Sphynx Cat: The 4-Degree Furnace

A Sphynx cat named Cleopatra in Toronto was clocked with a skin temperature more than 4 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than the fluffiest Persian right beside her. Instead of a furry coat, Cleopatra’s skin is naked except for a barely-there fuzz, so every calorie she eats has to go straight into heating her body instead of her fur. By January 2016, a veterinary study found Sphynx cats maintain an average surface temperature of 99°F, while most other cats barely hit 95°F. With no fur buffer, she cuddles constantly, pressing into blankets, radiators, even the dog, chasing any scrap of warmth. Owners report Sphynxes will dig under hoodies, wedge between laptops and even curl around hot mugs-any heat source, all day. But this comes with a side effect: Cleopatra eats almost 25 percent more cat food than the same-sized, fur-coated breeds just to keep up with the heat loss, and she needs regular baths to remove skin oils that would usually wick through fur. So when Cleopatra sinks into a freshly-warmed lap, smooth and baking-hot, it’s all because her missing fur turns her energy into heat-and she leaves the blanket two spots warmer than before.