Peterbald Breed Standard

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Breed Standard courtesy of The International Cat Association (TICA).

HEAD...................................40 pts Shape.....................................9 Ears........................................7 Eyes........................................7 Muzzle.....................................5 Chin.........................................3 Profile......................................7 Neck........................................2	BODY....................................40 pts Torso........................................12 Musculature..............................10 Boning.......................................8 Legs and Feet............................5 Tail...........................................5
COAT/COLOR/PATTERN...........20 pts Texture.....................................20	CATEGORIES: Traditional and pointed DIVISION: All. COLORS: All. PERMISSIBLE OUTCROSSES:Oriental Shorthair, Siamese, Donskoy.

HEAD:
Shape:Long, inverted triangle, measuring from ear tip to ear tip to blunted muzzle, forming a wedge. Flat forehead and flat high cheekbones.
Ears: Extra large, pointed, and broad at the base, slightly flared. Set to extend just below the line of the wedge.
Eyes:Medium in size, almost almond in shape. Obliquely set, flush with the skull, neither protruding nor recessed. Distance between eyes not less than width of one eye. Eye color independent of coat color.
Muzzle:Strong, slightly blunt and not narrow. Smooth wedge with no whisker pinch, although whisker pads will be evident. Whiskers, if present, should be crinkly and kinky and may be or appear to be broken.
Chin:Strong, straight line from tip of nose to tip of chin. Not protruding.
Profile: Straight nose and flat forehead forming two distinct flat planes meeting midway over the eyes in a convex angle. Two-planed.
Neck:Long and slender.

 

BODY:
Torso:Medium-sized, long and graceful. Shoulders and hips equal in width.
Legs:Long, medium-fine boned. Firm muscles. Straight vertical forelegs. Hind legs slightly longer than front legs.
Feet: Oval, medium in size with long, agile prominent toes and non-prominent foot pads.
Tail:Long, strong and whippy.
Boning:Medium-fine.
Musculature:Firm and welldeveloped.

 

COAT/COLOR/PATTERN:
Peterbalds may be born with or without coat. Those born "bald" may have barely discernible fine residual hair at the base of the ears, on the muzzle, feet, lower legs and tail that feels like velvet. Except in those Peterbalds that are born "bald", the Peterbald coat changes or evolves with age. For those born with coat that become "hairless", loss of coat begins at the top of the head or nape of the neck and continues down the body to the tail . Short fine down may be retained on the extremities. There are two basic Peterbald coat textures: "hairless" and "brush" type. The "hairless" Peterbald has soft, warm, elastic skin and a texture akin to suede or peach skin. The "hairlessness" can range from having almost imperceptible fine hairs to short fine, down which appears truly hairless when viewed from a distance. When inspected closely there are clearly visible hairs. Coat that is retained on the extremities is short, close-lying and downy. "Brush" type coat ranges from a sparse wiry coat of irregular texture in which the skin is seen through the coat, to a dense, wiry, short, wavy or kinky true "brush" coat. Brush coat ranges from 1/8 inch to 3/4 inch in length and should in no way feel or look like a normal coat when closely inspected. A cat with true "brush" coat does not lose its coat. In kittens, when conformation is equal, preference should be given to the "hairless" coat texture . Brush coat is a withhold wins in adult cats.

Lockets:Allowed.

ALLOWANCES:Brush coat in kittens. Light, fine, down on the extremities.

PENALIZE:Head: Curved profile; weak chin; muzzle break. Body: Heavy, rounded body; bowed forelegs.

WITHHOLD ALL AWARDS (WW):Long haired cats; normal coat. Brush coat in adult cats.

DISQUALIFY (DQ): Protruding sternum; visible tail fault; crossed eyes. Any sign of any means of artificial hair removal.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION:The overall impression of an ideal Peterbald is an elegant and intelligent cat. The Peterbald has a sturdy, long, lean body that contributes to its graceful movement. The first Peterbalds were born in Russia in January, 1994, the result of breeding an Oriental Shorthair (Radma vom Jagerhof) to a light-boned Oriental-looking Donskoy (Afinoguen Myth). The original litter demonstrated that the Peterbald/Donskoy gene is a dominant gene, unlike the (Canadian) Sphynx gene. Typical of the breed are various unusual coat textures ranging from "hairless" to full "brush" coat to normal coat. While "hairless" cats are desired and preferable, the "brush" coat is essential to the Peterbald breeding program.