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With their angular faces, big ears, and smooth bodies, Sphynx cats are living (and purring) proof that there’s more to a kitty than its fur coat. Here are a few facts about the fleshy feline.
1. Sphynx cats originated in Canada.
You’d think a cat whose ancestors come from the North Country would be equipped with a warm coat. But the modern-day Canadian Sphynx—the hairless breed we know in North America—has been defying expectations since the mid-1960s, when an Ontario cat gave birth to a hairless kitten, the result of a natural genetic mutation. Then, in the mid-1970s, two separate sets of hairless kittens were born to owners in Toronto and Minnesota. Thanks to various breeding efforts, their lineages resulted in the affectionate animal we love today.