Don Sphynx
Encyclopedia
The Donskoy is a hairless cat breed of Russia
n origin. This breed started in 1987 with the discovery of a hairless cat in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don
by cat breeder Elena Kovaleva. It is not related to the better known hairless breed of cat the Sphynx
, also known as the Canadian hairless, whose characteristic hairlessness
is caused by a recessive
gene
, whereas the Don hairlessness is caused by a dominant gene.
The Donskoy was first officially recognized by World Cat Federation (WCF) in 1997, and by The International Cat Association
(TICA) in 2005. The standard of points describes the cat as being medium sized and muscular, with large ears, almond shaped eyes and distinctive long, webbed toes. They require frequent grooming, in spite of their lack of coat. Over-bathing can cause the skin to become very oily.
The Peterbald
breed was originally created by crossing Donskoy with Siamese
and Oriental
cats to create a hairless cat of Oriental type. Matings between Donskoy and Peterbald are no longer permitted.
in its homozygous form, causing problems including poor dentition and compromised ability to lactate.
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n origin. This breed started in 1987 with the discovery of a hairless cat in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don
Rostov-on-Don
-History:The mouth of the Don River has been of great commercial and cultural importance since the ancient times. It was the site of the Greek colony Tanais, of the Genoese fort Tana, and of the Turkish fortress Azak...
by cat breeder Elena Kovaleva. It is not related to the better known hairless breed of cat the Sphynx
Sphynx (cat)
The Sphynx is a rare breed of cat known for its lack of a coat.The contemporary breed of Sphynx started in 1966, in Roncesvalles, Toronto when a hairless kitten named Prune was born. The kitten was mated with its mother , which produced one more naked kitten...
, also known as the Canadian hairless, whose characteristic hairlessness
Alopecia
Alopecia means loss of hair from the head or body. Alopecia can mean baldness, a term generally reserved for pattern alopecia or androgenic alopecia. Compulsive pulling of hair can also produce hair loss. Hairstyling routines such as tight ponytails or braids may induce Traction alopecia. Both...
is caused by a recessive
Gregor Mendel
Gregor Johann Mendel was an Austrian scientist and Augustinian friar who gained posthumous fame as the founder of the new science of genetics. Mendel demonstrated that the inheritance of certain traits in pea plants follows particular patterns, now referred to as the laws of Mendelian inheritance...
gene
Gene
A gene is a molecular unit of heredity of a living organism. It is a name given to some stretches of DNA and RNA that code for a type of protein or for an RNA chain that has a function in the organism. Living beings depend on genes, as they specify all proteins and functional RNA chains...
, whereas the Don hairlessness is caused by a dominant gene.
The Donskoy was first officially recognized by World Cat Federation (WCF) in 1997, and by The International Cat Association
The International Cat Association
The International Cat Association, commonly known as TICA, is the world's largest genetic cat registry. Originally a North American organization, it now has a worldwide presence...
(TICA) in 2005. The standard of points describes the cat as being medium sized and muscular, with large ears, almond shaped eyes and distinctive long, webbed toes. They require frequent grooming, in spite of their lack of coat. Over-bathing can cause the skin to become very oily.
The Peterbald
Peterbald
- Appearance :Peterbalds have an elegantly slim graceful and muscular build. They have a narrow and long head with a straight profile, almond-shaped eyes, wedge-shaped muzzle, and big set-apart ears. They have a long whippy tail, webbed feet and oval paws that allow them to grasp objects and open...
breed was originally created by crossing Donskoy with Siamese
Siamese (cat)
The Siamese is one of the first distinctly recognized breeds of Oriental cat. The origins of the breed are unknown, but it is believed to be from Thailand. In Thailand, where they are one of several native breeds, they are called Wichian Mat...
and Oriental
Oriental Shorthair
The Siamese cat was imported to Britain from Siam in the later half of the 1800s. According to reports, both pointed and solid colors were imported. The gene that causes the color to be restricted to the points is a recessive gene, therefore the general population of the cats of Siam were largely...
cats to create a hairless cat of Oriental type. Matings between Donskoy and Peterbald are no longer permitted.
Health
Not all cat registries recognise the Donskoy and there are some concerns about the genetic health of the breed. Some people suspect that the dominant genetic mutation causing hairlessness in Peterbalds and Donskoys could cause feline ectodermal dysplasiaEctodermal dysplasia
Ectodermal dysplasia is not a single disorder, but a group of syndromes all deriving from abnormalities of the ectodermal structures. More than 150 different syndromes have been identified. Despite some of the syndromes having different genetic causes the symptoms are sometimes very similar...
in its homozygous form, causing problems including poor dentition and compromised ability to lactate.