Have you ever heard of a Peterbald cat? Peterbald’s are a relatively new, lesser-known breed of domestic cat and until very recently I hadn’t come across this breed and neither had any of my Vet or Vet Nurse colleagues!
The breed originated from St Petersburg, Russia following an experimental cross of an oriental shorthair with a Don Sphynx in 1994. They were accepted by The International Cat Association (TICA) for championship competition in 2005 and gained recognition by the Federation Internationale Feline (FIFe) in 2012. Cat lovers in the UK may not be aware of Peterbalds as they haven’t gained recognition by the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy (GCCF). These cats are rare and expensive but is it their rarity leading to their expense or does this breed have any unique or desirable characteristics?
Continue reading to discover more about these scarce felines.
What do Peterbald cats look like?
Peterbald cats inherit the hair loss gene from the Don Sphynx and are regarded as hairless. However, there are different coat types within the breed standard; hairless/naked, chamois, flock, brush and straight. Those with straight coats do not carry the hair loss gene (which is dominant) and are also not eligible for showing. The coat type of a Peterbald can change over their lifespan, although has usually settled by the time they are 3 years old. Like other oriental type cats they are medium sized with elegant, long and lean bodies, their tails are long and whip-like. Peterbald’s can be any colour and their very large “bat” ears akin to their Oriental Shorthair ancestors are a notable characteristic. The head is described as long and triangular shaped head finishing with a wedge-shaped muzzle. They have a wrinkly appearance particularly noticeable on the lesser haired coat types. Whiskers are a vitally important part of anatomy for cats but like other hairless breeds a Peterbald’s whiskers may be absent, crinkly or short. The full breed standard can be read here.
What about the personality of the Peterbald cat?
The Peterbald’s personality is where this really seems to shine! They are reported to be extremely sociable, attention-loving, friendly, intelligent, playful, energetic and also generally good-natured with children and/or other pets – what’s not to like!? It even states in the TICA breed standard that their temperament must be unchallenging, if they threaten to harm or show any sign of definite challenge during showing they will be disqualified. The temperament of any pet is so important, it’s good that this is judged as well as their physical characteristics.
Cats are often stereotyped as having aloof characters, not minding if they are left alone for a while but the Peterbald’s personality having a desire for companionship and a lap to sit on means that these cats may be more predisposed to separation related issues.
Are Hairless cats like the Peterbald hypoallergenic?
Although many dog and cat breeds are considered hypoallergenic, Allergy UK says that there is no such thing as a non-allergic dog or cat. Although it’s commonly thought that pet hair cause allergies in people, a pet allergy is actually caused by the proteins in the pet’s saliva, urine or dander (shed skin particles).
As cats groom themselves the allergens in their saliva are transferred to the skin and/or hair and are then transmitted to a person’s hands when stroking or handling the cat. Cats tend to roam around the house freely and share our furniture so the cat’s dander will be present in the home environment.
Do Peterbald cats have any health problems?
The reason that the GCCF do not recognise the Peterbald, alongside other hairless breeds is due to reported health problems with hairlessness. Perhaps you’re wondering what these health problems are?
Skin problems
Hair acts as a defence mechanism and without this natural protection the skin can come in to contact with irritants. Some cats don’t have hair around vulnerable areas like the ears and eyes so may be prone to infections; these areas will need to be kept clean. Any skin problems should be checked out by a vet to make sure that underlying conditions are diagnosed and treated.
Skin cancer and sunburn
The type of skin cancer most commonly seen in cats is squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) and it is usually found on the ear tips or noses of white cats or those with little hair. With their large ears and hairlessness cats that do venture outdoors are at a high risk of sunburn. There are pet specific sunscreens available, although the practicality of applying sunscreen to large areas of skin is questionable so it is often recommended that hairless cats are kept indoors.
PRA (progressive retinal atrophy)
This inherited disease causes vision problems and can affect several breeds of cat including the Peterbald. It is late onset meaning that although kittens have normal eyesight, a gradual degeneration of the photoreceptor cells in the eye eventually leads to blindness. There is a genetic test for inherited PRA and carriers should not be selected for breeding.
What breed specific care do Peterbald cats need?
Grooming
No hair doesn’t mean no grooming. They may not require grooming in the usual sense, but hairless cats often need a lot more help from their humans in this area. Usually the coat helps distribute oils (sebum) secreted by the sebaceous glands. Hairless cats still produce these oils and can subsequently get an accumulation of grease on the skin or suffer from itchy / dry areas of skin. These cats may need their skin wiped to reduce the build-up of oils as well as help keeping their nail-beds and paws clean, their wrinkly areas will need attention and gentle cleansing to prevent collections of grime. They may also require regular baths with a pet specific shampoo so getting them used to this as a kitten is worthwhile.
Environment
Hairless cats are vulnerable to extremes of temperature, and as well as protection from UV rays they need to be protected from the cold. They should be provided with a comfortable bed out of any draughts and if they are ever allowed outdoors they should have access to come back inside at all times. Even the indoor temperature of the home should be considered, during colder spells heating may need to be left on at all times.
Diet
Hairless cats have a higher metabolism to help regulate body temperature so need to eat regularly. Cats are obligate carnivores so a meat based, high quality, higher calorie diet will be required. However, it’s easy to overdo it, as most of us aren’t familiar with how thin a healthy cat looks, so it’s also important to make sure they’re not putting on too much weight!
Playtime
This is an energetic, playful breed of cat. Bearing in mind that an indoor lifestyle is recommended so they need the space in the home to play as well as toys and areas where they can climb such as cat trees or towers.
How long do they live?
Many factors including breed, weight, sex and neuter status, health and living environment also influence the life expectancy of any breed of cat.
Peterbalds are reported to have a lifespan of 12-15 years, which sounds quite good considering a recent study showing that the average lifespan of a pet cat in the UK is 11.7 years. However, Peterbalds were not included in this particular study and there is no research to back up the life expectancy claim of this relatively new breed.
We do see cats in practice which are in their late teens and even early 20’s, our family moggy who was originally a rescue kitten is now well over 18 years old.
Final thoughts on Peterbald cats
The Peterbald’s lovable character would be welcome in most homes. However, the tendency to form strong attachments with their owners, their energetic nature alongside an indoor lifestyle as well as the unique care requirements of hairless cats mean that this is a high-maintenance breed to own. They are also difficult to come by and expensive. As with any pet there are ongoing costs such as food, cat litter, toys, veterinary care, vaccinations, insurance and for hairless cats skincare products!
There are an abundance of cats in rescue and rehoming centres of all ages, colours and temperaments. Consider your own lifestyle, choosing the right cat to suit your home is important and is worth waiting for. They could be with you for many, many years.
If you think a Peterbald may be the cat for you, try and speak with owners and breeders to discover what life with a Peterbald is like. Also remember that kittens should be bred from cats genetically tested for PRA.
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