Thursday Thirteen: Search Terms

#20 - 13 Search Terms People Have Used To Find My Blog

I always find it interesting to see what search terms people use to find a given site. Some of the following make sense, others, not so much!

1. Clean Sphynx Ears - this one makes sense. I've often talked about how my ears need to be cleaned regularly since wax builds up in them due to the lack of hair in my ears.
   
   
2. Dragonheart - that's my name!
   
   
3. photo hamburg marathon - I mentioned that my humans were running the Hamburg Marathon. I don't know that I've shared any photos of them from the marathon, so check out the one to the right. (You can click to see a larger version of it.)
   
   
4. Canadian army white mess dress pictures - my dad is a Canadian officer and I've shown pictures of him in his Mess Kit / Mess Dress, and he also let me borrow his Mess Kit for the Mr. Litterbox competition. No photos of the white (summer) Mess Kit, however. My dad only has the traditional Mess Kit, which can be worn year-round.
   
   
5. cyber pets cow - no idea how this brought someone to my site! I don't have a cow cyber pet. My only pet is my Virtual Squillion, Teal'c!
   
   
6. bathing cat - I have frequently mentioned that I need weekly baths, due to the fact that the oil my skin secretes builds up, since I have no fur for the oil to distribute itself through.
   
   
7. blue tongued Sphynx - yes, I'm a Sphynx, and yes, I've shown a few pictures with my tongue, but it certainly isn't blue! It's pink!
   
   
8. catnip mouse pattern - I love playing with my catnip mice. Sadly, I don't have a pattern for them, although my mom found a pattern to crochet some toys for me, so she's going to try that when she has some time.
   
   
9. riddles for parents anniversary - I wished my humans a happy anniversary on April 22. It was their third anniversary. Don't have any riddles to go along with an anniversary, however.
   
   
10. butterball sphinx cat - Sphynx is the correct spelling of the breed, and a Sphynx shouldn't be a butterball, unless he or she has a medical condition or is fed too much, since the fast Sphynx metabolism tends to keep us on the thin side.
    
    
11. My toes are pink as is my tail - yes, my toes are pink, although my paw pads are both pink and gray. My tail, however, is gray.
    
    
12. historical fiction - when talking about my mom, I mentioned that she enjoys reading historical fiction. Bernard Cornwell, Pauline Gedge, Diana Gabaldon, Jack Whyte, Lindsey Davis, Manda Scott, Colleen McCullough and Sharon Kay Penman are some of the authors of historical fiction that she enjoys.
    
    
13. deformed Devon Rex ears - I have mentioned Devon Rex cats frequently (the same gene produces the curly hair in Devon Rex cats and the lack of hair in Sphynx cats) and I talk about my frootbat ears all the time. However, I have never talked about deformed Devon Rex ears. Devon Rex have gorgeous froobat ears, just like Sphynx! They certainly aren't deformed.

How did I find the search terms? I've had a lot of cats ask me how I found out what search terms people use. I have Sitemeter counter on my blog, and when I click on it, and click on "By Referrals" it tells me how people found my site - whether they clicked on a link on another blog or website, whether they used a search engine, and which search engine they used. For search engines, it tells me the terms that people used when searching.

Tags: Thursday Thirteen, Search Terms, Search, Search Engines

Wordless Wednesday: Whirlybird!

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Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Whirlybird, toy, play

Cats on Tuesday; Bird Watching

I love watching birds.

We have a bird feeder in our backyard, and our neighbours on each side have bird feeders too, so I get to see a lot of birdies. They are so much fun to watch!

In our living room, the entire wall leading out to our Garten (yard) is covered, floor to ceiling, wall to wall, in windows, so I have a great view of the outdoors. I love sitting in front of the window and watching everything that is going on outside.

Often, when I see a birdie, I get very excited and I start chirping! My jaw moves up and down very quickly, and I make a chittering noise. My mom calls it my "birdie noise." Unfortunately, she hasn't been able to record it yet, because by the time she has the video camera ready, I've usually stopped. I haven't been able to identify any of the birds yet, as my humans are only familiar with Canadian species. In the future, we will try to get some photos of the birds to share with you



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

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Cats on Tuesday

200th Post Contest Winners!

I am happy to announce the winners in my 200th Post Contest!

My 200th post was made on Sunday, May 27th, at 08:24 CEST (Munich Time).

The lucky winners are Kaze, Latte and Chase, who guessed Sunday, May 27th at 08:22! They were almost exactly right with the time! Impressive!

Kaze, Latte and Chase will receive a $10 gift certificate to the online store of their choice that offers online gift certificates (ie. Amazon) and a $10 donation to the charity of their choice (including any of the friends helping friends on the Cat Blogosphere).

Kaze, Latte and Chase, if you could email me at Dragonheart DOT Sphynx AT Gmail DOT com, I will arrange to have your prize sent to you and the donation made in your name. Thanks!

Thanks to everyone who placed a guess in my contest!

Tags: Contest, Winners, Winner

Mancat Monday

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Here I am practicing my "fierce Mancat" look. Since I will officially be a Mancat in July, I feel it is important to practice all my various looks. What do you think?

My dad is back today! I am very, very happy that he is home. If I don't have a chance to visit all of you today, it's because I'm busy spending time with him, but I promise I'll visit you all tomorrow!

Also, Happy Memorial Day to the Americans. In Canada, we remember all those who gave their lives in service to their country on Remembrance Day, November 11th. We also honour all those who currently serve and who have served in the past on that day. It is a very special day for us because my dad is an army officer.

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Mancat Monday

True Confessions

Both Luxor and Ariel tagged me for the True Confessions meme. Some of these I already confessed to in the "Random Things" meme, but as I'm not even one year old yet, I don't have much that is confession worthy!

• As I already confessed, I have crushes on Daisy, Kaze, and Stella.
• I like to climb up high. I like climbing on some of the shelves that I shouldn't climb on, and I frequently accidentally knock things over.
• I once sat on my dad's chest with a poopy bum. He was not amused. He had to change his shirt and he and my mom had to change the bed sheets because I also managed to get the bed sheets dirty.
• I sometimes try to drink the milk out of my humans' cereal bowls before they have finished eating.
• When my humans are eating, I try to climb into their laps or jump up on the table and stick my nose in their food. I'm allowed to sit in their laps if I sit quietly, but I'm not allowed on the table. I get sprayed with the evil water spray bottle if I jump on the table.
  
• I sometimes scratch the mattress in the bedroom, even though I'm not supposed to.

I tag:

• Daisy
• Kaze
• Stella
• Miss Peach
• Caesar and Princess

Speaking of Caesar, his mom found out that he has kidney disease. Please take a moment to stop by Caesar and Prinnie's blog, and leave a note of encouragement for their mom. I know she is very worried about him. I am keeping Caesar in my prayers and sending lots of healing purrs his way.

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten

Photo Hunters: Colourful

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Colourful


Here I am, enjoying the sun on my colourful Gizzy quilt. Isn't it beautiful? I love the colours. And guess what? It has dragons on it! Dragons for Dragonheart. To see more Gizzy quilts, visit Bizzy for Gizzy. To get your own Gizzy quilt, visit Millie's blog.

(Click either photo to view a larger image)

Yesterday, several of you asked about the heat here in Germany. Yesterday it went up to 31°C (88°F), 33°C (91°F) with the humidex. This is very unusual for Munich. No, we can't install any air conditioners - even the ones with hoses that go out the window won't work here because the windows here are very different than in North America. We do have all the blinds down to keep the sun out (the photos above were taken before this heat wave started), the windows open and our fans going. Unfortunately, I don't like the fans. I don't like the way the moving air feels across my skin. So I stay far away from the fans. We do have cold water with some ice in it in a bowl before and behind the fans, but we have a tiny little freezer and so can't make and store much ice. German fridges and freezers are very small - tiny compared to North American standards, since most Germans go to the market, bakery and butcher on a daily basis, it's just part of the culture and lifestyle here.

I don't have any fur, which is good, but remember, Sphynx have a fast metabolism so we produce a lot of heat, and our normal temperature is a little higher than that of other cats to keep us warm when it's cold out.

Fortunately, today should be the last day of this super hot and humid weather, and we should get back to seasonal temperatures (mid 20s Celcius) tomorrow.

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Photo Hunt, Photo Hunters

Frootbat Friday

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Here I am enjoying the sun on my Gizzy quilt. It has been unusually warm here in Munich this past week, with temperatures between 27 and 30°C (80 to 86°F). That may not sound terribly warm, but homes in Germany do not have air conditioning. The Germans claim it is unhealthy. We can't even install a window unit, because they don't exist here in Germany! We can't have anyone send us one, because the power system is different here in Germany, plus the windows are very different - they either open on an angle from the top, tipping inwards, or swing open like a door. The few air conditioning units that are available for purchase have a hose for the vent that needs to go outside. The hose is round and needs to go through a wall. Since we are renting, we are not allowed to cut holes in the wall. Plus, the walls are concrete, so they aren't easy to cut through. Fortunately, because the buildings are made of concrete, they are cooler than your typical North American wood framed building. But still, it's been very hot at night, and we are hoping this heat wave breaks soon! Munich normally doesn't get temperatures in the 30s (Celcius) even in July so this is unusually warm for May.

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Frootbat Friday

Thursday Thirteen

My dad has been in Canada for the past week and a half and doesn't come home until next Monday. He is there as part of his job as a Liaison/Exchange Officer. Because I miss him, here is:

#19 - 13 Things I Miss About My Dad

1. I miss waking him up at 05:00 or 05:30 by gently tapping his face with my paw, and then breathing right in his face. Although he ignores me and goes back to sleep until 06:00, I still miss our first moments together in the morning.
   
   
2. I miss having him feed me my first serving of stinky goodness at 06:00. Mom is feeding me now, but I still miss dad doing it.
   
   
3. I miss drinking the milk left in the bottom of his cereal bowl when he's finished eating (no, milk doesn't bother my tummy.)
   
   
4. I miss our "guy time" together in the morning while mom is still in bed.
   
   
5. I miss watching him shave in the morning and having him turn on a bit of water in the bathtub so I can play with it.
   
   
6. I miss greeting him when he comes home from work and smelling all the interesting smells on his combat boots and pants. One of the officers my dad works with has a woofie and often brings him into work. So sometimes my dad smells of woofie.
   
   
7. Although I'm not supposed to, I miss playing with the strings that dangle from his uniform when he changes out of it.
   
   
8. I miss sitting on his lap while he is reading or watching TV.
   
   
9. I miss playing with him. Mom is better at playing with the wand toys, but dad is good with the red dot (laser pointer.)
   
   
10. I miss sitting on his chest while he's reading in bed at night, putting myself between his book and his face and demanding head scritches.
    
    
11. I miss his head and chin scritches. Mom scratches these spots for me but it's still not the same.
    
    
12. I miss curling up between dad and mom at night. Even though I usually end up sleeping curled up behind or between mom's legs, I still like to curl up between them while they are reading in bed (after I get my head and chin scritches, of course.)
    
    
13. I miss him! I love my dad and I am very happy that although he's allergic to cats, he's not allergic to Sphynx! He's the best human dad a Sphynx could have.
    

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Thursday Thirteen

Wednesday Favourites

Here are my favourites:

Time of Day: 06:00 and 18:00, when I am fed my stinky goodness!

Day of the week: Saturday and Sunday, because both of my humans are home.

Season of the year: Summer - I love the heat and the sun.

Holiday: Christmas - I love playing with the wrapping paper and spending lots of time with my humans.

Beaches: I've never been to a beach.

Song: Only The Good Die Young by Billy Joel.

Flower: Roses, Tulips and Daisies.

Talk show: We don't watch talk shows in our house.

Movie: Anything my humans are watching.

Soaps: My favourite shampoo is the Oatmeal one that my humans use to bathe me.

Beverage: Milk in the bottom of my humans' cereal bowl.

Fruit: I've only ever had bananas, so I guess they are my favourite.

Snack: Feline Greenies Salmon Flavour.

Food: Real Salmon, cooked and deboned; Almo Nature Stinky Goodness (100% organic, hormone-free and antibiotic-free); Orijen and Almo Nature crunchies (also 100% organic and hormone-free and antibiotic-free).

Restaurant: I've never had restaurant food.

I tag any cat who hasn't been tagged!

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten

Cats on Tuesday: 8 Random Things

I've been tagged by meeyauw and Anni to tell you all 7/8 Random Things About Me.

1. I love drinking the milk out of the bottom of my humans' cereal bowls in the morning. No, the milk doesn't bother my tummy.
   
   
2. When I use the litterbox, I like to dig and dig and dig and dig. So even though we have a high-sided, covered litterbox, litter tends to fly everywhere.
   
   
3. I have a crush on Stella (but she has her special friend Peter Pan), Daisy (but she has Skeezix as her boyfriend) and Kaze (but she has Mao as her boyfriend).
   
   
4. I love cuddling and being pet but I hate being picked up.
   
   
5. When my dad is lying down in bed reading, I like to sit on his chest, between his face and his book, and have my face scratched.
   
   
6. I hate having my ears cleaned, but I put up with it because I know they need to be clean to keep me healthy and I get treats afterwards.
   
   
7. When I groom myself, some of the oil that is on my skin gets transferred to my teeth and turns them brown.
   
   
8. The oil on my skin when I've very dirty also gets transferred to everything I lie on - my sleeping bag, the bedding on my humans' bed, my humans' clothes, etc.
   
   Bonus fact about Sphynx cats: Unlike other cats, we Sphynx cats have sweat glands all over our bodies.
   

I think just about everycat was already tagged for the "7 Random Things" Meme, but if you haven't been, consider yourself tagged!


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

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Cats on Tuesday

Movie Monday: Grooming

In the video below, I demonstrate proper Sphynx tail grooming technique.

If you are having problems viewing the video, you can try viewing another version (without titles and credits) here.

A lot of you asked how my mom did at her half-marathon yesterday. Well, she finished. It was very, very hot, however, so she didn't beat her PR (personal record). But she finished before the course closed, and a lot of people finished behind her, so she was happy. A lot of people were being taken care of my paramedics and had IVs in their arms, so she's happy she wasn't one of those people. She also ran a full marathon (42.4 km / 26.2 miles) three weeks ago, in Hamburg, so her legs probably weren't totally recovered from that yet!

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Movie Monday, Movie, Video, grooming

Sunny Half-Marathon Sunday

My mom ran a half-marathon in Regensburg today. It's about an hour North of Munich. She said it was very hot out, much too hot to run a half-marathon in. I think she's crazy to run that far to begin with. (A half-marathon is 13.1 miles / 21.1 kilometres.) Since my mom was busy running this half-marathon, she didn't have time to help me with the computer, which is why we weren't around earlier today. I promise to visit all my friends once my mom recovers from her race.

You can see below what I was doing - sensibly enjoying the sun - while my mom was running.

(Click photo to view a larger image)

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten

200th Post Contest

I am holding a contest for my 200th post! Guess when I will post my 200th post, and you could win a prize! Prizes still to be determined, but will likely be a gift certificate from an online store (like Amazon or Zooplus) to avoid the hefty shipping charges from Germany to non-European addresses. We will also make a small donation to the charity of your choice!

Guess when I will make my 200th post! One guess per blog. As I am in Munich, the timestamps on my posts are all in Central European Summer Time (CEST), which is six hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time, to give you a point of reference. So all your guesses should be in CEST and can be left in the comments section of this post.

Have all your guesses in by May 25th, at noon CEST.

Tags: Contest

Photo Hunters: Cooked

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Cooked

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Here I am eating some yummy cooked salmon that my humans shared with me. They made sure it had no bones in it. It was delicious!

By the way, it should go without saying, but if you don't have anything nice to say, please don't say anything at all. I know Sphynx don't look like other cats, but that doesn't mean you should leave cruel or unkind comments. Last week I received some rather unkind comments and it hurts to read them. If the only comment you can think to leave is something insulting, then please don't leave one. I wouldn't say that I wouldn't want to run into your child at night, so why would you leave a similar comment about someone's pet?

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Photo Hunt, Photo Hunters

Frootbat Friday

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If you click the photo to make it larger, you can see the little bit of hair on my ears and my nose, as well as my tiny little whiskers.

In other news, the next time my older half-sister, Dawn, comes into heat, she is going to be bred. If all goes well, I will have a younger sibling from that litter coming to live with me! Although I guess, technically, the kitten will be my half-niece or nephew! You can see some photos of Dawn by visiting my breeder's web site. If you click on "From Dusk Till Dawn" you can view her photos. I think she's very pretty. For a sister, that is!

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Frootbat Friday

Thursday Thirteen: Sphynx Characteristics

#18 - 13 Sphynx Characteristics

1. Sphynx are very people-orientated and affectionate. Sphynx are very inquisitive and love to be the centre of attention. (1,2)
   
   
2. Sphynx are highly intelligent, playful, and cuddly. (1)
   
   
3. Sphynx have an abundance of energy and mischief and are always with you, on you or showing off for you. "Love Mooch" is the perfect term for these amazing cats. (2)
   
   
4. Sphynx are not completely hairless. The skin should have the texture of chamois, a soft peach or nectarine. The skin may be covered with a very short down. On the ears, muzzle, tail, feet and testicles, there will be short, tightly packed soft hair. (1,2)
   
   
5. A Sphynx' body feels warm and soft to the touch. The lack of a thick insulating coat makes the Sphynx very warm to the touch. (1,2)
   
   
6. Sphynx skin is very wrinkled in kittens and adults should retain as many wrinkles as possible, especially on the head. These wrinkles provide much needed insulation. (1)
   
   
7. The Sphynx is of medium size and body conformation with surprising weight for its size. The Sphynx is firm and muscular with a broad chest, slim neck and pear shaped body. (3)
   
   
8. The Sphynx head is a modified wedge, slightly longer than it is wide, with prominent cheekbones, a distinctive whisker break and whisker pads giving a squared appearance to the muzzle. The skull is slightly rounded with a flat plane in front of the ears. The nose is straight and there is a slight to moderate palpable stop at the bridge of the nose. (3)
   
   
9. Sphynx ears are large to very large. They are broad at the base, open and upright. (3)
   
   
10. Sphynx eyes are large, lemon-shaped, with a wide-open centre while coming to a definite point on each side. (3)
    
    
11. Sphynx legs are medium in proportion to the body. They are sturdy and well muscled with rear legs being slightly longer than the front. Paws are oval with well-knuckled toes; five in front and four behind. The paw pads are thick, giving the appearance of walking on cushions. (3)
    
    
12. The Sphynx tail is slender, flexible, and long while maintaining proportion to body length. It is whip-like, tapering to a fine point. (3)
    
    
13. According to the French breed standard, the Sphynx is part monkey, part dog, part child, and part cat. To say Sphynx are lively is an understatement; they perform monkey-like aerialist feats from the top of doorways and bookshelves. Very devoted and loyal, they follow their humans around, wagging their tails doggy fashion and purring with affection. Sphynx demand your unconditional attention and are as mischievous (and lovable) as children. And despite all that and their unusual appearance, they are completely cats, with all the mystery and charm that has fascinated humankind for thousands of years. While the Sphynx may not be for everyone, its unique appearance and charming temperament has won it an active, enthusiastic following. (4)
    

References:
1- Canadian Cat Association: Sphynx
2- CFA Breed Profile: Sphynx
3- CFA Breed Standard: Sphynx
4- Animal Planet: Cat Breed Profile: Sphynx

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Thursday Thirteen

Wordless Wednesday: Perched on Dad's Shoulder

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Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Wordless Wednesday

Cats on Tuesday: Yesterday's Stroll

Yesterday when my mom went for her run in the Englischer Garten here in Munich, she put me in my stroller and took me with her.

Here I am in my stroller. I am very excited to get underway.


This is the Isar River, which runs through the city of Munich. It also runs through the Englischer Garten, which is a huge park in the middle of Munich.


We saw a lot of these strange monsters when we were out running. They looked very odd moving along the various paths. Fortunately, none of them attacked us.


This is one of the interesting trees that we saw while we were out running. I wonder if someone lives in there?

We were very surprised to see some sheep grazing in the Englischer Garten. Are sheep vishus? I was very brave and watched the sheep, even though my mom quickly ran past them after snapping this photo.

We saw some lovely Mallard Ducks in the Englischer Garten. These ducks are German, so they have German names. Their names were Fritz, Johann, and Eva.


This was another duck. He didn't tell me his name.

This was the path alongside the pond where the ducks were swimming.

Click any of the photos above to view a larger image. If you would like to see more photos from our run through the Englischer Garten you can click on the thumbnail below:

by Caylynn


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

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Munich, Germany, Englischer Garten, Cats on Tuesday

Mancat Monday

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Here I am sitting in what mom calls my "guy" position again. She thinks it's very cute when I sit like this. Note my wonderful flying quilt, my tent in the background, the crumpled paper ball, the clear plastic bottle top, and the pink catnip mouse (yes, I have lots of wonderful toys). The pink mousie shows that I have a sensitive side.

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Mancat Monday

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all moms out there, whether they are cat moms, human moms, grandmoms or moms of another kind. I hope you all have a fabulous day!

I love my mom and would like to thank her for taking such good care of me and for loving me. Even though she does some things I don't like (bathing me, cleaning my ears and eyes, clipping my nails) I know she only does these things to keep me healthy.

I love you mom!

Tags: Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten, Mother's Day

My Pet Name

Kaze had this on her blog, so I had to go and find out what my pet name is. I've highlighted in red the ones that I think apply to me.

What Dragonheart Means

D is for Darling R is for Rum Raisin A is for Adorable G is for Goofy O is for Only Love N is for Num Nums H is for Hottie E is for Elf A is for Angel R is for Rock Star T is for Treasure

What's Your Pet Name?

Photo Hunters: Five

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Five

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I have five toes on each of my front paws. Sphynx toes are rather unique. Our toes are long, and some people claim they look like little human hands (especially when the cat has pink-coloured paws, like me!) I can also hold things in my paws. Sphynx also have thicker paw pads than other breeds. Some say it gives us the appearance of walking on air cushions!

Tags: Photo Hunt, Photo Hunters, Sphynx, Canadian Sphynx, Canadian hairless, cat, kitten, hairless cat, hairless kitten