Sphynx Breed Standard

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

HEAD...................................40 pts Shape.....................................10 Ears........................................10 Eyes........................................5 Muzzle and Chin.......................5 Profile.....................................5 Neck.......................................5	BODY....................................30 pts Torso.....................................20 Legs and Feet...........................5 Tail.........................................5
COAT/COLOR/PATTERN...........30 pts Color......................................5 Coat.......................................25	CATEGORIES: All. DIVISION: All. COLORS: All. PERMISSIBLE OUTCROSSES:American Shorthair, Devon Rex.

HEAD:
Shape: Medium-sized, modified wedge with rounded contours, slightly longer than wide. Skull is slightly rounded with a rather flat forehead and prominent cheekbones and a distinct whisker break.
Ears: Very large, broad at base and open. Set upright, neither low set nor on top of the head. The interior is totally hairless. Slight amount of hair allowed on lower outside edges and on the back of the ear.
Eyes:Large, rounded lemon shape. Slanting to outer corner of ear. Slightly more than an eye width between eyes.
Muzzle and Chin:Strong rounded muzzle with distinct whisker break and firm chin.
Profile: Slight to moderate stop at bridge of nose.
Neck: Medium in length, rounded and well-muscled. The neck arches from the shoulders to the base of the skull and is powerful, especially in males.

 

BODY:
Torso: Medium in size, medium to medium long in length. The chest is broad, may tend toward barrel chested. The abdomen is wellrounded, having the appearance of having eaten a large meal, but not fat.
Legs:Length in proportion with body, with medium boning and firm musculature. Hind legs slightly longer than front. Front legs widely set. Females may have slightly finer boning.
Feet: Medium in size, oval shape with long, slender toes. The paw pads are thicker than in other breeds, giving the cat the appearance of walking on "air cushions". The toes are very long, slender and prominent.
Tail:Whippy, tapering from body to tip (rat-tailed). Length is in proportion to body. A lion tail (puff of hair on tip) acceptable.
Boning:Medium.
Musculature: Hard and muscular, not delicate.

 

COAT/COLOR/PATTERN:
Length: covered with short, fine down. May have puff of hair on tip of tail. Whiskers are sparse and short.

Texture: Chamois-like. A feeling of resistance may be felt when stroking the skin of some cats. The skin is very wrinkled in kittens. Adults should retain as many wrinkles as possible, especially on the head, although wrinkling should not be so pronounced that it affects the cat's normal functions.

ALLOWANCES:Lockets.

PENALIZE: Overall small cat. Body that is too thin, frail-appearing or delicate or fine-boned; too cobby or foreign. Lack of wrinkles on the head. Straight profile, narrow head. Non-amenable dispositi o n . Significant amounts of hair above the ankle.

WITHHOLD ALL AWARDS (WW):Any indication of wavy hair or suggestion of the Devon Rex, or Cornish Rex in molt.

DISQUALIFY (DQ): Any evidence of depilitating, plucking, shaving or clipping or any other means of hair removal. Inability to handle.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Sphynx appears to be a hairless cat, although it is not truly hairless. The skin should have the texture of chamois. It may be covered with very fine down which is almost imperceptible to both the eye and the touch. On the ears, muzzle, tail, feet and scrotum, short, soft, fine hair is allowed. Lack of coat makes the cat quite warm to the touch. Whiskers and eyebrows may be present, either whole or broken, or may be totally absent. The cat should not be small or dainty. Males may be up to 25 percent larger so long as proper proportions are maintained. The Sphynx is sweet-tempered, lively, intelligent and above all amenable to handling.