THE WONDER of the SPHYNX .....

The sphynx are a wonderful loving breed.  While often noted as
hypoallergenic, this is not entirely true.  Some people do seem to
be less reactive to these hairless wonders, but the current theory
of thought is that people are allergic to the saliva that the cats
use to clean themselves.  The sphynx are easier to bathe than
haired cats and this allows for the removal of saliva.  So with
regular bathing, this does make them less allergenic. Sphynx also
require a regular routine of ear and nail cleaning which
corresponds nicely to their weekly bath or shower.

The Sphynx are extremely inquisitive and love to be the center of
attention. They perform silly antics for your entertainment and
are sometimes downright clumsy.. .on purpose it seems. They make
great show cats because of this ''look at me" attitude and they are
easy for judges to handle. They prefer human attention but enjoy
the company of dogs and other cats. They have an abundance of
energy and mischief and are always with you, on you or showing
off for you. "Love Mooch" is the perfect term for these amazing
cats.


GENERAL: the most distinctive feature of this cat is its
appearance of hairlessness. The Sphynx is of medium size and
body conformation with surprising weight for its size. Females
are generally smaller than males. The head shape is a modified
wedge, with prominent cheekbones and whisker pads giving a
squared appearance to the muzzle. The body feels warm and soft
to the touch, with a skin texture akin to either a soft peach or a
smooth nectarine. The Sphynx is sweet-tempered, lively, and
amenable to handling.

HEAD: the head is slightly longer than it is wide, with
prominent cheekbones and a distinctive whisker break. The skull
is slightly rounded with a flat plane in front of the ears. The nose
is straight and there is a slight to moderate palpable stop at the
bridge of the nose.

CHEEKS AND CHEEKBONES: prominent, rounded cheekbones
which define the eye and form a curve above the whisker break.

MUZZLE AND CHIN: whisker break with prominent whisker
pads. Strong, well developed chin forming perpendicular line with
upper lip.

EARS: large to very large. Broad at the base, open and upright.
When viewed from the front, the outer base of the ear should
begin at the level of the eye, neither low set nor on top of the
head. The interior of the ears is naturally without furnishing.

EYES: large, lemon-shaped, with wide-open center while coming
to a definite point on each side. Placement should be at a slight
upward angle, aligning with the outer base of the ear. Eyes to be
wide set apart with the distance between the eyes being a
minimum of one eye width. Eye color immaterial.

BODY: the body is medium length, hard and muscular with broad
rounded chest and full round abdomen. The rump is well rounded
and muscular. Back line rises just behind the shoulder blades to
accommodate longer back legs when standing. Boning is medium.

NECK: the neck is medium in length, rounded, well muscled, with
a slight arch. Allowance to be made for heavy musculature in
adult males.

LEGS AND FEET: legs are medium in proportion to the body.
They are sturdy and well muscled with rear legs being slightly
longer than the front. Paws are oval with well-knuckled toes;
five in front and four behind. The paw pads are thick, giving the
appearance of walking on cushions.

TAIL: slender, flexible, and long while maintaining proportion to
body length. Whip-like, tapering to a fine point.

COAT/SKIN: the appearance of this cat is one of hairlessness.
Short, fine hair may be present on the feet, outer edges of the
ears, the tail, and the scrotum. The bridge of the nose should be
normally coated. The remainder of the body can range from
completely hairless to a covering of soft peach-like fuzz whose
length does not interfere with the appearance of hairlessness. This
coat/skin texture creates a feeling of resistance when stroking the
cat. Wrinkled skin is desirable, particularly around the muzzle,
between the ears, and around the shoulders. There are usually no
whiskers but if whiskers are present they are short and sparse.

COLOR: color and pattern are difficult to distinguish and should
not affect the judging of the cat. White lockets, buttons, or belly
spots are allowed.

PENALIZE: hair other than described. Delicate or frail
appearance. Thin abdomen, thin rump, or narrow chest. Bowed
front legs. Should not resemble the Devon Rex, Cornish Rex or
Oriental body type.

DISQUALIFY: kinked or abnormal tail. Structural
abnormalities. Aggressive behavior endangering the judge.


SPHYNX COLORS
GENERAL: all colors and patterns, in any combination, found in
felines is acceptable.

WHITE: white to pink. Nose leather and paw pads: pink.

BLACK: black. One level tone from nose to tip of tail. Nose
leather: black. Paw pads: black or brown.

BLUE: blue. One level tone from nose to tip of tail. Nose leather
and paw pads: blue.

RED: deep, rich, clear, brilliant red, without markings. Lips and
chin the same color as the skin. Nose leather and paw pads: brick
red.

CREAM: one level shade of buff cream, without markings. Nose
leather and paw pads: pink.

CHOCOLATE: rich chestnut brown, even throughout. Nose
leather: brown. Paw pads: brown or cinnamon.

LAVENDER: frosty-grey with a pinkish tone, even throughout.
Nose leather and paw pads: lavender-pink.

CINNAMON: cinnamon, even throughout. Nose leather and paw
pads: cinnamon.

FAWN: pale, pinkish fawn, even throughout. Nose leather and
paw pads: pale fawn.

CLASSIC TABBY PATTERN: markings clearly defined on legs
and tail. Pattern tends to fade on hairless body. Legs evenly
barred with bracelets coming up to meet the body markings. Tail
evenly ringed. Several unbroken necklaces on neck and upper
chest, the more the better. Markings seen on the skin. Frown lines
on head form an intricate letter "M" Unbroken line runs back from
outer corner of eye. Swirls on cheeks. Vertical lines over back of
head extend to shoulder markings which are in the shape of a
butterfly with both upper and lower wings distinctly outlined
and marked with dots inside outline. Back markings consist of a
vertical line down the spine from butterfly to tail with a vertical
stripe paralleling it on each side, the three stripes well separated
by stripes of the ground color. Large solid blotch on each side to
be encircled by one or more unbroken rings. Side markings should
be the same on both sides. Double vertical rows of buttons on
chest and stomach.

MACKEREL TABBY PATTERN: markings clearly defined on
legs and tail. Pattern tends to fade on hairless body. Legs evenly
barred with narrow bracelets coming up to meet the body
markings. Tail barred. Necklaces on neck and chest distinct, like
so many chains. Head barred with an "M" on the forehead.
Unbroken lines running back from the eyes. Lines running down
the head to meet the shoulders. Spine lines run together to form a
narrow saddle. Narrow pencillings run around body.

SPOTTED TABBY PATTERN: markings on the body to be
spotted. The spots can be round, oblong, or rosette-shaped. Any
of these are of equal merit but the spots, however shaped or
placed, shall be distinct. Spots should not run together in a
broken Mackerel pattern. A dorsal stripe runs the length of the
body to the tip of the tail. The stripe is ideally composed of spots.
The markings on the face and forehead shall be typically tabby
markings. Underside of the body to have "vest buttons." Legs and
tail are barred. Markings clearly defined on legs and tail. Pattern
tends to fade on hairless body.

PATCHED TABBY PATTERN: a patched tabby (torbie) is an
established silver, brown, blue, lavender, fawn, cinnamon or
chocolate tabby with patches of red or cream clearly defined on
both the body and extremities; a blaze on the face is desirable.

SILVER TABBY: skin ground color, including lips and chin, pale
clear silver. Markings dense black. Nose leather: brick red. Paw
pads: black.

BROWN TABBY: skin ground color brilliant coppery brown.
Markings dense black. Lips and chin the same shade as the rings
around the eyes. Back of leg black from paw to heel. Nose leather:
brick red. Paw pads: black or brown.

BLUE TABBY: skin ground color, including lips and chin, pale
bluish ivory. Markings a very deep blue affording a good contrast
with skin ground color. Nose leather: old rose. Paw pads: rose.

RED TABBY: skin ground color red. Markings deep, rich red.
Lips and chin red. Nose leather and paw pads: brick red.

CREAM TABBY: skin ground color, including lips and chin, very
pale cream. Markings buff or cream sufficiently darker than the
ground color to afford good contrast but remaining within the
dilute color range. Nose leather and paw pads: pink.

CHOCOLATE (Chestnut) TABBY: skin ground color is warm
fawn, markings are rich chestnut brown. Nose leather: chestnut,
or pink rimmed with chestnut. Paw pads: cinnamon.

CHOCOLATE-SILVER TABBY: skin ground color, including
lips and chin, is silver. Markings rich chestnut. Nose leather:
chestnut or pink rimmed with chestnut. Paw pads: cinnamon.

CINNAMON TABBY: skin ground color, including lips and chin,
a pale, warm honey, markings a dense cinnamon, affording a good
contrast with skin ground color. Nose leather: cinnamon or coral
rimmed with cinnamon. Paw pads: cinnamon.

CINNAMON-SILVER TABBY: skin ground color, including lips
and chin, a pale glistening silver. Markings dense cinnamon. Nose
leather: cinnamon. Paw pads: coral.

LAVENDER TABBY: skin ground color is pale lavender.
Markings are a rich lavender, affording a good contrast with skin
ground color. Nose leather: lavender, or pink rimmed with
lavender. Paw pads: lavender-pink.

LAVENDER-SILVER TABBY: skin ground color, including lips
and chin, a cold clear silver. Markings lavender. Nose leather:
lavender or pink rimmed with lavender. Paw pads: lavender-pink.

FAWN TABBY: skin ground color, including lips and chin, pale
ivory, markings dense fawn, affording good contrast with skin
ground color. Nose leather and paw pads: pale fawn.

TORTOISESHELL: black mottled or patched with red and/or
cream. Blaze on face desirable.

BLUE-CREAM: blue mottled or patched with cream. Blaze on
face desirable.

CHOCOLATE (Chestnut) TORTOISESHELL: rich chestnut
brown mottled or patched with red and/or cream. Blaze on face
desirable.

CINNAMON TORTOISESHELL: cinnamon mottled or patched
with red and/or cream. Blaze on face desirable.

LAVENDER-CREAM: lavender mottled or patched with cream.
Blaze on face desirable.

FAWN-CREAM: fawn mottled or patched with cream. Blaze on
face desirable.

CALICO: white with unbrindled patches of black and red. White
predominant on underparts.

VAN CALICO: white with unbrindled patches of black and red
confined to the extremities; head, tail, legs. One or two small
patches of color on body allowable.

DILUTE CALICO: white with unbrindled patches of blue and
cream. White predominant on underparts.

DILUTE VAN CALICO: white with unbrindled patches of blue
and cream confined to the extremities; head, tail, legs. One or two
small patches of color on body allowable.

BI-COLOR: solid color and white, tabby and white, tortoiseshell
and white, pointed and white, any color and white, etc.

VAN BI-COLOR: solid color and white, tabby and white,
tortoiseshell and white, etc., with color confined to the
extremities; head, tail, and legs. One or two small patches on body
allowable.

FAWN CALICO, LAVENDER CALICO, CINNAMON
CALICO, CHOCOLATE CALICO: as for calico above, with
appropriate marking color.

FAWN VAN CALICO, LAVENDER VAN CALICO,
CINNAMON VAN CALICO, CHOCOLATE VAN CALICO: as
for van calico labove, with appropriate marking color.

POINTED PATTERN: point restricted colors show little or no
color contrast between body and points in the mature Sphynx.
Although born very light in color, the pointed Sphynx will darken
and appear solid in color as an adult. Eye color: vivid blue. Nose
leather and paw pads: appropriate to coat color. The pointed
pattern may be combined with ANY other pattern (except mink)
and ANY colors, e.g. lilac-silver lynx point and seal-tortie point
with white (shown in the Bi-Color Class).

MINK PATTERN: point restricted colors show little or no color
differentiation between body and points in the mature Sphynx.
Although born very light in color, the mink Sphynx will darken
and appear solid in color as an adult. Eye color: aqua. Nose
leather and paw pads: appropriate to coat color. The mink
pattern may be combined with ANY other pattern (except
pointed) and ANY colors, e.g. natural mink, blue mink,
champagne mink, platinum mink, natural tabby mink, blue-cream,
tortie mink and white (shown in Bi-Color Class).

SABLE: the mature specimen is a rich, warm, sable brown
without shadings, barring, or markings of any kind. (Kittens are
often lighter in color.) Nose leather and paw pads: brown.

CHAMPAGNE: the mature specimen should be a warm honey
beige without shadings, barring, or markings of any kind. Nose
leather: light, warm brown. Paw pads: warm, pinkish tan.

PLATINUM: the mature specimen should be a pale, silvery gray
without shadings, barring or markings of any kind. Nose leather
and paw pads: lavender-pink.

OSC (Other Sphynx Colors): any other color or pattern. Cats with
no more than a locket and/or button do not qualify for this class,
such cats shall be judged in the color class of their basic color
with no penalty for such locket and/or button. Examples: any
color with one, two, three, or four white feet. All point restricted
colors such as seal point, chocolate point, natural mink, blue
mink, sable, champagne, platinum, etc.
  Sang Royal
       Sphynx