Sphynx vs Skookum - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Sphynx vs Skookum - Breed ComparisonSkookum is originated from United States but Sphynx is originated from Canada. Both Skookum and Sphynx are having almost same weight. Both Skookum and Sphynx has almost same life span. Both Skookum and Sphynx has almost same litter size. Skookum requires Low Maintenance. But Sphynx requires Moderate Maintenance

Basic Information

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United States
Canada
Weight Male:
2 - 3 kg
4 - 7 pounds
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
Weight Female:
2 - 3 kg
4 - 7 pounds
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
Life Span:
12 - 15 Years
8 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
2 - 4
2 - 6
Other Names:
None
None
Colors Available:
Range of colors and patterns
All colors
Coat:
Soft and wavy or curly
Hairless
Shedding:
Minimal
Minimal
Temperament:
Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Docile, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Responsive, Social, Sweet, Territorial
Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

skookumSkookums are a new cat breed – an experimental and rare hybrid dwarf cat breed, It was developed in the United States in the 1990s.

As a new breed, you’re not going to find too much information on their history, but is was breeder Roy Galusha who started crossing the Munchkin cat with the LaPerm.

Even today, some years later, the Skookum cat is still an experimental cat breed that is considered a rare dwarf breed. It is recognized as an Experimental breed by Independent European Registries as well as the Dwarf Cat Association.

sphynxThe 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.

Description

skookum kitten - descriptionThe dwarf Skookum only weighs between 2 and 3kg. It is a new cat breed with a curly coat. The coat can be in a range of colors and patterns.

It is a small, lightweight cat with short legs and a broad head and stocky build. It has a muscular build. The eyes are large and walnut- shaped while the ears are large and pointed.

The neck is also thickish. The coat is soft and curly, standing away from the body and spiraling into ringlets. It can feature a number of colors and patterns such as solid, bicolor, and colorpoint. These cats can be long-haired or short-haired.

Temperament:

They are playful cats, full of energy and they love climbing and jumping. They’re intelligent, confident cats and are also loyal and loving towards their human family. They may be active, playful cats, but they still like to settle down into your lap.

sphynx kitten - descriptionThe 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.

Characteristics

skookum cat - characteristicsBecause the Skookum cat is still in its early stages of development if you want to know precisely what the characteristics of the cat are you would want to look at the Munchkin and the LaPerm cat.

One thing is sure the Skookum cat thrives on the attention of his human family and if you provide him with the love and attention he craves, you can be sure that he will turn out to be the right friend and companion for your family.

sphynx cat - characteristicsThe 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.

Health Problems

skookum kittens - health problemsBecause the Skookum cat is a new, experimental breed, health problems with the cat are not well known. However, every cat can succumb to some of the common cat health issues there are. As a pet owner you want to watch for and recognize signs that your cat’s health is in trouble.

Feline leukemia for instance is a disease that spreads through bodily fluids such as urine, saliva and nose discharge, and saliva. Mother cats can even pass the disease along to her kittens. Feline leukemia can also lead to a host of conditions such as diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, skin problems and eye diseases among others.

Feline panleukopenia is known to most people as feline distemper and it is a very contagious viral disease with kittens being most at risk.

The disease affects a cat's immune system and the cat will likely have diarrhea, vomiting and dehydration, and lethargy. It’s a deadly disease that requires a vaccine to prevent it.

sphynx kittens - health problemsThe 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.

Caring The Pet

skookum cats - caringEven though the Skookum has curly hair, it’s not difficult to groom him. You want to brush the soft curls gently once a week. Keep it gentle so that you don’t make the curls frizzy.

Use some warm water in a spray bottle with some pet conditioner and spray the curls lightly and use your fingers to liven up the curls.

Cats like to nibble throughout the day and it is better for them to feed like this as opposed to a larger meal morning and night.

However, you will need to know what your cat is eating as you don’t want to overfeed your cat. Obesity comes with a host of health issues. As a carnivore, your cat requires meaty foods so make sure to feed him high-quality cat foods that have meat and protein as the top ingredients.

Your cat must have a constant supply of fresh, cool water.

Provide your cat with a litter box. You will need to clean out the box every day of cat feces as cats don’t like to use a box that is dirty. You get special cat rakes at the vet or the pet shop that makes it easy just to rake up the feces and dispose of them.

sphynx cats - caringEven 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.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Sphynx vs Abyssinian - Breed Comparison
  2. Sphynx vs Aegean - Breed Comparison
  3. Sphynx vs African Serval - Breed Comparison
  4. Sphynx vs Chausie - Breed Comparison
  5. Sphynx vs American Bobtail - Breed Comparison
  6. Sphynx vs American Curl - Breed Comparison
  7. Sphynx vs American Keuda - Breed Comparison
  8. Sphynx vs American Longhair - Breed Comparison
  9. Sphynx vs American Polydactyl - Breed Comparison
  10. Sphynx vs American Shorthair - Breed Comparison
  11. Sphynx vs American Wirehair - Breed Comparison
  12. Sphynx vs Applehead Siamese - Breed Comparison
  13. Sphynx vs Ashera - Breed Comparison
  14. Sphynx vs Asian - Breed Comparison
  15. Sphynx vs Asian Semi-Longhair - Breed Comparison
  16. Sphynx vs Australian Mist - Breed Comparison
  17. Sphynx vs Balinese - Breed Comparison
  18. Sphynx vs Bengal - Breed Comparison
  19. Sphynx vs Bicolor - Breed Comparison
  20. Sphynx vs Birman - Breed Comparison
  21. Sphynx vs Blue Russian - Breed Comparison
  22. Sphynx vs Bombay - Breed Comparison
  23. Sphynx vs Brazilian Shorthair - Breed Comparison
  24. Sphynx vs Bristol - Breed Comparison
  25. Sphynx vs British Longhair - Breed Comparison
  26. Skookum vs Abyssinian - Breed Comparison
  27. Skookum vs Aegean - Breed Comparison
  28. Skookum vs African Serval - Breed Comparison
  29. Skookum vs Chausie - Breed Comparison
  30. Skookum vs American Bobtail - Breed Comparison
  31. Skookum vs American Curl - Breed Comparison
  32. Skookum vs American Keuda - Breed Comparison
  33. Skookum vs American Longhair - Breed Comparison
  34. Skookum vs American Polydactyl - Breed Comparison
  35. Skookum vs American Shorthair - Breed Comparison
  36. Skookum vs American Wirehair - Breed Comparison
  37. Skookum vs Applehead Siamese - Breed Comparison
  38. Skookum vs Ashera - Breed Comparison
  39. Skookum vs Asian - Breed Comparison
  40. Skookum vs Asian Semi-Longhair - Breed Comparison
  41. Skookum vs Australian Mist - Breed Comparison
  42. Skookum vs Balinese - Breed Comparison
  43. Skookum vs Bengal - Breed Comparison
  44. Skookum vs Bicolor - Breed Comparison
  45. Skookum vs Birman - Breed Comparison
  46. Skookum vs Blue Russian - Breed Comparison
  47. Skookum vs Bombay - Breed Comparison
  48. Skookum vs Brazilian Shorthair - Breed Comparison
  49. Skookum vs Bristol - Breed Comparison
  50. Skookum vs British Longhair - Breed Comparison