{"id":11079,"date":"2022-03-27T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-03-27T06:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sciencefocus.com\/?p=52952"},"modified":"2022-03-27T08:22:14","modified_gmt":"2022-03-27T06:22:14","slug":"why-are-sphynx-cats-hairless","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/bbcsciencefocus\/rss_feed\/why-are-sphynx-cats-hairless\/","title":{"rendered":"Why are Sphynx cats hairless?"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Holly Spanner\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Sunday, 27 March 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

Sphynx cats are famous for their lack of fur and distinctive wrinkles. They are the marmite of cats, with most people falling into the \u2018love them\u2019 or \u2018hate them\u2019 camps.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s perhaps not surprising that Sphynx cats are sensitive to the cold and prone to sunburn in the summer, so most are indoor-only cats. They require regular bathing, as oils that would normally disperse along hair shafts will instead accumulate on the skin of hairless breeds.<\/p>\n

Contrary to popular opinion, Sphynx cats are not completely hypoallergenic as they still produce skin cells, or dander, as it\u2019s often referred to. However, the lack of hair may be enough to reduce an allergic reaction for allergy sufferers<\/a>. But why<\/em> don\u2019t Sphynx cats have hair?<\/p>\n

Why are Sphynx cats hairless?<\/h2>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s due to a mutation in the gene<\/a> that is responsible for providing hairs with their keratin protein as they emerge from the follicle,\u201d said Charlotte Corney, zookeeper and founder of The\u00a0Wildheart\u00a0Trust<\/a>. \u201cThe hair is formed, but it has a weaker structure and becomes easily damaged and dislodged.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sphynx cats were originally called the Canadian Hairless, as the first recorded appearance came from Toronto in 1966, when a domestic cat gave birth to a hairless kitten, later discovered to be the result of a natural genetic mutation. The cat was aptly named \u2018Prune\u2019 and began the first hairless cat breeding program. Although it\u2019s difficult to know whether all modern hairless cats are descended from Prune, or other cats with this genetic mutation.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis genetic mutation can occur in cats naturally, but selective breeding for this trait since the 1960s has produced the Sphynx breed. Some Sphynx cats are completely bald, while others have short downy fur over their bodies or in isolated areas,\u201d said Corney.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
A hairless Sphynx relaxes in a ray of sunshine \u00a9 Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Specifically, the recessive mutation is in the keratin 71 gene (KRT71), which plays a key role in hair formation. It\u2019s part of a family of type II keratins that are present in all mammalian epithelial cells \u2013 these are cells that line the surfaces of the body, acting as a sort of safety shield. KRT71 encodes a protein that is expressed in the inner root sheath of the hair follicle.<\/p>\n

When a gene is \u2018expressed\u2019 in biology, it\u2019s essentially \u2018turned on\u2019. Instructions in the DNA are converted into the structures present and operating in the cell, causing the body to produce proteins in its code. Clever.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The KRT71 gene responsible for hairless Sphynx cats can also mutate to create curly hair \u00a9 Getty<\/span><\/figcaption><\/div>\n

Other phenotypes (a set of characteristics or traits of an organism) have been recorded as a result of mutations in KRT71. Previous studies have found that this gene is also responsible for curly\/wavy phenotypes in dogs<\/a>, mice<\/a>, and rats<\/a>.<\/p>\n

What do Sphynx cats feel like?<\/h2>\n

Like their furry counterparts, Sphynx cats come in all colours, and their coat has a peach-like, fuzzy down, or chamois-like texture. They may sometimes have a little more hair on the bridge of their nose or ears and may also have a small puff at the tip of their tail. Sphynx cats are often likened to warm, suede-covered hot water bottles!<\/p>\n

Read more about cats: <\/strong><\/p>\n