Are you planning to buy a new Peterbald or Sphynx indoor cat breed?
I know these cats have quite the same features we often fail to distinguish between them. Peterbalds have longer heads and have slight fur compared to sphynx cats. But Sphynx has a recessive gene due to which they are completely hairless.
Peterbalds have loyal and friendly nature and are a great companion while Sphynx demands attention can also suffer from health problems like skin cancer, hereditary myopathy.
Do you want to know more briefly about Peterbald vs Sphynx? Take a tour of this blog now.
Differences Between Peterbald vs Sphynx
Although Peterbald and Sphynx may look similar if you minutely check, they do have different bodies and physical appearances. They are two distinct cat breeds with polar opposite personalities.
One is thick, while the other is thin. Sphynx has lemon-shaped eyes, whilst Peterbald has almond-shaped eyes.
1. Physical Characteristics Peterbald vs Sphynx
| Factor | Peterbald | Sphynx |
|---|---|---|
| Grooming needs | Moderate | Moderate |
| Family-friendly | Yes | Yes |
| Friendly with other pets | Often | Often |
| Trainability | Easily adapt the knowledge, intelligent but require patience | Easily adapt the knowledge, intelligent and respond well |
Peterbald is a Russian-origin breed. If we talk about physical appearance, they have a long lean, and hairless look. Usually, they are born with short hair, but with age and time, they lose their hair.
A unique feature of the Peterbald breed is that they have long toes, which helps them to hold the toys or other stuff properly. Their large ears and almond eyes give them a different look as compared to other breeds.
Sphynx are known for their unusual hairless look, they are medium in size. They have wrinkled skin, triangular shape ears, cheekbones, all these resemble the look of an Egyptian cat. Although they have wrinkled skin if you closely monitor they have a shiny coat.
Their personality often puts off some people, but their behavior and activity level is totally different, easily get jell up and respond quickly to your training.
2. Appearance & Personality of Peterbald Different From Sphynx
| Factor | Peterbald | Sphynx |
|---|---|---|
| Height | 8 to 12 inches | 8-10 inches |
| Weight | 7–14 pounds | 6–12 pounds |
| Lifespan | 12–15 years | 8–14 years |
| Colors | White black, ebony red, orange blue, gray lavender, silver fawn lilac | Lavender, bicolor, chocolate, white, tortoiseshell, calico, black, red, to mink patterns |
| Looks | Almond-shaped eyes | Large lemon-shaped eyes |
| Temperament | Have a strong bond with their humans. | Demands human attention |
| Hair Growth | Have short coats, light mustache, and whiskers | Only partial or no whiskers |
| Activity Level | 30 minutes a day | 30 – 45 minutes a day |
Peterbald cats are born with very short hair and have solid bi-color tabby color points. These breeds are almost similar to Sphynx as sphynx is entirely hairless and does not have whiskers or any eyebrows.
Bald wrinkled and pot-bellied the Sphynx has a hard and muscular body covered with fine soft hair. They do not have higher body temperature like other cat pets.
The head of the Sphynx is a modified wedge shape slightly longer than it is wide with prominent cheekbones, large ears, large lemon-shaped eyes.
Whereas Peterbald’s body structure is slim and muscular. Their head is quite narrow and long. If you look at them, you will notice they have almond-shaped eyes and have large ears compared to sphynx
Peterbalds look unique and may resemble you like an alien, but they have amazing personalities. They are exceptionally loyal to humans in their life and have a strong bond with their humans. And, are great cats for households with young children and are highly intelligent.
They have strong athletic features, loves to play for long periods of time. They’re loud and vocal kitties.
Sphynx, on the other hand, enjoys attracting attention. They’re really sociable cats. They enjoy having someone to cuddle with in order to stay warm.
3. Price and Lifespan of Peterbald vs Sphynx Cats
The life expectancy of a Peterbald cat is 12 to 15 years if proper care is taken whereas the lifespan of a Sphynx cat ranges between 8 – 14 years.
A purebred Sphynx can range in price from $2,000 to $5,000 whereas the estimated range cost of a Peterbald cat is $1,000- $5,000.
4. Difference of History, and Overall Care
Check out the difference in their history how they originated and how to take of them.
Sphynx Origin and Health
Sphynx was named after the Egyptian legendary sphinx. We identify today’s breed as a Canadian breed that began in Toronto in 1966 as a result of a chance genetic mutation that caused hairlessness.
Originally known as the Canadian hairless cat, the species eventually made its way to America, where experts mixed cats with the newly discovered hairless gene to make hairless sphynx cats.
Sphynx is likely to suffer from health issues like skin cancer as they lack hair, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (kind of heart ailment which later affects muscle function), and congenital myasthenic syndrome (weak muscles).
Sphynx Diet and Grooming
Sphynxes, like cats with fur, require as least as much grooming as cats without fur. Their skin has to be moisturized with a light, odor-free lotion or oil, and they need to bathe once a week to avoid leaving grease streaks on their furnishings or clothing.
Use gentle baby shampoo and clean them thoroughly especially between the folds of the wrinkles. They can’t endure chilly temperatures because they don’t have a fur coat. If he is cold and has the chills, get him a lovely sweater to keep him warm.
Keep their teeth clean by brushing them weekly, clean their eye discharge and check their ears weekly and keep them clean. Like other cats, they are also very particular about bathroom hygiene.
You just feed them nutritious food daily in small intervals throughout the day because these cats are known to have high metabolism also their digestive system is also sensitive.
Peterbald Origin and Health
In 1994, a Russian breeder named Olga S. Mironova mixed an oriental shorthairs cat with a Don Sphynx cat to create experimental breeding called Peterbald. Later they got popular in places like St. Petersburg.
They are in excellent health and have no serious health issues. They are, nevertheless, prone to obesity and dental damage.
Peterbald Diet and Grooming
You have to trim the nails of Peterbald as they can destroy your house carpet, furniture, etc. Make sure to clean them on a weekly basis, as oil can emit a foul odor and readily attract dirt.
As they are very active cats, and they have a fast metabolism they require high protein nutritious cat food.
Which Breed Should I Pick?
It depends on your condition and living style if you are a single living member you can go for Petebald as they do not need all-time attention and also require fewer vet sessions as they are independent and won’t hurt themselves easily.
While Sphynx cat needs attention and can perfectly fit large families. Also, they have critical health conditions, so they need more time and proper care.
You can prefer Peterbald over Sphynx cat if you’re looking for the best indoor cat.
Well, That’s a Wrap!
The conclusion of Peterbald vs Sphynx is that these both are hairless cat breeds but they are quite different because of baldness. Peterbald is affectionate and has light coat layers while a Sphynx is completely hairless, and they are sensitive therefore they can get affected by sunlight.
The life span of Peterbald is similar to various cat breeds are active and outgoing have muscular build can live 12–15 years and have larger ears. They are quite healthy, whereas Sphynx can suffer from respiratory problems.
Do you want to know more about the difference between Peterbald and Sphynx to make the right decision before buying? Then go through this article and get acknowledged.
References
- Why Do Cats Sleep So Much? – PetMD
- Hairless Cats: Breeds, Care Tips, FAQs, and More – Chewy
- The Peterbald Breed – TICA