Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Cats on Tuesday: Sphynx Colours

Cats on Tuesday This week I will provide you all with a short primer on Sphynx colours.

DragonheartDragonheartSphynx can basically come in any colour that other cats come in, except those colours that are determined by the placement of colour on the shaft of the hair itself, since we have no fur.

Most Sphynx will have hair on the bridge of their nose. By checking out the colour of the fur on a Sphynx' nose, you can determine at least one of their colours.

I am a black and white Sphynx. You can see these colours on the fur on my nose. For the rest of my body, where I have pink skin, I would have white fur, if I had fur; and where my skin is grey, I would have black fur, if I had fur. My pattern would be considered a tuxedo pattern, because the white/pink colour is concentrated on my neck, chest, and belly, as well as on my lower legs.

DragonheartFor solid Sphynx colours, such as white, black, blue, red, cream, etc., the cat has one level tone of colour from the nose to the tip of the tail. The Cat Fancier's Association Sphynx breed standard indicates what colour the nose leather and paw pads should be.

With classic tabby patterns, mackerel tabby patterns, and spotted tabby patterns, the markings should be clearly defined on the legs and tail of the Sphynx. A tabby Sphynx will have the tabby "M" on their forehead and will have chest necklaces and body markings as defined by the breed standard. The tabby pattern does tend to fade on the hairless body. My sire, Champion HairNSkin Obi Wan Kenobi, is a Brown Classic Tabby and White. You can view some photos of him on my breeder's website, HairNSkin.

Sphynx also come in pointed colours, like Siamese. Point restricted colours show little or no colour contrast between the body and the points in the mature Sphynx. Although born very light in color, the pointed Sphynx will darken and appear solid in color as an adult. The eye colour of a pointed Sphynx will be vivid blue. The nose leather and paw pad colour will be the appropriate colour for their coat (ie. dark brown/black for seal points, brown or cinnamon for chocolate points, blue for blue points, etc.) My dam, New Taj Mahal Sherazade of HairNSkin is a blue point. The photo to the left is of my dam. It is courtesy of my breeder, HairNSkin.

Sphynx can also be tortoiseshell and calico in colour. Like with other breeds, normally only females will be tortoiseshell or calico.

Bi-Colour Sphynx can be the combination of almost any colour and white, such as a solid colour and white, tabby and white, tortoiseshell and white, pointed and white, etc. Van Bi-Coloured Sphynx have the colour confined to the extremities: the head, tail, and legs.

Sphynx also come in mink patterns, and in sable, champagne and platinum colours.

(Click any of the photos above to view a larger image. On my breeder's website, click any of the small thumbnails to view a larger image.)

Any questions about Sphynx or Sphynx colours? Feel free to ask them in your comments, and I'll try to answer them in a future edition of Cats on Tuesday.


Cats on Tuesday To join in with Cats on Tuesday, check out My Cats and Funny Stories.

42 comments

Gattina said...

Very interesting post ! So you have a little mustache, I hope you don't shave it, lol ! You really look like a star today !

I still couldn't separate my cat blog from the others.

Daisy said...

That was very interesting. I like learning about your breed. Hey it is getting to be kitten season. Are you going to get a new brother or sister soon? Do you have a preference for color when you get your new baby?

Christine and FAZ said...

Dear Dragonheart, as informative as always - thank you. You could be a professor at the Cat University (like Daisy - she is a professor and also very intelligent).FAZ

ANGEL ABBYGRACE said...

Dragonheart

You ought to come on over and join our Tuxedo gang hideout! Your a tuxie just like we are.

Abby

FelineFrisky said...

I learned so much today! thank you! You are especially handsome in your photos.

D :)

Celeste said...

So interesting. Thank you.

Unknown said...

We always learn so much when we visit your page! Thank you so much Dragonheart!

Anonymous said...

Interesting and fun! congrats on your award nomination...I'll go vote for you!

Rosemary B❤️ said...

Happy Tuesday Dragonheart.
We are crazy about sphynx kitties here and we think you are the very best spokescat for sphynx poodins.

We call Caesar a Holstein kitty sometimes, hahahahaha. We wont call you that though<3
~Princess

Tara said...

I have learned so much from you Dragonheart! You are a great spokescat for your breed!
Tara

The Furry Kids said...

We had no idea there were so many different colors of Sphynx kitties. Thank you for another ver informative post. Maybe you and Daisy could start a kitty college?

Thank you for sharing pictures of your mom and dad. No wonder you are such a handsome and distinguished kitty - your parents are very handsome and distinguished, too. Our Momma likes their names.

Love,
Titus, Tazo, & Earl Grey

Oscar the Puppy Cat said...

I agree, this was a very interesting post. My Mommy loves to learn all about different breeds no matter what the animal is. She's most interested in cats and dogs though.
Oscar

My question is; do you have allergy issue's? I know that a lot of specialty breeds have a hayfever or skin sesativity.
Kim

Anonymous said...

Thanks for all that info about your breed's colours Dragonheart! I'm trying to imagine how you would look like with black and white fur :) And you're right it would look like you have a tuxedo on, that's cool! Happy Tuesday!

Zippy, Sadie, Speedy and M'Gee said...

Sadie is studying yer mussels. We love coming here and lerning stuff. Did we tell you dat mom gots to pet a sphynx kitty! She sed dat she was soft and warm, like heated velvet. She also sed she cood reely feel her purr!

momsbusy said...

i couldn't stop saying "awwwww!" when i visited your breeders website after reading about your colors. the pictures of you and your brother (all of the kittens/cats) were adorable. your baby pictures were so cute. i know why your beans picked you - they couldn't resist your cute little face.

Anonymous said...

You could have been a Siamese Sphynx?! Wow! We'd be even better buds--not to say you aren't gorgeous as you are.

srp said...

This is very informative, Dragonheart! Do you want to be a teacher when you grow up?
I can see how you would be a tuxie if you had the fur but fur would be a lot of trouble for you.. hot in the summer and all that cleaning. You are perfect just as you are!

LZ said...

It is strange to think that if you had fur you would be black and white. I've never considered that before because you're so cute pink and grey! Your dam is very beautiful!

Kaze

Angel Junior, Orion and Sammy said...

Wow! Meowm says thanks for hte new wrinkle on our brains.....we are learning so much about Sphynx!

Anonymous said...

Dragonheart, you get a mention today in my cat's ONCE A WEEK blog. Don't take it personally---he is very neurotic and jealous. I would love a sphynx.

Shaggy and Scout said...

It is hard to imagine you with fur Dragonheart!
Your mom & dad are a nice couple!

DK & The Fluffies said...

I learn sooo much everytime I visit!

Cats~Goats~Quotes said...

That is a very educational post, Dragonheart!

kuanyin333 said...

Happy COT and mahalo for the info! I'll go vote for you! My blogs are up in various categories (the vote for me sign is listed on the sidebars of my blogs)...so should you feel like it, vote for me too!

Mr. Hendrix said...

hi dragonheart! i missed your blog while my typists were gone. i voted for you too! good luck. that is so cool that sphynx come in different colors. good question daisy!

Andree said...

It's fascinating. I keep wondering what colors are on the shaft. I know a tiny bit about it, that some cats have 2 or three colors on the shaft (called agouti). But how that is determined genetically and how that affects the skin confuses me. Thank you for the info. Dragonheart is cutest!

Luna und Luzie said...

It is so interesting to read and learn about Sphynx.
Drago, you are a cute and interesting cat and i like your Photos :-)
Have a nice tuesday

HRH Yao-Lin said...

Wow! I had no idea you were a tuxie!!! Those are some fascinating facts!

xx

Big Piney Woods Cats said...

That was so interesting and we learned a lot......thanks!!

Patches

Anonymous said...

You know, you would look a bit like my Min if you had hair. Very cool. I would love a tabby marked one, too bad the tabby colours are so muted.
We always say the tabby M, stands for Monster!

Parker said...

So, if I am reading this right, there could be a Sphynx that is pure black or white. Is that correct? Dragonheart, I think you are a wonderful looking cat and I have learned so much about your breed! Thanks!

Anonymous said...

Thank you so much for your wonderful information Dragonheart. I love visiting you and learning more about your background.

Irish Church Lady :) said...

Fascinating! I like the tuxedo bicolour that you are Dragonheart.

Around Your Wrist said...

i think i shall call you 'dr dragonheart' from now on. you are an expert! i suspect you will hear from harvard, oxford and yale with requests for you to lecture.

handsome boy...

love
--suz

Just Sharlene and the Spice Cats said...

Thanks for the info! That was very interesting. I have never seen a Sphynx in real life though.

Mr. Chen and Ollie said...

Dragonheart, you are a wealth of information about your breed. We loved reading about you!
Purrs,
Mr. Chen & Ollie

MaoMao said...

I love all the neat-o information you share about Sphinxes -- you're such a cool kitty, Dragonheart, and Momma says you're beautiful and that she enjoys learning more about you!

Kittyhugs and purrs from MaoMao!

Anonymous said...

I am learning so much about your breed. Thank you for sharing.

You look very handsome in your pictures.

Take care,
Connie

Forty Paws said...

Wow! We didn't know that you are a tuxedo!!! How interesting!

Luf, Us

Anonymous said...

these are very interesting cats! They are very unique! I think a lot of breeds are misunderstood, or people just don't know enough about them. just the other day i stumbled upon a breed of cat (granted not domestic) that I had never heard of. The caracal, very unique looking, i posted a picture and some info at www.cutepetopia.com if anyone is interested.

Karen Jo said...

I loved learning more about Sphynx from you, Dragonheart. I had figured that you were a tuxie and learned that there were bi-color and calico Sphynx from cat books, but I never knew before that there were Meezer Sphynx. Your parents are both very handsome.

cube said...

Love that photo with the tail curled around the legs. Such a noble pose.