Sphynx Cat Color Chart, Learning About Her Colors & Patterns

Noted most for her trademark hairlessness and unique skin texture, the Sphynx is an interesting cat. Evolved through a genetic mutation first noticed in Canada, it is surprising the trait did not appear in a desert as a heat management mechanism.

Considering the loyal fan following she has garnered, the number of people interested in the Sphynx cat color chart and her attributes isn’t entirely surprising. Contrary to the general perception, it is not bald but has short, fine hair on the bridge of the nose and ears. You may also come across Sphynxes with some hair on their tails and feet, even a peachy fuzz covering their entire body, though not neutralizing their hairless appearance. In the absence of a coat per se, colors, shades, and patterns appear in the pigmented skin, which we will discuss in more detail.

Breed Overview

The Sphynx is a medium-sized cat with a moderate body conformation. It has a modified-wedge-shaped head, pronounced and rounded cheekbones, big lemon-shaped eyes, medium-sized arched neck, sturdy body with a broad chest, well-developed rump, medium boning, and a long flexible tail. Thanks to their big ears, they are included in the list of cats with big ears. Their legs are muscular, with the hind limbs longer than the forelimbs. The distinctive wrinkles of the Sphynx cat are desired over the muzzle, shoulders, and between the ears.

Colors

The Cat Fanciers Association accepts all colors and marks in the Sphynx cat standards. Since they do not have a coat to protect them, they lose body heat very quickly and are susceptible to tanning on prolonged exposure to the sun.

Solid

Solid Sphynx cats have a level-toned color covering their entire bodies in blue, black, and cinnamon shades. The nose and paw pads show an exception for the white, cream, and lavender ones, where they have pink noses and paw pads. Red kitties display red brick-shaded noses and paws, while the fawn has a pale or pinkish fawn shade running over their bodies. 

Patterns

One cannot comprehend the Sphynx cat color chart without exploring the color patterns it displays. All patterns are found and accepted in the standards for this cat.

Tabby Pattern

The tabby cat has distinctive rings, swirls, and concentric marks on either side, visible via the contrasting shades to the base color. The pattern has several sub-categories.

Classic Tabby

In the classic tabby pattern, the Sphynx has clearly marked, evenly spaced bracelets on their legs and rings on their tails. The neck and upper chest have several unbroken necklaces, whereas dual vertical rows of buttons mark their chest and stomach. Facial wrinkles form an elaborate M shape on the forehead and swirls on the cheek.

Their backs have a clearly outlined butterfly shape, marked with dots, where three parallel lines extend from the butterfly and go down along the spine and to the end of the tail. Either side of the body carries an identical pattern, complete with a solid blotch encircled by one or more rings. 

Mackerel Tabby

The mackerel pattern is very similar to the classic tabby except for the narrow stripes running around the body; several necklaces on the neck and chest give the impression of several hanging chains.

Spotted Tabby

A spotted tabby Sphynx has classic tabby markings on her face and head; distinct spots on the rest of the body in the rosette, oval, and round shapes. A dotted stripe flows along the body to the end of the tail. As with the classic tabby, the markings are more pronounced on the legs, tails, and the underside displays buttons.

Patched Tabby

Also known as the torbie, the patched tabby pattered Sphynx is a cat in brown, cinnamon, blue, fawn, silver, chocolate, or lavender color with red and cream-colored patches over the extremities and the rest of the body, preferably with a facial blaze.

Tabby Pattern	Base Color	Pattern Color	Nose	Paw Pads
Silver Tabby	Pale Clear Silver	Dense Black	Brick Red	Black
Brown Tabby	Coppery Brown	Dense Black	Brick Red	Black/Brown
Blue Tabby	Pale Bluish Ivory	Deep Blue	Old Rose	Rose
Red Tabby	Red	Deep Red	Brick Red	Brick Red
Cream Tabby	Pale Cream	Buff/Cream	Pink	Pink
Chocolate	Warm Fawn	Chestnut Brown	Chestnut/Pink	Cinnamon
Chocolate-Silver	Silver	Rich Chestnut	Chestnut/Pink	Cinnamon
CINNAMON TABBY	Honey	Dense Cinnamon	Cinnamon/Coral	Coral
LAVENDER TABBY	Pale Lavender	Rich Lavender	Lavender/ Pink	Lavender-Pink
LAVENDER-SILVER TABBY	Clear Silver	Lavender	Lavender/ Pink	Lavender-Pink
FAWN TABBY	Pale Ivory	Dense Fawn	Pale Fawn	Pale Fawn

Sphynx Color Combinations in the Tabby Pattern

Tortoiseshell

The tortoiseshell pattern is characterized by red and/or cream Sphynx skin with a black patch and/or mottle, preferably with a blaze on the face. 

Tortoiseshell Pattern	Base Color	Mottle/Patch	Blaze
Blue-Cream	Blue	Cream	Desirable
Chocolate	Chestnut Brown	Red and/or Cream	Desirable
Cinnamon	Cinnamon	Red and/or Cream	Desirable
Lavender-Cream	Lavender	Cream	Desirable
Fawn-Cream	Fawn	Cream	Desirable

Sphynx Color Combinations in the Tortoiseshell Pattern

Calico

The calico Sphynx is a white cat covered with unbridled patches of black and red colors. In Van Calico and Dilute Van Calico, the colored patches are limited to the head, legs, and tail (extremities), with only one to two tiny colored patches on the body.

Calico Pattern	Base Color	Patch Color	Patch Distribution
Classic Calico	White or Fawn/Lavender/Cinnamon/Chocolate	Black and red	Whole
VAN	White or Fawn/Lavender/Cinnamon/Chocolate	Black and red	Extremities
DILUTE	White	Blue and Cream	Whole
DILUTE VAN	White	Blue and Cream	Extremities

Sphynx Color Combinations in the Calico Pattern

Bi-color

As the name suggests, bicolor is any colored pattern, including solid, tabby, tortoiseshell, or pointed, with white.

Van Bi-color

The van bicolor is the same as the simple bicolor, only this pattern limits the colored patches to the extremities, with one or two tiny patches elsewhere on the body.

Pointed

A pointed patterned Sphynx is pale with little to no contrasting darker legs, tails, and ears. Cats born with this pattern are lighter at birth and gradually develop a solid color until reaching maturity. Pointed Sphynx cats have vivid blue eyes, and the nose & paw pads match the skin color. This pattern may appear in combination with any marking except mink and any color.

Mink

The mink Sphynx has darker legs, tails, and ears than the base skin color. Like the pointed cats, the kittens are born lighter and darken as they mature. They have aqua-colored eyes, and their nose & paw pads match the skin color. The mink pattern may appear in combination with any marking except pointed and in any color.

Color	Base Color	Nose Color	Paw Pads
SABLE	Sable Brown	Brown	Brown
CHAMPAGNE	Honey Beige	Light, warm brown	Warm, pinkish-tan
PLATINUM	Pale, Silvery Grey	Lavender-Pink	Lavender-Pink

Sphynx Color Combinations in the Mink Pattern

OSC (Other Sphynx Colors)

This category accounts for all the other colors and patterns that fall outside of the other classification

Final Words

The Sphynx cat color chart is rather diverse, with all the colors and patterns accepted. In the absence of a coat, all the colors are displayed on the feline skin. Quite a fascinating and social breed, the Sphynx is prone to heat loss due to the very lack of coat. Therefore, interested people need to consider additional care, including keeping her indoors for her wellbeing.