What Type of Cats Do Not Shed a Lot?

There are very few cats that do not shed a lot of hair; some of those that don't are nearly hairless. They can be shocking to see when most people are used to the sight of furry hairballs. But they do exist and for many people with allergies who would love a pet cat, they may just be the ideal choice. Most hairless cats actually have a faint down on their skins. There are also some short-haired cats that do not shed a great deal.

  1. Sphynx Cats

    • Sphynx cats have an alien look about them.

      A Sphynx cat will not shed a great deal of hair since it has very little to none. It does have a coat of fine down that covers its body. The Syphnx cat is a result of a natural mutation that first occurred in 1966 in Canada. It may look vulnerable because of its near-nakedness, but it is a strong and sturdy medium-sized cat. It also, unusually for a cat, has sweat glands, which causes its skin to become discolored. Thus, they must be given regular baths.

    Peterbald Cats

    • A Peterbald cat was created in 1994 by crossing a Don Sphynx cat and an Oriental short-haired cat. Peterbalds can be bald and were first bred in St. Petersburg in Russia, hence the name. While some Peterbalds are completely hairless, some are covered with a short down called flock; some have very short hair, about a quarter of an inch long, that is called velour; and some have curly and wiry hair. Peterbald cats that have hair will slowly lose their hair.

    Don Sphynx

    • The Don Sphynx, or donskoy, is the only hairless cat that is completely hairless since the gene that causes this mutation is dominant. Hence, it will definitely not shed any hair. It may look similar to the Sphynx cat but they are different breeds. These cats do sweat so they need to wiped down daily and bathed frequently. They also have high metabolisms, so they require extra food.

    Devon Rex

    • The Devon Rex cat, which comes from England, is considered a hypoallergenic cat. Its coat can come in two varieties: rexed, which means curly, or a fine coat that looks and feels like suede and may have bare patches. The Devon Rex does shed hair, but it is not very noticeable.