How is the Don Sphynx different from the Canadian?
Sphynxes are amazing cats that leave no one indifferent. Some fall in love with the breed at first sight. Other exotic appearance initially discouraging. But as soon as they hold a warm, hairless lump in their hands at least once, their hearts will surely tremble! When you get to know “naked” cats closer, you learn a lot of interesting things about them and begin to understand their varieties. For example, do you know how it differs from ?
For people “uninitiated” all sphinxes look the same. But true connoisseurs will always distinguish the Canadian Sphynx from the Don or “plasticine” from velor. Despite the great similarity, the Canadian and Don Sphynx are so genetically different that crossbreeding between them is prohibited.
How to distinguish the Canadian Sphynx from the Don? The easiest way to do this is when representatives of both breeds are nearby and you have the opportunity to compare them. In general, the Don Sphynx have a more dense and proportionate physique than their relatives from Canada. The physique of the “Canadians” is more elegant, the skeleton is thinner, the silhouette is stretched, the muzzle is slightly narrower, and the ears are larger. Another clue is the coat. Canadian sphinxes are not completely “naked”, on one or another part of their body you will always notice a few hairs or a light fluff. Many Don Sphynx also have fluff and even curly hair, but the naked Don Sphynx variety is completely devoid of hair.
And here are a few other key differences.
The eyes of the Don Sphynx are almond-shaped, slightly slanted, while those of the Canadian Sphynx are large and round.
There are more skin folds on the neck and in the axillary region of the Canadian Sphynx.
The baldness gene in Canadian Sphynxes is recessive, while in Don Sphynxes it is dominant. Breeding Canadian sphinxes is somewhat more complicated. To obtain hairless offspring, only owners of the baldness gene are allowed to cross. In another case, the litter will have both “naked” and “woolen” kittens.
When breeding Don Sphynxes, even if the second parent does not have the baldness gene, the kittens still inherit it.
Absolutely naked kittens are born in Don Sphynxes (with a naked variety), Canadian ones do not.
The Don Sphynx is a very young breed, while professional breeding of the Canadian Sphynx is over 50 years old.
But the nature of the sphinxes of both breeds is not much different. The only thing is that the Canadian Sphynxes can be a little less sociable than the Don ones.
Friends, tell me what differences we did not mention? What “identification secrets” do you have?