Donskoy

Coat and looks how to spot one

hairless to lightly coated, in four coat types (rubber bald, flock, velour, brush)

A medium, strong-boned and muscular cat whose skin feels warm and velvety, with generous wrinkles on the face and body. Coats range from completely bare from birth (rubber bald) through a chamois-soft flock and a velour type that loses its hair gradually, to a brush coat that keeps more wiry hair. Many grow a light fuzz in winter that disappears again in summer. Large ears, almond eyes and long, slender, slightly webbed toes give it an elfin look.21

Personality what they are like

The Donskoy is a warm, loving cat that wants to be part of everything its family does and will happily trail its people from room to room. It is bright, inquisitive and gentle, picks up routines and tricks quickly, and usually gets on well with children and other friendly pets.231

Daily activity how busy a day looks

Active and inquisitive. Plan roughly 20-40 minutes of play a day with wand toys and chase games, plus climbing spots such as a cat tree.32

Grooming and care the hands-on bits

Without a full coat, skin oils build up, so wipe the skin down regularly and bathe every one to two weeks with a gentle shampoo, avoiding over-bathing. Trim nails, clean ears and brush teeth as routine. Protect the skin from strong sun and keep the cat warm in cool weather.231

Home where they are happiest

Best as an indoor cat in a warm home, with cosy beds or blankets and shade from strong midday sun; a light cat jumper can help in cold weather.32

Food basics what goes in the bowl

A complete, high-quality, protein-rich cat food. Hairless cats tend to burn more energy keeping warm, so portions should suit the individual's condition and activity.3

Company who they like around

Very social and dislikes long stretches alone; does best with company at home, human or another friendly pet.21

The story where it all began

In 1987 Elena Kovaleva rescued a young blue tortie kitten in Rostov-on-Don who began losing her fur at a few months old. That kitten, Varvara, later had hairless kittens, and breeders including Irina Nemikina built the Don Sphynx from her line, naming it after the Don river. The Donskoy's hairlessness comes from a dominant gene, unlike the Sphynx's recessive one, and it was later used to create the Peterbald.12

Recognised by the official bits

WCF

Recognised 1987 (per Wikipedia)1

TICA

Recognised breed (Wikipedia gives recognition in 2005)1

FIFe

Fully recognised, Category 4 (code DSP); standard last modified 20124