Donskoy or Don sphynx Cat: appearance, character, care, breeding
Donskoy or Don sphynx Cat
The Donskoy is a very rare cat in France. There are less than twenty of them. However, it is a cat that intrigues, as much by its original physique as by its curious character. It is the delight of naked feline enthusiasts.
The origins of the Donskoy Cat
The first Donskoy cat was discovered in 1988 in Russia. It was about a female named Varya, who had the distinction of having many hairless patches. When Varya had babies, they were completely naked.
It was then understood that Varya was not sick, but the carrier of a genetic peculiarity, however unrelated to the mutation of the Sphynx. The Donskoy then became a full-fledged breed, also known as the “Russian Sphynx”.
Appearance of the Donskoy Cat
The Donskoy is a medium sized cat with a muscular body and an elegant appearance. The head is wedge-shaped with high prominent cheekbones and wrinkles on the forehead. The profile is almost straight.
The eyes are almond shaped. The ears set high and vertical on the head are large with a rounded tip. The body is solid, well built. The chest is wide open and the abdomen rounded. The rump is wide. Long and muscular, the legs are well proportioned to the body. The feet are oval with well defined toes.
There are three varieties of Donskoy: velvets which have the skin covered with a very short down; brushes that are short, curly and hard; and the nudes, whose skin is smooth and elastic like rubber.
Color of the Donskoy Cat
All colors are allowed.
The character of the Donskoy Cat
The Donskoy cat is particularly curious. An extrovert, it likes to explore the world. It is also extremely close to its master, does not support loneliness and the cold.
Hug: This cat is known to be more than clingy! He especially likes to snuggle up to you and even sleep under the duvet next to you. Why ? Simply because it seeks heat and uses your body heat to keep warm!
Player: In general, this is a playful cat who particularly enjoys playing sessions with its humans. It needs it daily and will undoubtedly make you laugh with his spins and somersaults.
Quiet: The Don Hairless will definitely keep you busy. You will hardly have time to put away the toys when it asks for more! It will need to replenish it’s energy on the occasion, between two sessions of play, but their moments of rest will quickly pass.
Intelligent: This cat is clever and cunning. It will surprise you with its learning ability. Workouts will be welcome and you will have as much fun as your cat.
Fearful / suspicious of strangers: With people who will respect them and let it go at his own pace, this feline will undoubtedly be the darling of your evenings!
Independent: The Donskoy can organize itself very well during your absences. It will certainly be delighted to see you again and will probably come and ask for your attention and why not, the warmth of your arms!
Behavior of the Donskoy Cat
Talkative: The Don Sphynx is not known to use its vocal repertoire excessively.
Greedy / Gluttonous: This cat may have a tendency to gluttony, since it needs to consume more food than a hairy cat in order to maintain an adequate body temperature. Make sure not to overdo the portions.
Need for Exercise: If you don’t provide your Don Sphynx with enough periods of exercise, you will probably know it very quickly because there will be ways of its own to care for, which are likely to fail. not please you … You may well find a roll of dismantled toilet paper, a box of tissues gutted, a plant unearthed, etc. It’s up to you to give him what he needs to spend their energy.
Runaway: Being rather cautious, this feline tends to prefer the safety and warmth of its home. It is still necessary to remain cautious during the hot season, the sun could allure them and encourage them to leave by a door or a badly closed window …
Compatibility of the Donskoy Cat with other animals
The Donskoy and the Dogs: This dyad is quite possible. The dog could even have the impression that another member has pushed them by dint of being sticked by the cat who will want to take advantage of its heat …
The Donskoy and the Other cats: The Donskoy can cohabit with another cat without difficulty with a good introduction. If it is another “naked”, the two individuals risk using each other by acting as a living hot water bottle for the other!
The Donskoy and the Children: Children, who have been previously taught how to interact well with a cat, can be extraordinary playmates for this breed.
The Donskoy and the Elderly: Don Hairless’s energy level and need for physical activity may exceed what a fairly calm person would be able to provide. You have to assess this individually and of course, according to each person’s lifestyle.
Price of the Donskoy Cat
On average, the purchase price of a Donskoy kitten in breeding is between 1400USD and 1800USD, the price often varying according to the line, the breeding, the age or even the sex.
For the monthly budget, it will take an average of 50 USD / month to meet the needs of this cat, by offering them a quality diet and making sure to keep them in good health.
Maintenance of the Donskoy Cat
Grooming: Due to the lack of hair to absorb excess sebum, Donskoy’s skin may feel oily to the touch. A bath is recommended every 6 months. The more you wash this cat, the more sebum it will produce.
For example, you can use a moistened washcloth between baths to cleanse the sebum that has accumulated on the skin. The ears also require special attention. It is recommended to clean them every week. Remember to clean between the knuckles and under the legs between the pads.
Hair Loss: You will probably notice that this cat does not lose hair. With it, your sofas and floors will always be spotless, at least as far as the hair is concerned, but you may well find small spots of sebum on the pale colored surfaces …
Food of the Donskoy Cat
Your Donskoy will need to eat a little more than a standard cat since it loses heat quickly due to being naked. It therefore needs more calories to increase his body temperature and thus protect himself from the cold.
Caring for the Donskoy Cat
Like the Sphynx, the Donskoy sweats a lot. It should therefore be bathed once a week in lukewarm water. Besides, they loves it!
Health of the Donskoy Cat
Life expectancy: It can live between 12 and 15 years.
Resistant / Robust: As you can imagine, this cat is not built to face the cold. On the other hand, it tolerates heat very well and particularly appreciates sunbathing. You have to be careful to avoid painful sunburns.
Tendency to gain weight : It is a good idea to calculate food portions carefully with your veterinarian team to ensure that your cat is not overweight. It may have a certain tendency to gluttony.
Frequent diseases: There is no over-represented disease within the breed. On the other hand, several sources mention that there would be a certain incidence of pulmonary diseases. He can also one day develop the same pathologies as any other cat, such as oral pathologies.
Reproduction: Here there are contradictions. TICA allows marriages with Domestic Shorthairs but LOOF does not allow any.
Good to know
This “ naked ” like the human, perspires through the skin.
Do you know what are the differences between the Sphynx and the Donskoy? The Sphynx is native to Canada and the Donskoy to Russia. Both carry a gene responsible for their nudity, but in the Sphynx it is recessive and therefore not always expressed while in the Donskoy it is dominant.
It also affects the shape of the face, eyes and muzzle. It is said that the more pronounced the kitten’s nudity at birth, the more the facial differences will be.
