Sphynx

The sphynx cat is an energetic, acrobatic performer who loves to show off for attention. She has an unexpected sense of humor that is often at odds with her dour expression.

Friendly and loving, this is a loyal breed who will follow you around the house and try to involve herself in whatever you're doing, grabbing any opportunity to perch on your shoulder or curl up in your lap. As curious and intelligent as she is energetic, these traits can make her a bit of a handful. For her own safety, the sphynx does best as an exclusively indoor cat, and generally gets along well with children other pets.

The sphynx cat is a strong and hardy breed with few health problems. Although the breed doesn't have any genetic disease predispositions, a few health conditions have been known to affect sphynx cats, including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), which is a disease that causes thickening of the heart muscle and can be detected with an echocardiogram, and hereditary myopathy, a condition affecting muscle function, according to Vetstreet. Sphynx cats are sometimes also prone to skin conditions such as urticaria pigmentosa, which causes crusty sores to form on the body. This breed is also prone to periodontal disease and should be provided with regular teeth brushing and dental checkups.

When adopting a sphynx cat, avoid breeders who refuse to offer a health guarantee on kittens or who make claims that their line is guaranteed HCM-free. Although this condition isn't hereditary, it's a fairly common form of heart disease in cats and no breeder can guarantee with absolute certainty that a cat won't develop HCM.

This is an active breed who enjoys jumping, playing and climbing, as well as normal cat scratching. Scratching surfaces should be provided, along with places to climb and perch.

Despite her hairlessness, the sphynx is not considered hypoallergenic because her skin still produces normal amounts of allergy-causing dander. Sphynx cats tend to have oily skin and need to be bathed regularly to avoid becoming greasy. Special care should also be taken to protect these cats from sunburn and skin damage, as well as from cold temperatures, although the sphynx tends to be an expert at finding snug places to curl up and get warm. Nevertheless, sweaters and coats tailored to the sphynx cat are commercially available. The ears should also be checked weekly for wax buildup and gently wiped with a cotton ball dipped in a gentle ear-cleaning solution as necessary.