SPHYNX BREED GROUP (SX)

POINT SCORE

HEAD: 40 points

Shape: 10
Eyes: 5
Ears: 10
Muzzle and Chin: 5
Profile: 5
Neck: 5

BODY: 35 points

Torso: 25
Legs and Feet: 5
Tail: 5

COAT / COLOR / PATTERN: 25 points

Coat: 25

CLASSIFICATION

Category: All
Division: All
Color: All

Allowable Outcrosses

American Shorthair
Devon Rex

HEAD STANDARD

Shape

Medium-sized modified wedge with rounded contours, slightly longer than it is wide.
Slightly rounded skull, relatively flat forehead, prominent cheekbones and a well-defined whisker break.

Eyes

Large, shaped like a rounded lemon.
Slanting toward the outer corner of the ear.
Slightly more than one eye-width apart.

Ears

Very large, broad at the base and open.
Set upright, neither too low nor on top of the head.
Completely hairless inside.
A small amount of hair is allowed on the lower outer edges and on the back of the ear.

Muzzle and Chin

Strong, rounded muzzle, with a well-defined whisker break and a firm chin.

Profile

Slight to moderate change of direction at the bridge of the nose.
Some down on the bridge of the nose is allowed.

Neck

Medium length, rounded and well muscled.
Arches from the shoulders to the base of the skull, powerful, especially in males.

BODY STANDARD

Torso

Medium size, medium to medium-long length.
Broad chest, which may tend toward a barrel shape.
Well-rounded abdomen, looking as if it has “eaten a big meal”, without being fat.

Legs

Length in proportion to the body, medium boning and firm musculature.
Hind legs slightly longer than the front legs.
Front legs set well apart.
Females may have slightly finer boning.

Feet

Medium, oval, with long, slender toes.
Paw pads thicker than in other breeds, giving the look of walking on “air cushions”.
Long, slender, prominent toes.

Tail

Whip-like, tapering from the body to the tip (“rat tail”).
Length in proportion to the body.
A “lion tail” (tuft at the tip) is acceptable.

Musculature

Firm and muscular, not delicate.

Boning

Medium.

COAT / COLOR / PATTERN

Length

Appears hairless.
May be covered with fine, short down.
May have a tuft at the tip of the tail.
Whiskers are sparse and short.

Texture

Like chamois.
There may be a feeling of slight resistance to the touch.
The skin is very wrinkled in kittens.
Adults should keep as many wrinkles as possible, especially on the head, as long as they do not impair normal functions.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION (IDEAL)

The Sphynx appears hairless, although it is not completely bare.
The skin should have the texture of chamois and may be covered with very fine down, almost imperceptible to the eye and to the touch.

Short, soft, fine hair is allowed on the ears, muzzle, tail, feet and scrotum.
The lack of coat makes the cat warm to the touch.

Whiskers and eyebrows may be present, broken or absent.

It should be neither small nor delicate.
Males may be up to 25% larger, as long as they keep proportion.

The Sphynx is gentle, active, intelligent and, above all, easy to handle.

ALLOWANCES

Lockets

PENALIZE

Small overall size
Excessively thin, frail or delicate body, or very fine boning
Body too cobby or too foreign
Lack of wrinkles on the head
Straight profile
Narrow head
Uncooperative temperament
Significant amount of hair above the ankles
Signs of a wavy coat or the look of a Devon Rex/Cornish Rex in molt

DISQUALIFICATION (DQ)

Any evidence of depilation, plucking, shaving or clipping of hair, or any artificial removal method
Impossible to handle
Presence of structural mutations, including:
- Curled ears
- Bobtail
- Short legs (achondroplasia)
- Polydactyly

WITHHOLD AWARDS (WW)

(implied in the standard under general condition and health, according to the show rules)

TEMPERAMENT AND GENERAL DISQUALIFICATIONS

Temperament must be gentle.
Any sign of aggression results in disqualification.

Mandatory disqualifications include:

Biting
Fraud
Males without two testicles
Unauthorized absence of tail
Unauthorized polydactyly
Tail defects (where required)
Strabismus (where required)
Total blindness
Incompatible size
Chest deformity