Sphynx vs Cornish Rex - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Cornwall is the birthplace of the unusual Cornish Rex cat – a curly-coated cat.

A kitten was born in 1950 and belonged to Nina Ennismore and Winifred Macalister. The other kittens had short hair but this unusual kitten had curly hair, the result of a spontaneous natural mutation.

A successful breeding program was started and it was in 1963 that the American Cat Fanciers Association as well as the and today it is recognized by all cat registries.

The Sphynx cat is well known for its hairlessness. This breed started its development in Toronto, Canada.

A hairless kitten was born and it was mated to produce more hairless kittens. These kittens were called Canadian Hairless Cats. They were used as the foundation for a new breed.

In the 1970s, more hairless kittens were born and placed into the Sphynx breeding program. They were mated with Devon Rex cats. The International Cat Association recognizes this cat breed.

The Cornish Rex is a small to medium-sized cat weighing between 3 to 5kg. It’s a lithe, slender cat with a small, narrow head with big ears and eyes.

The cat has long, slender legs with a tail that is also slender and long. The hair is very fine and they are actually prone to hair loss. The coat has fine, short, silky hair. There can be a bit of a curl in the hair, The coat comes in many colors from white, silver, black, red, blue to chocolate and they can have different patterns too as well as bein bi-color.

The eyes can be gold, brown, or green. The torso is long and lean, the cat has a deep chest but strong hips and rear end that allow the Cornish Rex to leap with ease up onto perches.

Temperament:

The Cornish Rex loves his human family and loves spending time with them, whether that means fun and games or sitting in your lap.

He is intelligent and can learn a few tricks and is capable of learning to walk on a leash. He is a confident cat, playful and entertaining. Gentle and loving, he is a talkative cat, wanting to express his opinion about everything.

He will fit easily into different lifestyles, whether you’re single, a family, or in a retirement home, so long as he is receiving lots of attention.

He isn’t as frail as he looks and can get pretty active and social with children and dogs and may even beat the dog to fetching a small ball.

The Sphynx is a medium-sized, fine-boned, muscular cat that weighs roughly between 3.5 – 7 kg. The skin of the cat has a soft chamois type feel to it.

Sometimes there can be a few hairs. The head of this cat is longer and narrower than many of the other cat breeds. The ears are large.

This cat is going to need a bath once a week with special medicated cat shampoo. The cat also has no whiskers or eyelashes. The legs are long and slender and he has a barrel chest. All skin patterns and colors are available with the cat.

Temperament:

The Sphynx is a loving, friendly, energetic, extrovert cat that loves nothing more than to be petted and pampered.

It one of the few dependent cats there are. Even though he is social, he isn’t very vocal. They are playful too and because they are also intelligent, they will need stimulating games and toys to keep them from becoming bored.

They get on well with children in the home. Like many other cats, the Sphynx cat can be doglike and they like to welcome their owners home.

If you’re looking for a cat that can bring laughter and fun into the household, you won’t go wrong with a Cornish Rex as they will amuse and delight.

He is also a cat that doesn’t require a lot of fuss and bother, although he makes a fuss about the amount of attention he gets.

He doesn’t like being left alone for long, so a good idea is to work from home or to get a companion for him. Other than than, he makes the most splendid feline companion.

The Sphynx can be in a house where there are children who have been taught to be kind and gentle with animals.

The cat is energetic and loves to entertain and amuse his human family with his antics.

He is loving and loyal to his human family and absolutely hates staying on his own. He can actually get depressed when he is left on his own often.

He would be far better off with another cat companion. If you're looking for a fun, playul, loving and affectionate feline companion, you need look no further than the weird-looking sphynx cat.

The Cornish Rex is a hardy cat with very few health issues. Certainly, because of the very fine hair, you’d have to be aware of sunburn.

Cats can get sunburned and can be at serious risk of getting skin cancer later on. Be sun-smart and apply pet sunscreen.

Be careful of the type of sunscreen you use as your cat will likely want to lick it off. Other issues to look out for are hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. This is a common kind of heart disease in cats where there is a thickening in the wall of the heart.

The Canadian Sphynx, just because of its lack of hair, already faces challenges. Other cats have fur to keep them warm and to protect the skin from sunlight.

In fact, when the kittens are born, without hair, they are vulnerable and become prone to respiratory infections. Reputable breeders, therefore, only allow their kittens to go to new homes when they are at least 14 weeks of age.

This cat is also prone to skin problems and this could include rashes and fungal infections. As with any other cat, the Sphynx cat requires protection from harmful cat diseases by being vaccinated.

Grooming your Cornish Rex isn’t going to be an issue as the cat has very little hair. Although nothing is set in stone and some Cornish Rex’s have thicker coats, requiring more brushing. Maybe a soft brush once a week will be sufficient for this cat breed.

A good idea is to take a cloth of warm water and to gently wipe your cat so that he is free of dust.

Supply a litter box and make sure that you remove his droppings every single day.

Have your pet neutered or spayed if you don’t want unwanted kittens. These minor ops have many health benefits for your cat as well.

When you brush your cat, check his entire body out for any abnormalities. Check for new lumps, check inside the ears to make sure they are clean and free of redness which could indicate an infection.

Clip his toenails, make sure his eyes are clear and bright, free of discharge, and check inside his mouth to make sure there aren’t any bad teeth, as this could cause him a lot of discomfort.

Even though the Sphynx cat is hairless, he isn’t to be regarded as a low maintenance cat. First of all, the sheer lack of hair means he is more vulnerable to the sun and to the cold. If he goes outdoors, you have to be careful that his skin doesn’t get burned.

These cats also have more ear wax than other cats as they don’t have hair in their ears. Dirt, wax, and oils can accumulate in the ears. They will need to be cleaned regularly, and a vet or the pet groomer can help you with this.

The Sphynx cat also collects oil and dirt under their nails, so just like the ears, the nails as well as the surrounding skin folds will need to be properly cleaned. Cat owners need to know that these hairless cats aren't as low maintenance as thought, but require quite a bit of grooming. Special grooming products are available for this cat.

What one cat likes to eat won’t be the same as another cat. The Sphynx, like every other cat, is a carnivore and he will need all the different nutrients from his food.

The best commercial cat food manufacturers know that the proportion of these nutrients will vary as the cat ages and goes through different stages of its life. Your cat needs the right meat foods and he needs the right quantity as well.