OkcPets Magazine March 2022

18 OKC Pets • March/April 2022 one back to the childhood joy of dressing up dolls or having infants vulnerable to the self-indulgences a parent or grandparent might have toward personal expression. If you take time to pursue photographs on the Internet, there is no end to the bizarre — or hysterically funny — ensem- bles that have been foisted on hairless cats in particular. I highly recommend such research while waiting for an oil change. The time will fly. But I digress. As for grooming needs, hairless pets do best when bathed frequently with a mild shampoo, then greased up with unscented lotion followed by mineral or coconut oil. Words of warning: Such pets often get blackheads. The gene that causes hairless- ness also controls their pearly whites, so they might end up missing or losing teeth. Cats get nasty stuff built up under their nails (like a feline version of toe jam) that calls for a mani-pedi. Their eyes benefit from special washes for cleansing (remem- ber: no eyelashes for protection, unlike full-furred kitties). Many will need a warm house with plenty of heated bedding. Furless Felines and Friends Much of my research was on hairless cats, the two most common lines being the Sphynx and the Peterbald (and I’m work- ing hard not to snicker with that one). The Peterbald has been bred to have five kinds of coats — bald, chamois, velour, brush, and straight — and those terms are fairly self-ex- planatory. The cat’s coat can shift through the first two years, with hair texture chang- ing from velour to bald before becoming permanent. It could be like having three pets in one! The only reason I would want to be reincarnated as a naked pet is that they get by with eating a lot more than the average fur baby, mostly to maintain body heat while running around the house or even backyard. (I would test that particular way to burn calories as a human but am way too chicken). As for other pets of note: 1. Two of the most popular hairless dogs are the Chinese Crested from Africa (go figure on the name, right?), which sports a Mohawk and nothing more, and the Mexican Hairless. Mexican Hairless dogs are gracefully built pooches and rare in the no-fur category: They don’t need as much maintenance as their hairy counter- parts. Their skin is the shade of polished, dark bronze clay, and they are historically recognized as the Aztec “dog of the gods.” So less maintenance, but be wary of an entitled attitude. 2. Guinea pigs were originally bred for meat, and then to make production easier, they were bred to be hairless. They look like potatoes with furry faces when bald and need the same constant warmth mentioned above. 3. Hairless rats, mice, and bunnies have all been bred for either laboratories or consumption. Breeders of the rats and mice have worked to improve the general health of those rodents, and they are comparable now to the fuzzies. The bun- nies … well, not so much. Let’s face it, anytime genes are manipulated to such a degree, animals seldom manifest well. People have asked about hairlessness in the wild. Usually, it’s a case of sarcoptic mange, which has been found in bears, raccoons, coyotes, and other animals. Once the animal is treated, the fur grows back. Historically, horses and apes have been born hairless too, without it being induced by disease. Like a Tiny Person But what about physical contact with a hairless animal? Ah, I can help here. Hav- ing held a Sphynx, I have my own take on adopting such a family member: The little guy felt like a baby with a fever. His skin was superwarm and felt familiar — like a tiny person — yet also incredibly foreign because the “tiny person” came packaged in a cat shape. I was reminded of the H. G. Wells novel published in 1896, The Island of Doctor Moreau , in which a “mad scientist” experimented on animals to turn them into humans. The thought was hard to shake. The muscles rolled under his skin as the cat hopped off of my lap and headed, tail up, to his heated bed, revealing a less-than- stellar style of personal hygiene. As an animal lover, I still found him lovable. Lovable, but perhaps … an acquired taste.