Despite its otherworldly looks, this active breed is gentle and extremely friendly, and has a lovable nature.
The founder of this breed (also known as the Don Sphynx) was an mistreated kitten rescued from the streets in the Russian city of Rostov-on-Don. This stray lost its apparently normal coat as it matured, and it produced offspring with the same mutation.
Various coat types occur in the Donskoy—some individuals are truly hairless, while others have a partial coat that can be fuzzy or even wavy. Uniquely, the hairless types may develop temporary fur patches in winter.
With wrinkled skin and oversized ears, the Donskoy does not have universal appeal, but aficionados praise its gentleness, sparkling personality, and social ease. Grooming consists of regular bathing to remove excess oil from the skin.
These highly social cats with pear-shaped bodies can be trained to follow voice commands.
Origin: Russia, 1980s
Breed registries: FIFe, TICA
Weight range: 8–15lb (3.5–7kg)
Grooming: 2–3 times a week
Colors and patterns: All colors, shades, and patterns.