Sphynx vs Safari - Breed Comparison | Petzlover

Sphynx vs Safari - Breed ComparisonSafari is originated from United States but Sphynx is originated from Canada. Both Safari and Sphynx are having almost same weight. Safari may live 6 years more than Sphynx. Both Safari and Sphynx has same litter size. Safari requires Low Maintenance. But Sphynx requires Moderate Maintenance

Basic Information

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United States
Canada
Weight Male:
9 - 11 kg
19 - 25 pounds
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
Weight Female:
9 - 11 kg
19 - 25 pounds
3 - 7 kg
6 - 16 pounds
Life Span:
17 - 20 Years
8 - 14 Years
Litter Size:
2 - 6
2 - 6
Other Names:
None
None
Colors Available:
black, cream, Silvery gray
All colors
Coat:
Short with black markings
Hairless
Shedding:
Minimal
Minimal
Temperament:
Affectionate, Aggressive, Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Independent, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Alert, Cheerful, Curious, Energetic, Friendly, Gentle, Intelligent, Lively, Loving, Loyal, Outgoing, Playful, Quiet, Responsive, Social, Territorial
Grooming:
Low Maintenance
Moderate Maintenance
Trainability:
Easy
Easy
Hypoallergenic:
No
No
Kids Friendly:
Yes
Yes
New Owners Friendly:
Yes
Yes

History

safariThe Safari Cat, hailing from the USA, is one of the rarest breeds of cats. There are only about 70 of these cats registered at the International Cat Association.

The Safari cat is a mix of a moggy and Geoffroy's cat. At first, the cat was used for research purposes by Washington State University but then cat breeders took over the development of the breed.

The name ‘Safari’ was chosen because of its wild look.

sphynxThe 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.

Description

safari kitten - descriptionThe hybrid Safari cat is a medium to large-sized cat that at first weighed in the region of 15kg, but the cat now weighs roughly 11kg.

Its body is much like that of the wild parent, the Geoffroy – muscular and compact. The ears aren’t particularly large and are smallish, rounded ears with a fairly broad head.

It has a typical wild cat look and is a spotted or rosetted cat breed. Below the spots, the coat is a silvery grey shade.

The coat which is short actually comes in a variety of colors that come from both cat breeds. The eyes of this cat are either yellow or green. The Safari cat certainly has a wild cat appearance, because of the cross-breeding. This is a rare cat and because of this, there is no breed standard for it.

They can live to be between 17 and 20 years of age.

Temperament:

Even though one of the parent breeds is a wild cat, the Safari cat is described as an easy-going cat that can make a good pet.

The cat is very intelligent and playful and will enjoy swimming and climbing. It is for this purpose that he needs to have quite a large outside enclosure with a pool of sorts so that he can paddle.

There isn’t much information on their interaction with children and other pets in the home. While they are quite likely to make good pets where there are children, there would have to be supervision where there are small children. During play, these cats can bit. It would be extremely important to teach children to respect any animal and to be gentle and kind to them.

sphynx kitten - descriptionThe 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.

Characteristics

safari cat - characteristicsAs a hybrid cat, your Safari is interesting alright, but unfortunately, you can’t ever be 100% sure of a hybrid cat. It needs careful consideration before you bring one into your home.

Apart from coming into the home from time to time, hybrid cats need an outside enclosure too that is securely fenced and gated and with a roof.

You made a decision to buy a cat with a wild side. It may live up to all your expectations but it may not either.

When you do research you find that the biggest number of behavioral complaints from owners of hybrid cats are about aggression issues and the refusal to use a litter box when indoors.

There is still a raging debate going on as to whether hybrids make suitable pets, but when you bring any animal into your home, as a responsible adult it is your job to provide well for it to ensure its happiness.

sphynx cat - characteristicsThe 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.

Health Problems

safari kittens - health problemsThe Safari cat isn’t a particularly well-known breed so there isn’t much information on their health. They can suffer from the same illnesses as non-hybrid domestic cats.

Certain hybrid breeds, such as the Safari, can sometimes have issues with reproduction as some cats are infertile. Domestic cats and wild cats have a different number of chromosomes and this results in reproductive problems, and stillbirths are quite common.

sphynx kittens - health problemsThe 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.

Caring The Pet

safari cats - caringIt is recommended that you brush this cat each week. He isn’t a big shedder but the brushing once a week keeps the fur in good condition, removing loose hairs and dust.

A high protein diet is imperative. Cats are carnivores and a meat diet is imperative. You can speak to your vet or a cat expert about feeding your Safari cat. Certainly, they need to be fed high-quality cat food. These foods are available in wet and dry form.

He will definitely need some raw meat. Make sure you understand the ingredients in some low- quality cat foods as corn for cats can be a problem for them, hard to digest and it could cause intestinal problems.

sphynx cats - caringEven 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.

Comparison with other breeds

  1. Sphynx vs Abyssinian - Breed Comparison
  2. Sphynx vs Aegean - Breed Comparison
  3. Sphynx vs African Serval - Breed Comparison
  4. Sphynx vs Chausie - Breed Comparison
  5. Sphynx vs American Bobtail - Breed Comparison
  6. Sphynx vs American Curl - Breed Comparison
  7. Sphynx vs American Keuda - Breed Comparison
  8. Sphynx vs American Longhair - Breed Comparison
  9. Sphynx vs American Polydactyl - Breed Comparison
  10. Sphynx vs American Shorthair - Breed Comparison
  11. Sphynx vs American Wirehair - Breed Comparison
  12. Sphynx vs Applehead Siamese - Breed Comparison
  13. Sphynx vs Ashera - Breed Comparison
  14. Sphynx vs Asian - Breed Comparison
  15. Sphynx vs Asian Semi-Longhair - Breed Comparison
  16. Sphynx vs Australian Mist - Breed Comparison
  17. Sphynx vs Balinese - Breed Comparison
  18. Sphynx vs Bengal - Breed Comparison
  19. Sphynx vs Bicolor - Breed Comparison
  20. Sphynx vs Birman - Breed Comparison
  21. Sphynx vs Blue Russian - Breed Comparison
  22. Sphynx vs Bombay - Breed Comparison
  23. Sphynx vs Brazilian Shorthair - Breed Comparison
  24. Sphynx vs Bristol - Breed Comparison
  25. Sphynx vs British Longhair - Breed Comparison
  26. Safari vs Abyssinian - Breed Comparison
  27. Safari vs Aegean - Breed Comparison
  28. Safari vs African Serval - Breed Comparison
  29. Safari vs Chausie - Breed Comparison
  30. Safari vs American Bobtail - Breed Comparison
  31. Safari vs American Curl - Breed Comparison
  32. Safari vs American Keuda - Breed Comparison
  33. Safari vs American Longhair - Breed Comparison
  34. Safari vs American Polydactyl - Breed Comparison
  35. Safari vs American Shorthair - Breed Comparison
  36. Safari vs American Wirehair - Breed Comparison
  37. Safari vs Applehead Siamese - Breed Comparison
  38. Safari vs Ashera - Breed Comparison
  39. Safari vs Asian - Breed Comparison
  40. Safari vs Asian Semi-Longhair - Breed Comparison
  41. Safari vs Australian Mist - Breed Comparison
  42. Safari vs Balinese - Breed Comparison
  43. Safari vs Bengal - Breed Comparison
  44. Safari vs Bicolor - Breed Comparison
  45. Safari vs Birman - Breed Comparison
  46. Safari vs Blue Russian - Breed Comparison
  47. Safari vs Bombay - Breed Comparison
  48. Safari vs Brazilian Shorthair - Breed Comparison
  49. Safari vs Bristol - Breed Comparison
  50. Safari vs British Longhair - Breed Comparison