This cat breed with the fabulous name of the Elf cat is not an invention. For a long time, an animal with an unusual appearance brightens the life of many four-legged lovers. And those who have never taken hairless cats in their hands are delighted looking at the numerous photographs. A cute, touching and gentle creature – this is how the rare elf cat is characterized.
Elf Cat photos
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Physical characteristics
The lean but muscular body is supple and strong. The volumetric chest is formed by rounded ribs, while it does not exceed the general boundaries of the body. The smoothed nape of the Elf Cat passes in a graceful, slightly curved line of the back. The neck of the descendants of the sphynxes is long and graceful with a noticeable curvature. Thanks to the rounded bulging belly, the torso takes on a pear-shaped shape. The average weight of a cat figurine is 7-8 kg. The tail is medium in size in proportion to the body.
Distinctive features
- Body: The body is muscular and the belly is convex, giving the body the shape of a pear. The long neck has a graceful curve. The chest is wide.
- Ears: The ears are large and wide. The ends are folded over. The tilt angle is about 90-180 degrees. The hard cartilage of the ear is at least 1/3 of the length of the entire ear.
- Eyes: The eyes are large and slightly protruding. The incision is almond-shaped. The color of the iris of the eyes can be green, blue or yellow. Heterochromia is allowed.
- Muzzle: Looking at an Elf cat, you can clearly see that their skull is wedge-shaped. Animals have pronounced cheekbones and whisker pads. The wide bridge of the nose ends in a large nose. The forehead is flat, with many folds.
- Legs: Legs are powerful. They end in thick pads. The tail is of moderate thickness, with a pointed tip.
Character and behavior
It is difficult to find in a motley family of cats more affectionate and gentle creatures than elf cats. They can rightfully be called the “tail” of a person – cats are ready to follow the owner literally on the heels, waiting for affection and attention.
Their reverent and attentive attitude extends not only to adult owners, but also to small children. Bald and pleasant to the touch cats delight babies. At the same time, the pets reciprocate – they are eagerly fondled and included in games with children.
The elf cats show the same peacefulness in relation to pets. They know how to find common language not only with other cats, but also with dogs. The elf cat is ideal for large families. These creatures do not tolerate the absence of people in the house. Therefore, it is advisable for single people who spend a lot of time outside the home to remember this before making such a friend.
Elf kittens are very mobile, inquisitive and playful. With age, cats become more sedate, but do not lose their feelings of affection for people. Unlike other breeds, the elf cat does not put any family member first. For her, everyone is equal, so she gives love to everyone equally.
Elf cats have excellent memory. They are very good at remembering both positive moments of life and negative events. But with a good attitude, this quality of character can even go unnoticed. The highly developed intellect of an elf cat is manifested in a quick habituation to the tray and the place of feeding. Even at a young age, big-eared cats quickly grasp the house rules set by man and follow them. Among other things, cats are very clean and do not create problems in the house.
Health
Since the breed is young and bred as a healthy alternative to the Sphynx, it has no obvious issues. More common pathologies such as a hormonal imbalance or the common cold. But all this is successfully dealt with.
With poor diet, poor hygiene or hormonal imbalance, the animal can develop a skin problem. Acne, rashes, pimples – not a complete list of problems. Small pimples may disappear during puberty.
Life expectancy
With proper care, an Elf Cat can live 12 to 16 years.
Care
Elf cats do not need to be combed, however, like all hairless cats, the skin should be wiped with a damp cloth (without alcohol) during the day. Their ears should be wiped down at least once a week, and preferably twice a week, very carefully, with water diluted 1:1 with vinegar.
These cats are bathed once or twice a month (with the right shampoo, as elf skin is sensitive), depending on the contamination of the skin – this is determined by the smell, apparently the contamination of the folds and of the skin as a whole, and also by its stickiness. Do not forget to cut the claws on average once every 10 days, and also clean the eyes from deposits. These cats should be protected from direct sunlight and protected from the cold.
History of the breed
The elf cat breed is one of the extra-young in the cat family. More recently, naked cuties with bent ears did not exist in nature. But fate decided in its own way. In 2006, as a result of selection experiments between the Sphynx and Curl, unusual kittens were born.
The work was carried out by the American breeder Kristen Lead. The reason for obtaining a new breed was a tragic incident in a woman’s life. As a result of the disease, her beloved cat of the Canadian Sphynx breed died. Lead decided by all means to get a cat with an unusual appearance, lack of genetic abnormalities and high resistance to infectious diseases.
In the difficult selection of Kristen was helped by her friend and colleague Karen Nelson. Their creative impulse to obtain a new breed did not give the desired results for a very long time. And yet, after a few years, the problem was resolved and the hard work culminated in an amazing result. The wards had a kitten of the elf breed. It was the outward resemblance to the fictional character that gave rise to the name of the new variety.
The very next year, the unusual hybrid line was registered as an experimental breed in TICO. The rest of the international felinological organizations so far refuse to recognize the elf breed in any status. The number of newly born hairless cats is still very low. The overwhelming majority of individuals currently live in the United States.
Therefore, everyone who wants to buy an elf kitten in the cattery turns to American breeders. Although there are individual catteries in which you can buy a kitten, there are also in Russia.