Don Sphynx vs Ashera - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Hailing from the USA, and looking similar to the Savannah Cat, the Ashera is a hybrid breed of cat - an exotic domestic cat known as a designer cat that came about by crossbreeding the African Serval and the Asian Leopard cat.

In fact, the cat was developed fairly recently through genetic manipulation and by the Lifestyle Pets laboratory. Also, some domestic cat was added to the mix as well, giving the cat a beautiful spotted coat similar to that of a leopard as well as some stripes.

Lifestyle Pets stopped producing these cats in 2008 so they’re hard to come by and are very expensive.

Of Rusian origin, the Don Sphynx is an interesting looking, hairless breed. The cat came about in 1987 when a hairless cat was seen in Rostov-on-Don, a Russian city.

Cat breeder Elena Kovaleva rescued the kitten and it was at about 4 months of age that the kitten began to lose its hair. Later it was mated with a local tomcat and produced kittens which became the founding stock of the Donskoy breed.

The cat breed was recognized by the World Cat Federation in 1997 as well as the International Cat Association later on in 2005.

The Ashera cat has large ears with stripes and which are slightly rounded at the top. The eyes are a beautiful greenish-yellow shade.

It's a large cat and can weigh as much as 14kg. The length of the body is long too and can be more than one meter in length. The cat is tall and if it stands up on its hind legs, it will be able to put its front paws on the shoulders of an adult.

People have always fancied owning such a large ‘domestic’ cat. There are different kinds of Ashera cats – the hypoallergenic one, the common Ashera, the snow Ashera, and the royal Aashera which looks much like the common Ashera but just a more rare type.

Temperament:

The Ashera is a very intelligent, independent cat and likes to climb, being a very playful cat, enjoying the company of children.

Because of its wild side, it's always on the lookout for prey. In spite of the cat’s size, it is an amicable cat and will even enjoy going on a walk with a leash. It’s not your traditional aloof cat and is both sociable and vocal and some people liken them to dogs.

Even though the cat enjoys the company of its human family, it doesn’t mind being left alone.

The Don Sphynx is a medium-sized cat known for its large ears and its long, webbed toes.

Their weight can be anything from 3 to 6 kg It’s a hairless cat but has different skin types that come in different shades – Flock, Rubber Bald, Velour and Brush.

The cat has this dominant hair loss gene that causes the coat they have at birth to thin and fall out. In fact, on close inspection, you’ll find that the cat isn’t entirely hairless but has a very fine layer of fuzz. The skin can be oily and the cat requires bathing fairly regularly.

These particular cats are also more susceptible to the cold and to sunburn. The legs of this cat are long and slender and they have a bit of a bow-legged appearance to them, but this is because of the barrel chest. The tail is long and hard.

Temperament:

These rare cats make excellent pets because they have all the characteristics needed that make them companionable. They are loving, companionable and playful. These are also intelligent, exploring cats which means you’ll need to provide them with games and toys that can keep them occupied.

They’re good with children and other pets and are even good for first-time cat owners. Breeders of these cats will tell you that they are even-tempered and amicable. They are gentle towards children and other pets.

Most of the time the cat has a calm demeanor but is highly sociable. As an entertainer too – he will do anything to get a laugh out of his human family.

The Ashera cat is beautiful alright but you might battle to get hold of one and they cost a fortune too, being the rare breed it is.

Hybrid cats mean that the breeding of cat species that would never have mated in the first place.

Wild cat breeds belong in the wild. They’re solitary by nature and if they battle to adjust to being in a social setting they land up in a shelter, abandoned as ‘bad news’. People aren’t clever tampering with nature particularly when it’s just to feed the ego of humans who want something unusual and exotic that nobody else has.

There are pet owners who are willing to spend enormous sums of money to own a rare cat such as the Ashera.

If you want an Ashera, there are just a few kittens being made available each year. One thing is sure, they make splendid pets, being playful, loyal, intelligent, and affectionate.

The sphynx cat is an energetic feline that absolutely loves the attention of its human owners. In fact, he will even be willing to show off to get some kind of reaction from his humans.

This is certainly a cat that has a sense of humor. They’re friendly, loving cats who like to even follow you around the house to be where you are. They are loving and loyal, curious, intelligent and active.

It’s a hardy breed and you won’t have many health issues to contend with. We know that they are prone to skin conditions and periodontal disease so watch out for these with this amazing, but unusual looking cat.

The scientists involved with the development of this cat tell us that it can reach up to 25 years of age.

It’s a new cat breed and at this time there are no common diseases that affect this beautiful feline.

Remember that these cats come with an insurance policy and this means that the cat’s veterinary visits will be covered for the entire first year of its life. Your Ashera cat will also be vaccinated and chipped and the cat will have been spayed or neutered before he comes to you.

Hairless cats are prone to teeth and gum issues, and every Don Sphynx owner needs to regularly check their cat’s teeth as bad teeth can cause a lot of problems with health as well as discomfort with the teeth.

This cat breed is also fairly prone to skin problems. You will need to watch him for rashes and fungal infections. Remember, that this strange-looking cat also needs vaccinations and de-worming as well as regular veterinary health checks.

DIET

The Ashera doesn’t need any special food as they will eat the same cat food that your other cats eat. If you feed your cat commercially manufactured food, make sure its food that is of a high quality.

CARE

Those who have owned an Ashera cat, say tthat looking after an Ashera is much the same as lookijg after your regular domestic cat,

Bedding:

These cats like warmth so make sure you provide him with a warm blanket in his sleeping area.

You won’t have to worry about spaying or neutering your Ashera cat, as they are sterile. The ony place you can buy this cat is from the Lifestyle Pets laboratory. The laboratory implants a chip into the cat and they also undertake to vaccinate the cat for a year.

It’s a low maintenance cat and you can brush the short coat from time to time. Ensuring a good diet will bring about a lustrous, healthy coat.

The cat is intelligent so it will require toys that get him thinking and working things out. Also supply the Ashera with a scratching post.

They Ashera will need the best kind of cat food there is and you will want to ensure he has a good intake of protein and fats to maintain his gorgeous coat and his muscles.

In spite of this being a hairless cat, it still requires frequent grooming, and yet you have to be careful that you don’t allow the cat to be bathed too often either.

Have your cat spayed or neutered to avoid kittens that you don’t want. This is beneficial for the cat’s health.

This is a unique cat and when it comes to food, if you can afford it, go for the very best food there is. Good food contributes to good health and this cat is a carnivore and requires food high in meat protein.

Of course, it requires other nutrients and the best commercially manufactured cat foods will have a list of ingredients in them that are important to your cat’s health.

Of course, with diet, there are other important considerations to think about and one of these is the right quantity of food to maintain the cat’s ideal weight. Too much weight gain can put pressure on the cat’s joints and contribute to health problems.