Everything You Need to Know Before Getting a Russian Peterbald Cat

The first two litters, conceived from the mating of the Don Sphynx and the Oriental Shorthair, produced four kittens: Mandarin iz Murino, Muscat iz Murino, Nezhenka iz Murino, and Nocturne iz Murino. They were the founders of this rare and unique breed.

Back in the day, evolution was a relatively slow process that was mostly left up to nature to work in its mysterious and magical ways.

But today, with better knowledge and understanding, and advancement in scientific technology and know-how, it is easy to take already existing species of animals and breed them with one another to create a new, unique, and improved breed that had the desired qualities of both parent breeds.

This is often seen in animals like cats and dogs, especially because domestication and the pet craze has led to the want for something better that didn't exist before.

The Russian Peterbald cat is one such breed that was recently developed by Olga S. Mironova in 1994. She achieved this by mating a Don Sphynx (also called Don Hairless, Donskoy, or Donsky) named Afinogen Myth and an Oriental Shorthair female champion named Radma von Jagerhov.

The consequent 2 litters produced four cats, the first of its kind. They are one of the friendliest cats, which make them a preferred choice among many pet lovers.

If you are planning to buy one of your own, here's all the information you'll need.

A Russian Peterbald Cat gets the hair loss gene from its parent, the Don Sphynx (which appears as the dominant gene, unlike the recessive one found in the parent) , rather than the hairlessness of the Oriental breeds.

It has a long, slender body, sans the heavy pouch that the Sphynx has, and has elegant boning and strong musculature.

Peterbalds have a long, symmetrical body, with an elongated, inverted-triangular head, and almond-shaped eyes that slant towards the muzzle, like its Oriental parent.

The Peterbald has pointed ears that are wider at the base and gradually decrease to an almost pointed shape, and are set wide apart.

It has webbed feet with oval paws that have evolved to allow grabbing objects.

They have a long whip-like tail that becomes pointed towards the end. It has a wedge-shaped muzzle and an elongated, slender neck.

They are medium-sized cats; the males weighing about 8-10 lb. and the females a little more petite at 6 - 8 lb.

Their most unique feature is their coats. They come in two major forms; hairless and with hair. The first is divided into two types: Ultra Bald and the Flock or Chamois. The Ultra Bald is the kind that is born without any hair at all, and has no eyebrows or eyelashes.

Their skin is soft, warm, and slightly oily. The Chamois type has hair that measures only 1/100 of an mm. Their coat is soft, hair is barely visible, and has no resistance to it. The whiskers are curly or kinky. They tend to lose this hair by the time they become 2 years of age.

The ones with hair come in 3 types: Velour, Brush, and Straight. The Velour type has hair that is 1 - 5mm, and eventually becomes like the Chamois within a year or two. There is some resistance to its coat. The Brush is the type favored for breeding and has hair that is longer than 5 mm.

It has a more resistant coat. The light brush variety may lose its coat, but the heavy brush doesn't. It has curly, kinky, or broken whiskers. The last kind is the Straight Coat, which has hair that never falls off, is velvety, and unlike the others, has straight whiskers. This is due to the absence of the hair loss gene.

They come in a multitude of colors and patterns.

Although not much is known yet, but a Peterbald that is well-cared for can live for 10-12 years.

The Peterbald cats are highly energetic, playful, and friendly, unlike most cat breeds. They are mild-tempered, inquisitive, affectionate, peaceful, and smart. They are extremely loyal to their owners, often following them around, and do not prefer being alone.

They bond well with other cats and pets, and get along very well with children. They are very vocal, but that is a good sign, because they do that to let you know that they are excited or satisfied!

Since they don't have furs, they are not insulated well enough, and need to be kept in a warm room during cold weather. The outdoors is not ideal during summertime (or any daytime for that matter!) for this cat, because the poor little thing gets burnt due to the lack of hair, and they do prefer being indoors instead.

They have a higher metabolism rate, which makes them burn their calories much quicker, and as such, they need to have a very healthy and well-balanced diet. Their bowls need to be filled with dry food at all times, while wet food can be given twice a day.

It would be advised to add tiny bits of chicken or turkey meat into the wet food. Water should be provided in ample amounts at all times. Also, special vitamins and minerals must be added to the diet as per the vet's suggestion.

As far as exercise is concerned, they are highly energetic, so it is important that you give it enough toys to play around with. They know how to keep themselves occupied, if provided with the tools. But it doesn't hurt to play with them every once in a while each day, because they love some attention from the owners!

Since they don't have hair (or much of it anyway!), it is easy to manage your grooming responsibilities. It is good to give your cat a bath every once in a while, but first you must get it accustomed to water and remove the fear of the same. Avoid letting water from entering the ears.

Wipe them down with baby wipes, but before that, wrap them in a towel and gently dab them.

All or most of them lack eyelashes, which causes junk to collect around the eyes; this needs to be wiped with a soft, warm, and wet cloth. Avoid baby wipes during this stage.

Like the eyes, the ears don't have protective hair either and need to be cleaned gently, using the Epi-Otic ear cleanser from Vibrac (just a suggestion), but consult your vet first for the best method.

The teeth must be cleaned once a day, and checkup should be done once a year to avoid dental issues.

The claws too need to be wiped down with baby wipes, between the toe gaps especially. Clip them twice a month.

Because of the nature of the breed, it faces some genetic issue like feline ectodermal dysplasia in its homozygous form, which is caused by the dominant gene that causes hairlessness. This can cause dental concerns and can cause a deficiency in its lactating ability. It may also be susceptible to vomiting, feline lower urinary tract disease, and fleas.

Although they don't have hair, they are not hypoallergenic, so in case you are concerned about cat allergies (that spread from the saliva and dander also, not just hair), consult your vet, but the only way to know for sure is through experience.

The initial purchase may range from somewhere between $1,200 to $2,000. Because of the health concerns, checkups are necessary every few moths. Overall, upkeep may cost up to $1,200 a month.

Now that you know all that you have to about a Peterbald, we hope that you might add a new family member into your household in the form of this adorable and friendly cat!