The Donskoy is a domestic cat breed that originated in Russia in 1987, when Elena Kovaleva, a cat breeder, discovered it in Rostov-on-Don, Russia. The cat was found to be distinct from the Sphynx, a cat that shares its hairless appearance, because a dominant gene causes its lack of fur. The breed was not recognized by the World Cat Federation (WCF) until 1997, and was later recognized by the International Cat Association (TICA) in 2005.
The Donskoy is preferably medium in size with a strong body, large ears, webbed toes, and almond shaped eyes. Despite this breed’s lack of fur, it requires grooming, although over bathing can cause it to become oily. It is one of three breeds, along with the Siamese and Oriental cat breeds, to create another breed called the Peterbald. Breeding the Peterbald and the Donskoy is no longer acceptable, and it is thought by some that both breeds can develop ectodermal dysplasia because of the dominate gene that causes its hairlessness.
Image Caption: Kitty of the sort Donskoy Sphinx. Credit: Alex Rave/Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 2.5)