== Life expectancy ===
A study of veterinary records in the UK found the Sphynx to have average life expectancy of 6.68 years based on a sample of 18 cats, the lowest in the study and lower than the overall average of 11.74 years.<ref>{{cite journal | last=Teng | first=Kendy Tzu-yun | last2=Brodbelt | first2=Dave C | last3=Church | first3=David B | last4=O’Neill | first4=Dan G | title=Life tables of annual life expectancy and risk factors for mortality in cats in the UK | journal=Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery | volume=26 | issue=5 | date=2024 | issn=1098-612X | doi=10.1177/1098612X241234556 | page=| doi-access=free | pmc=11156239 }}</ref>

=== Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy ===
The breed does have instances of the genetic disorder [[hypertrophic cardiomyopathy]] (HCM). Other domestic cat breeds prone to HCM include [[Persian cat|Persian]],<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.vet.cornell.edu/departments-centers-and-institutes/cornell-feline-health-center/health-information/feline-health-topics/hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy/ |title=Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy |publisher=Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine|date=January 2014 |access-date=11 January 2020}}</ref> [[Ragdoll]], [[Norwegian Forest cat]], [[Siberian cat]]s, [[British Shorthair]] and [[Maine Coon]];<ref name=":8">{{Cite journal|last1=Kittleson|first1=Mark D.|last2=Meurs|first2=Kathryn M.|last3=Harris|first3=Samantha P.|date=December 2015|title=The Genetic Basis of Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Cats and Humans|journal=Journal of Veterinary Cardiology |volume=17|issue=Suppl 1|pages=S53–S73|doi=10.1016/j.jvc.2015.03.001|issn=1760-2734|pmc=5909964|pmid=26776594}}</ref> however, any domestic cat including mixed breeds can acquire HCM.<ref name=":9">{{Cite web|url=https://www.medvetforpets.com/feline-hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy-hcm/|title=Feline Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM)|date=2 December 2016|publisher=MedVet Medical & Cancer Centers for Pets|access-date=31 October 2019}}</ref> Studies are being undertaken to understand the links in breeding and the disorder.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu/vhc/csds/vcgl/ |title=Sphynx HCM Research |publisher=North Carolina State University school of veterinary medicine |access-date=1 February 2013 |archive-date=18 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150618081358/http://www.cvm.ncsu.edu/vhc/csds/vcgl/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Cats are screened for HCM disease with [[echocardiography]] (ultrasound of the heart), as well as with additional tests determined by the veterinarian cardiologist including [[Electrocardiography|electrocardiogram]] (EKG, ECG), [[chest radiograph]]s (X-rays), and/or blood tests.<ref name=":9" />

The Sphynx cat has a high rate of heart disease, either as HCM or [[mitral valve dysplasia]]. In a 2012 study of 114 Sphynx cats, 34% were found to have an abnormal heart, with 16 cats having mitral valve dysplasia and 23 cats having HCM.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Chetboul |first1=V. |last2=Petit |first2=A. |last3=Gouni |first3=V. |last4=Trehiou-Sechi |first4=E. |last5=Misbach |first5=C. |last6=Balouka |first6=D. |last7=Carlos Sampedrano |first7=C. |last8=Pouchelon |first8=J. L. |last9=Tissier |first9=R. |last10=Abitbol |first10=M. |title=Prospective echocardiographic and tissue Doppler screening of a large Sphynx cat population: Reference ranges, heart disease prevalence and genetic aspects |journal=Journal of Veterinary Cardiology |date=December 2012 |volume=14 |issue=4 |pages=497–509 |doi=10.1016/j.jvc.2012.08.001 |pmid=23131204|doi-access=free }}</ref> These prevalences were found in cats with an average age of 2.62 years. Male cats developed more severe disease than female cats and often developed it earlier, at an average age of 19 months for males and 29 months for females.<ref name=":8" /> Since the prevalence of genetic heart disease is high in this breed, many breeders will recommend screening for HCM yearly.

As HCM progresses into an advanced stage, cats may experience [[Heart failure|congestive heart failure]] (CHF) or [[Venous thrombosis|thromboembolism]].<ref name=":9" />

=== Congenital myasthenic syndrome ===
[[Congenital myasthenic syndrome]] (CMS) previously referred to as muscular dystrophy, myopathy or spasticity, is a type of inherited neuromuscular disorder associated with alpha-[[dystroglycan]] deficiency, found in Sphynx and in Devon Rex cats as well as variants of these breeds, which can occur between the first 3 to 23 weeks of their life.<ref name=":6">{{Cite web|url=https://www.sphynxcatassociation.com/congenital-myasthatic-syndrome|title=Congenital Myasthatic Syndrome|publisher=Sphynx Cat Association (SCA)|access-date=31 October 2019|archive-date=31 October 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191031002604/https://www.sphynxcatassociation.com/congenital-myasthatic-syndrome|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=":7">{{Cite web|url=https://www.ufaw.org.uk/cats/sphynx---hereditary-myopathy|title=Sphynx - Hereditary Myopathy|website=The International Animal Welfare Science Society|access-date=30 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Martin|first1=Paul T.|last2=Shelton|first2=G. Diane|last3=Dickinson|first3=Peter J.|last4=Sturges|first4=Beverly K.|last5=Xu|first5=Rui|last6=LeCouteur|first6=Richard A.|last7=Guo|first7=Ling T.|last8=Grahn|first8=Robert A.|last9=Lo|first9=Harriet P.|last10=North|first10=Kathryn N.|last11=Malik|first11=Richard|date=2008-12-01|title=Muscular dystrophy associated with α-dystroglycan deficiency in Sphynx and Devon Rex cats|url=https://www.nmd-journal.com/article/S0960-8966(08)00616-0/abstract|journal=Neuromuscular Disorders|language=English|volume=18|issue=12|pages=942–952|doi=10.1016/j.nmd.2008.08.002|issn=0960-8966|pmid=18990577|pmc=2646259 }}</ref> This condition has also been described, but is rarely seen.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Martin|first=P. T.|title=Muscular dystrophy associated alpha-dystroglycan deficiency in Sphynx and Devon Rex cat|journal=Neuromuscular Disorders |year=2008|volume=18 |issue=12|series=12 |pages=942–52|doi=10.1016/j.nmd.2008.08.002|display-authors=etal|pmc=2646259|pmid=18990577}}</ref><ref name=":7"/> Cats affected by CMS show generalized muscle weakness and fatigue, as well as ventroflexion of the head and neck, head bobbing, and scapulae protrusion.<ref name=":6" />

==See also==
* [[Donskoy cat]]
* [[List of cat body-type mutations]]
* [[List of cat breeds]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Commons category inline|Sphynx (cat)}}

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