Sphynx vs Cheetoh - Breed Comparison | PetzLover

The Cheetoh is a beautiful cat whose parent breeds are the Ocicat and the Bengal.

It was in 2001 that these two breeds were crossed by breeder Carol Drymon. Drymon was wanting to develop a new cat that would have characteristics similar to that of a wild cat but that would behave like a domesticated cat.

The Cheetoh became a recognized and registered breed with the United Feline Organization in November of 2004.

The Sphynx cat is well known for its hairlessness. This breed started its development in Toronto, Canada.

A hairless kitten was born and it was mated to produce more hairless kittens. These kittens were called Canadian Hairless Cats. They were used as the foundation for a new breed.

In the 1970s, more hairless kittens were born and placed into the Sphynx breeding program. They were mated with Devon Rex cats. The International Cat Association recognizes this cat breed.

For a housecat, the Cheetoh is a muscular and large breed. In fact, this is one of the largest breeds of all the domesticated cats, with males being bigger than females. They can weigh anything between 7 and 10kg.

People want to own an animal that looks like a wild cat and the Cheetoh looks like a Cheetah. The coat of the cat can be several different colors and can be in different patterns with spots and stripes. He gets the spots from both the parent cats - the Ocicat and the Bengal. He definitely getd the longer legs from the Ocicat.

The purpose of the Cheetoh breeding program was to create an exotic, intelligent cat with a wild look and that would also be larger than your regular domestic cat. You could say it's the cats wonderfully soft, a velvety coat that makes it such an attractive cat.

Also, another notable feature with the cat is the way it walks - it looks as though it is stalking and prowling.

The cats are bred in 6 colors referred to as the black- or brown-spotted sienna, the black-spotted smoke the black- or brown-spotted gold, the black-spotted silver and the gold-spotted.

Temperament:

Your fascinating Cheetoh is a fun-loving cat, being playful and energetic and he will require a large yard and require being exercised.

They’re gentle cats but are talkative, being quietly friendly and social.

They make great family pets. They become devoted to their human family, being loyal and companionable. He is an affectionate, loving cat and his intelligence allows him to learn some simple commands and tricks.

He is the kind of cat that will do well in a family with kids and pets as he loves playfulness and fun, but he also wants to receive lots of love and attention.

The Sphynx is a medium-sized, fine-boned, muscular cat that weighs roughly between 3.5 – 7 kg. The skin of the cat has a soft chamois type feel to it.

Sometimes there can be a few hairs. The head of this cat is longer and narrower than many of the other cat breeds. The ears are large.

This cat is going to need a bath once a week with special medicated cat shampoo. The cat also has no whiskers or eyelashes. The legs are long and slender and he has a barrel chest. All skin patterns and colors are available with the cat.

Temperament:

The Sphynx is a loving, friendly, energetic, extrovert cat that loves nothing more than to be petted and pampered.

It one of the few dependent cats there are. Even though he is social, he isn’t very vocal. They are playful too and because they are also intelligent, they will need stimulating games and toys to keep them from becoming bored.

They get on well with children in the home. Like many other cats, the Sphynx cat can be doglike and they like to welcome their owners home.

Cheetohs are a wonderful breed of cat and will love a busy household of adult humans, kids, and other pets.

Remember that because of their wild side they have a high prey instinct and might like the idea of going after your small pets such as fish and birds.

Intelligent and playful you will need to keep your Cheetoh entertained and exercised with both mentally and physically stimulating puzzle-type games. One thing is for sure, with a Cheetoh in your home, you're never going to have a dull moment.

The Sphynx can be in a house where there are children who have been taught to be kind and gentle with animals.

The cat is energetic and loves to entertain and amuse his human family with his antics.

He is loving and loyal to his human family and absolutely hates staying on his own. He can actually get depressed when he is left on his own often.

He would be far better off with another cat companion. If you're looking for a fun, playul, loving and affectionate feline companion, you need look no further than the weird-looking sphynx cat.

Whenever you buy a pet, particularly an exotic type of pet where you’ve spent a lot of money, make sure to check out potential health issues from the breeders.

Always make sure to buy your cat from a reputable source to avoid health issues that could drastically shorten your Cheetoh cat’s life.

As with all cats, there are potential genetic problems in their ancestry that might reveal itself in your cat.

Certainly, if you suspect something is wrong, get your cat to the vet immediately.

The Canadian Sphynx, just because of its lack of hair, already faces challenges. Other cats have fur to keep them warm and to protect the skin from sunlight.

In fact, when the kittens are born, without hair, they are vulnerable and become prone to respiratory infections. Reputable breeders, therefore, only allow their kittens to go to new homes when they are at least 14 weeks of age.

This cat is also prone to skin problems and this could include rashes and fungal infections. As with any other cat, the Sphynx cat requires protection from harmful cat diseases by being vaccinated.

Although the Cheetoh is considered to be a hypoallergenic cat, no cat is really so, but nonetheless the coat is lovely and velvety and is shiny and short, being low shedding as well.

He will need lots of exercise, but luckily with his dog-like attributes, he can be taught to walk on a leash,

Ensure your cat has a nice dry, warm sleeping area.

Diet:

These are energetic cats and he will need a complete commercially manufactured cat food that is high in protein, after all this is a carnivore and they require meaty diets.

If in any kind of doubt as to what to feed your Cheetoh, speak with your veterinarian if you have any concerns.

Make sure that your cat is never without a constant supply of fresh, cool water. A water fountain, with moving water, always encourages water drinking with cats.

Even though the Sphynx cat is hairless, he isn’t to be regarded as a low maintenance cat. First of all, the sheer lack of hair means he is more vulnerable to the sun and to the cold. If he goes outdoors, you have to be careful that his skin doesn’t get burned.

These cats also have more ear wax than other cats as they don’t have hair in their ears. Dirt, wax, and oils can accumulate in the ears. They will need to be cleaned regularly, and a vet or the pet groomer can help you with this.

The Sphynx cat also collects oil and dirt under their nails, so just like the ears, the nails as well as the surrounding skin folds will need to be properly cleaned. Cat owners need to know that these hairless cats aren't as low maintenance as thought, but require quite a bit of grooming. Special grooming products are available for this cat.

What one cat likes to eat won’t be the same as another cat. The Sphynx, like every other cat, is a carnivore and he will need all the different nutrients from his food.

The best commercial cat food manufacturers know that the proportion of these nutrients will vary as the cat ages and goes through different stages of its life. Your cat needs the right meat foods and he needs the right quantity as well.