Ginger Tabby vs Don Sphynx - Breed Comparison | MyCatBreeds

All ginger cats are tabbies – they have spots and stripes on their coat. The tabby pattern is a common wild type, and it is believed that medieval cats were tabbies.

Most paintings and medieval manuscripts show them to be tabbies. Many people believe that these ginger cats come from a particular breed but this isn’t the case.

Ginger Cat Appreciation Day takes place in September. These cats, known as Orange Tabby Cats are very popular and they can actually have a yellow-, orange or red fur.

Of Rusian origin, the Don Sphynx is an interesting looking, hairless breed. The cat came about in 1987 when a hairless cat was seen in Rostov-on-Don, a Russian city.

Cat breeder Elena Kovaleva rescued the kitten and it was at about 4 months of age that the kitten began to lose its hair. Later it was mated with a local tomcat and produced kittens which became the founding stock of the Donskoy breed.

The cat breed was recognized by the World Cat Federation in 1997 as well as the International Cat Association later on in 2005.

Ginger cats have different patterns to the short or long silky coats – mackerel or striped, spotted, patched, ticked, and classic.

In fact the Ginger Tabby isn’t referring to a specific cat breed but rather a distinct color pattern. These cats get their ginger coloring from the pigment pheomelamin, the pigment red-headed humans also have.

The Ginger Tabby can range in size so generally they’re between 3 -6kg in weight. It also seems that a higher number of ginger or orange tabbies are male, put down to genetics. The eyes of the cat can be green, gold or copper.

Temperament:

The Ginger Tabby just loves being around his human family and to show his pleasure, you’ll hear loud purring.

They are affectionate cats and aren’t afraid to show you. These cats have a reputation for being friendly but you also have to bear in mind that a cat’s personality depends on their early socialization with people and other cats.

The Ginger Tabby is an independent, bold, courageous cat with a feisty nature.

The Don Sphynx is a medium-sized cat known for its large ears and its long, webbed toes.

Their weight can be anything from 3 to 6 kg It’s a hairless cat but has different skin types that come in different shades – Flock, Rubber Bald, Velour and Brush.

The cat has this dominant hair loss gene that causes the coat they have at birth to thin and fall out. In fact, on close inspection, you’ll find that the cat isn’t entirely hairless but has a very fine layer of fuzz. The skin can be oily and the cat requires bathing fairly regularly.

These particular cats are also more susceptible to the cold and to sunburn. The legs of this cat are long and slender and they have a bit of a bow-legged appearance to them, but this is because of the barrel chest. The tail is long and hard.

Temperament:

These rare cats make excellent pets because they have all the characteristics needed that make them companionable. They are loving, companionable and playful. These are also intelligent, exploring cats which means you’ll need to provide them with games and toys that can keep them occupied.

They’re good with children and other pets and are even good for first-time cat owners. Breeders of these cats will tell you that they are even-tempered and amicable. They are gentle towards children and other pets.

Most of the time the cat has a calm demeanor but is highly sociable. As an entertainer too – he will do anything to get a laugh out of his human family.

The link between personality and hair color is a talking point among humans, and so it is with cats.

The Ginger Tabby, with its marmalade shade coat is feisty, playful, bold, courageous, and interesting.

Certainly, when you bring this cat into your home, not only are you going to have a beautiful cat but one that is full of character and charm.

The sphynx cat is an energetic feline that absolutely loves the attention of its human owners. In fact, he will even be willing to show off to get some kind of reaction from his humans.

This is certainly a cat that has a sense of humor. They’re friendly, loving cats who like to even follow you around the house to be where you are. They are loving and loyal, curious, intelligent and active.

It’s a hardy breed and you won’t have many health issues to contend with. We know that they are prone to skin conditions and periodontal disease so watch out for these with this amazing, but unusual looking cat.

Guard your ginger tabby against eating too much and guard against a diet that is nutritionally inadequate as this contributes to poor health.

Cats are carnivores and live on meat but you can speak to your vet about giving your cat the chance of a long life by feeding him proper amounts of a healthy diet.

Make sure he also gets plenty of exercise. Offer him things to climb on, such as an indoor climbing tree so that he can exercise when you’re not there. This is important for helping him stay physically and mentally fit.

Vaccines

All cats are susceptible to bacterial and viral infections. Deadly diseases like this are preventable through vaccination. Vaccines offer protection from other dangerous diseases like feline leukemia virus.

Parasites

All kinds of parasites – internal and external can invade your cat and make him miserable and sick and a trip to the vet is imperative.

Hairless cats are prone to teeth and gum issues, and every Don Sphynx owner needs to regularly check their cat’s teeth as bad teeth can cause a lot of problems with health as well as discomfort with the teeth.

This cat breed is also fairly prone to skin problems. You will need to watch him for rashes and fungal infections. Remember, that this strange-looking cat also needs vaccinations and de-worming as well as regular veterinary health checks.

Have your Ginger Tabby cat spayed or neutered. In females, the ovaries and uterus are removed and in males the testicles are surgically removed.

This common op has health benefits and decreases the likelihood of certain types of cancers in your pet. Very importantly it eliminates the possibility of your pet becoming pregnant or the male cat getting out and fathering unwanted litters. The world has too many unwanted kittens and cats as it is.

Grooming:

Brushing your Tabby cat will help with shedding. If you brush your Tabby once a week, you’ll remove all those loose hairs that gives your cat an ungroomed look. Cats shed more in Spring and Autumn and then you may want to increase your brushing to twice a week. Bear in mind that if your cat has shedding which is abnormal it could well be a nutritional thing. Diet is everything. He may not be getting the right mix of ingredients. Speak to your vet as your Tabby may be requiring more of certain vitamins in his diet.

Clip your cat’s nails and make a point of checking inside his mouth for bad teeth and inside his ears for wax and dirt buildup.

Your Ginger Tabby will need food and water bowls, litter box, sleeping place, collar, and toys as well as a carrier box for when he needs to get to the vet.

In spite of this being a hairless cat, it still requires frequent grooming, and yet you have to be careful that you don’t allow the cat to be bathed too often either.

Have your cat spayed or neutered to avoid kittens that you don’t want. This is beneficial for the cat’s health.

This is a unique cat and when it comes to food, if you can afford it, go for the very best food there is. Good food contributes to good health and this cat is a carnivore and requires food high in meat protein.

Of course, it requires other nutrients and the best commercially manufactured cat foods will have a list of ingredients in them that are important to your cat’s health.

Of course, with diet, there are other important considerations to think about and one of these is the right quantity of food to maintain the cat’s ideal weight. Too much weight gain can put pressure on the cat’s joints and contribute to health problems.