Elf cat
| Elf | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Elf Sphynx |
| Origin | United States |
| Foundation bloodstock | Sphynx and American Curl |
| Variety status | Not recognized as a standardized breed by any major breed registry. |
| Breed standards | |
| Other | REFR[1] and ANCats[2] accept Elf registrations, and publish breed standards. |
| Notes | |
This is an experimental crossbreed. | |
| Domestic cat (Felis catus) | |
The Elf (plural Elfs) or Elf Sphynx is a crossbreed of domestic cat with two highly distinctive traits: an almost total absence of hair, and ears that curl backward. These traits are the result of the deliberate crossing in 2004 of the Sphynx and American Curl breeds as foundation stock.[3]
The Elf is a recent hairless cat variety and is not recognized by any major breeding organizations. Creating pedigree bloodlines and a healthy gene pool are among breeders' ongoing efforts to establishing the Elf as an internationally recognized standardized breed.[3]
Description
As of 2017,[update] this in-development variety of cat is not recognized by major breed registries and cat-fancier organizations such as The International Cat Association (TICA) or the Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA). Some breeders have published draft breed standards for the Elf, based on those for the foundation breeds, but these documents are not entirely consistent with each other.[1][2][4][5]
According to the TICA standard,[6][not in citation given] Elf cats should display a medium-sized body with a solid bone structure supported by healthy musculature. The chest and abdomen are well-rounded with “the appearance of having eaten a large meal”.
The head is nicely proportioned and features rounded cheekbones. Large lemon-shaped eyes should sit slightly wider than one eye width apart and slope slightly up in the outer corner. The medium length neck should be rounded and supported by well-developed musculature particularly in males.[citation needed]
The ears are broad and open with a soft flap that curls over near the tip of the ear.[4][unreliable source]
The degree of hairlessness that is considered normal for the Elf – as with the Sphynx – may vary but a soft peach-like fuzz is generally present over most of the body and short hair may be found on the nose, ears and sometimes on the toes and tail.[4] The CFA describes the texture of Sphynx skin as something like “a suede hot water bottle or warm chamois, and some cats almost have a buttery feel to the skin”.[7] The skin is loose on the body and this gives the Elf a deeply wrinkled appearance especially around the head and neck.[8][unreliable source]
History
In 2004, Karen Nelson[9] and Kristen Leedom[citation needed] shared the idea of Sphinx cats with curled ears. The Sphinx has a history of some health problems including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and mitral valve dysplasia (MVD).[10] In 2007,[9] Leedom and Nelson crossed the Sphinx with the hardier American Curl, with the goal of producing a healthier, mostly hairless cat with the curled ear feature they were looking for.[11]
Breeders are seeking TICA recognition as an experimental breed,[12] but as of 2017,[update] Preliminary New Breed status has not been granted.[13] Some breeders have claimed that Elfs have been accepted in the New Traits subcategory of TICA's Sphynx Breed Group,[5][12] but TICA's own breed list[13] and its Sphynx standard do not confirm this as of 2017.[update][6]
The Elf has been included in the Australian National Cats Inc. (ANCats) breed list as experimental,[2] though no ANCats members are Elf breeders as of 2017.[update][14] The Australian Independent Cat Council (AICC) also accepts pedigree registration of Elfs (along with virtually all other breeds), though lists no Australian breeders.[15]
There were only eight breeders of this cat variety, all in North America, as of 2014.[update][16]
Genetic profile
The gene responsible for hairlessness in the Sphynx (and thus in the Elf) is an autosomal recessive trait. The Sphynx and derived varieties are not completely hairless; two types of hair formation occur: a few patches of light hairs particularly around the nose, tail, and toes; and a fine downy all-over covering.[17]
The choice of outcross breeds plays a critical role in building the strength of any new breed.[citation needed] For example, the Scottish Fold cat also has folding ears but in this case the curling ear gene appears to be linked to bone malformations and arthritis.[18]
The gene responsible for the curled ears in the American Curl breed is almost certainly a dominant gene and does not appear to be associated with any negative health issues.[19] There is insufficient data at this point but, according to one of the founder breeders, Elf cats resulting from the cross of Sphinx and American Curl appear to be very robust.[11][unreliable source?] As of 2017,[update] a genetic study at the University of Sydney in Australia seeks to more precisely identify the different genes responsible for the harmful side effects of forward-folded ears in the Scottish Fold and apparent lack of such problems in backward-curling ears in the American Curl.[18]
At this early stage in breed development, some breeders permit outcrossing to any domestic short-haired cat stock and to certain other breeds, not just other Elf, Sphynx, and American Curl specimens[citation needed] (this is also true, in some registries, of one or both of the foundation breeds). Breeding programs throughout the world[citation needed] are focusing on widening and strengthening the gene pool – establishing hybrid vigor and avoiding excessive inbreeding. Such efforts include outcrossing with domestic short-haired cats[1] (mongrels of mixed ancestry) and, more selectively, with certain standardized breeds, including the Highlander,[citation needed] itself a crossbreed with some American Curl ancestry, and even some non-domestic (wild) cat forebears from Chausie and Bengal cat bloodlines. Most Elfs, however, are not such feline hybrids.
Health and care
Because Elf cats lack the protection of normal cat hair they are more susceptible to cold weather and prone to sunburn when exposed to the sun. Despite their lack of hair, Elfs still produce sebaceous oils. The lack of hair means the oil is not absorbed and the Elf may develop skin conditions if the oil is allowed to accumulate. Elf cats need a regular bath to remove these oil deposits and prevent these skin issues.[citation needed]
Elf cats may also be prone to ear infections as a result of the build-up of dirt and wax in their hairless ears. Regular ear cleaning with some cotton wool soaked in cider vinegar is a highly recommended part of Elf care.[8][unreliable source]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Elf". RareAndExoxicFelineReg.Homestead.com. Rare and Exotic Feline Registry. 2008. Archived from the original on October 20, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "National Breed Standards" (PDF). Australian National Cats Inc (ANCATS). 2017. "Elf – Experimental" section. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Leedom, Kristen. "Breed History". Sphynx-Cattery.com. New Berlin, Wisconsin: Quendi Cattery. Retrieved October 20, 2017. [self-published source]
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 James, Jackie. "Elf Sphynx". AlqualondesElfCats.com. Butte, Montana: Alqualondes Cattery. Archived from the original on October 19, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017. [self-published source]
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Orton, Angela (February 22, 2008). "Breed Profile – Elf Standard". ElfKittens.com. Phoenix, Arizona: Vanyar Cattery. Archived from the original on October 19, 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017. [self-published source]
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 "Sphynx (SX): Sphynx Standard" (PDF). TICA.org. Harlingen, Texas: The International Cat Association. May 1, 2004. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- ↑ "About the Sphynx". CFA.org. Alliance, Ohio: Cat Fanciers' Association. 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Toni, Benton. "Hairless Cats - The Ultimate Guide of Hairless Cat Breeds". Somerzby.com.au. "Elf" section. Retrieved October 20, 2017. [self-published source]
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Miller, Daniel (January 9, 2013). "New breed of cat dubbed the Elf is dead ringer for Dobby from the Harry Potter films". Daily Mail. London: DMG Media.
|access-date=requires|url=(help) - ↑ Chetboul, V.; Petit, A.; Gouni, V.; Trehiou-Sechi, E.; Misbach, C.; Balouka, D.; Carlos Sampedrano, C.; Pouchelon, J. L.; Tissier, R.; Abitbol, M. (December 2012). "Prospective echocardiographic and tissue Doppler screening of a large Sphynx cat population: Reference ranges, heart disease prevalence and genetic aspects". Journal of Veterinary Cardiology. European Society of Veterinary Cardiology. 14 (4): 497–509. doi:10.1016/j.jvc.2012.08.001. PMID 23131204.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Leedom, Kristen. "Why the Curl". Sphynx-Cattery.com. Quendi Cattery. [self-published source]
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Brennan, Tracy. "Elf Cats: There's a New Meow in Town". NoCoatKitty.com. Blackwood, New Jersey: NoCoatKitty Cattery. Retrieved October 20, 2017. [self-published source]
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "TICA-Recognized Cat Breeds". TICA.org. Harlingen, Texas: The International Cat Association. 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- ↑ "Australian National Cats Inc Breeders". PetAssist.com.au. Australian National Cats Inc. Retrieved October 22, 2017.
- ↑ "Breeds & Breeders". AICC.net.au. Australian Independent Cat Council.
- ↑ Kantrowitz, Mark (2014). "Hairless Cats – Elf". HairlessCats.info. self-published.[self-published source]
- ↑ Gandolfi, B.; Outerbridge, C. A.; Beresford, L. G.; Myers, J. A.; Pimentel, M.; Alhaddad, H.; Grahn, J. C.; Grahn, R. A.; Lyons, L. A. (October 2010). "The naked truth: Sphynx and Devon Rex cat breed mutations in KRT71". Mammalian Genome. International Mammalian Genome Society. 21 (9–10): 509–515. doi:10.1007/s00335-010-9290-6. PMC 2974189. PMID 20953787.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Haase, Bianca (2017). "Comparing Cat Breeds to Identify Genetic Reasons for Bone Disease". MorrisAnimalFoundation.org. Denver, Colorado: Morris Animal Foundation. Archived from the original on 19 October 2017. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
- ↑ Vella, Carolyn M.; Shelton, Lorraine M.; McGonagle, John J.; Stanglein, Terry W. (1999). Robinson's Genetics for Cat Breeders and Veterinarians (4th ed.). Oxford: Butterworth-Heinemann. ISBN 0-7506-4069-3. Search this book on
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