The hairless cat is quite literally everywhere. Not only is it found on humans but in other animals as well, such as dogs and cats. The most common breed among hairless cats is the Siamese cat, which is also commonly referred to as the Bobcat. But why are cats so hairy?
The hairless cat’s presence is due to a genetic defect called “homozystatis”. In simple terms, this is an abnormality where part of the chromosome is missing. Since the hairless, domestic cats are domestic cats that have been selectively bred over the years, many of their chromosomes have been altered or deleted in some way. This results in a reduced ability to produce hair, leading to hairless cats. Hairless cats tend to be born with an inferior muscular structure, with large ears, and smallish eyes.
Hairless kittens cannot be properly fed, unless their mothers are pregnant. During the first two months of life of these kittens, their mother’s milk is the only food that they will get. Caring for these kittens will not be easy because they require regular attention, especially from mothers with plenty of warmth and care. In fact, the care required for this breed of cats can sometimes be overwhelming for owners, especially if they are not accustomed to them. Breeders often struggle to make these kittens feed and grow healthily because they are rarely taken out of the litter during the entire pregnancy, and thus are left with no opportunity to learn how to eat on their own.
Since the majority of hairless cats do not shed their coats in adulthood, their coats are also often thinning. In addition, they often suffer from hair loss due to infections or disease. It has been discovered that these cats are more prone to skin infections and may experience ear infections, skin irritations, colds, and even hair loss and alopecia (common hair loss in cats).
The sphynx breed was created by crossing a domestic cat and a wildcat in India called the silver tipped cat. Through a process of selection, the silver tip cats were crossed with the Burmese. Although the Burmese was not intended as a game breed, it was intended as a fur breeder and breed; therefore, its coat was often light and silky with a long, silky hair.
All of these cats have a very sleek, hairless coat, except for the silver tipped breed. Their coats are long and silky with a soft undercoat. When cats begin to breed these cats, they produce longer hair. These hairs often mat together at the front of the ears, forming what is known as matted hair. These hairless breeds are very popular today and can be seen all over the United States.