The Ukrainian Levkoy is a very rare hairless cat breed originating from Ukraine with a playful, affectionate personality. Their wrinkled skin gives them a unique alien-like appearance.
Introduction The Ukrainian Levkoy Cat Breed
First appearing in 2004, the Ukrainian Levkoy descends from a spontaneous hairless kitten born to Donskoy cat parents in Ukraine. More hairless kittens continued appearing in Donskoy litters, eventually becoming the foundation Ukrainian Levkoy breeding program. Despite their hairless appearance, soft, warm skin.
Affectionate with Family: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Amount of Shedding: ⭐
General Health: ⭐⭐
Potential for Playfulness: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Tendency to Vocalize: ⭐⭐
Kid-Friendly: ⭐⭐⭐
Friendly Toward Strangers: ⭐⭐⭐
Easy to Groom: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Intelligence: ⭐⭐⭐
Pet Friendly: ⭐⭐⭐
- Appearance: Medium-sized hairless cats with leathery, wrinkled skin, often with some fuzzy hair on nose/tail. Prominent ears and eyes.
- Characteristics: Playful, affectionate, outgoing personalities. Demanding of attention and attachment to owners.
- Popularity: Very rare, as only originating from Ukraine within the past 15 years. Gaining interest.
- Temperament: Extremely social and attached to human company. Gets along fine with other pets.
- Lifespan: 12-14 years.
- Coat Color: Hairless but may have some downy fuzz in places. Skin is typically spotted or ticked.
The Ukrainian Levkoy is a natural hairless mutation of the Donskoy cat rather than a mixed breed.
How to Take Care of a Ukrainian Levkoy Cat
Food:
- High-protein commercial cat food, wet and dry. Important for skin health.
- Raw or cooked chicken. Provides moisture for hydration.
- Cat safe oils like fish or flax oil supplements coat skin.
Environment:
- Soft bedding and clothing for warmth and cushioning delicate skin.
- Minimal outdoor access since sensitive skin sunburns easily.
- Companionship when owners away prevents loneliness.
Grooming:
- Bath gentle fragrance-free wipes instead harsh bathing. Helps remove skin oils preventing acne.
- Apply lotion into tough, calloused skin on pads/tail/nose. Moisturizes and protects.
- Check ears and trim nails often. Lacking fur, problems spotted sooner.
Take Care Method: Warmth, gentle handling tolerating all touch, interactive playtime and cuddles.
How to Buy/Adopt a Ukrainian Levkoy Cat
- Locations of Popularity: Native to Ukraine, now also Russia and parts of Europe.
- Average Price: $1000 – $2000 USD
- Adoption/Rescue Community: UALCA (Ukrainian and Russian breed clubs)
What to Check Before Adopt/Buy:
- General Health: Vet checks for skin conditions, dental issues typical for the breed. Sensitive constitutions demand health guarantees.
- Vaccinate Status: Core FVRCP and rabies vaccines. Feline leukemia also advised given greater environmental vulnerability.
- Medical History: Reputable breeders test parent cats for heritable diseases like cardiomyopathy before breeding. Ask for proof.
How to Prepare for a Ukrainian Levkoy Cat’s Life
- Soften laundry waiting to be folded for snug napping spots. Offer sweaters/blankets to burrow under.
- Read up on caring for hairless cat skin, sun protection methods, keeping warm indoors/outside for their special needs.
- Have on hand: conditioner spray, soft bedding, nutritious foods, nail clippers, ear cleaner. Essentials for this unique care.
Caring For Ukrainian Levkoy Cats:
- Food – High protein, digestible recipes fed in meal portions to maintain lean body composition.
- Environment – Ensure ample soft, warm bedding and clothing offered for comfort and thermoregulation. Restrict outdoor access.
- Toys – Variety encouraging exercise without skin injury risk. Reward-based training builds bonds.
- Treatment – Moisturize skin often, also wiping face folds clean. Check nails and ears routinely. Attentive grooming prevents many issues.
- Training – Use praise, rewards and consistency in teaching. Avoid punishment. Engage intelligence daily.
- Socialization – Safe introductions to people, pets and handling ensures confidence. Best done young.
- Equipment – Brushes, conditioner, sweaters/blankets, steps to furniture. Meet unique care needs.
- Diseases – Heart conditions, skin cysts, dermatitis. Vet checks twice annually.
- Vaccines – Core FVRCP, Rabies. Feline Leukemia vaccine also strongly recommended.
Common Names for Ukrainian Levkoy Cats
Reflecting their heritage or wrinkled appearance, consider names like:
Dmitri, Kiev, Oksana, Sasha, Babushka, Matryoshka, Wrinkles
“Do Ukrainian Levkoy cats like going out rather than staying home?”
No, their sensitive skin burns easily so cats strongly prefer staying comfortably inside where climate controlled for their health and receiving human attention.
“Is a Ukrainian Levkoy cat a Smart cat?”
Moderately so. Cats can learn some verbal commands or tricks but often choose not to display learned behaviors unless sufficiently reward-motivated!
“How many types of Ukrainian Levkoy cats are there?”
There is just one Ukrainian Levkoy breed with hairless and “fuzzy” coat variations. Conformation and traits otherwise align to breed standards of outgoing personality and wrinkled skin.
“How to stop Ukrainian Levkoy cat Biting?”
Say NO firmly whenever biting, then redirect to appropriate chew toys instead. Withdraw attention if biting continues. Be consistent about not rewarding bites to human skin with any reaction.
“How to stop Ukrainian Levkoy cat Scratching?”
Provide scratching posts around home and reward use. Discourage unwanted scratching by covering said objects with sticky paw deterrent tape or plastic protectors to deny access.
“How to do Socialisation and Raising Friendly for Ukrainian Levkoy cat?”
Gently introduce kittens to new sights, sounds, handling and people positively. Build confidence through continued positive exposure. Let them dictate their comfort levels when meeting new people.
“How to Train your Ukrainian Levkoy cat?”
Use small rewards like treats to motivate learning tricks and commands. Engage intelligence by teaching obstacle navigation and food puzzle solving. Short, consistent sessions are productive.
“How long should we check for Ukrainian Levkoy cat’s health with vet?”
Schedule complete skin checks and dental exams with annual veterinary well visits. Senior Levkoy cats over age 10 years benefit from checkups twice yearly to catch problems early.
“Are Ukrainian Levkoy cats good family pets?”
Yes, Ukrainian Levkoy cats suit families looking for an affectionate, playful companion cat to involve in activities and interact with respectfully. Their social personality prefers always having company.
“Are Ukrainian Levkoy cats good with children?”
Yes, when properly introduced to kind, gentle children. But supervision still advised given vulnerability of Levkoy’s sensitive skin to injury from rough handling. Teach kids how to carefully pick up and touch these special cats.
“Are Ukrainian Levkoy cats good with other animals?”
Their friendly temperament means Ukrainian Levkoy cats generally coexist fine with cat and dog-friendly pets when gradually introduced. Caution small pets triggering prey drive.
“Can Ukrainian Levkoy cats cause allergies?”
While no cat is truly hypoallergenic, the minimal dander Ukrainian Levkoy cats produce helps minimize allergens. Their overall low shedding makes them moderately tolerable for some allergy sufferers.
“Are Ukrainian Levkoy cats ferocious?”
No, Ukrainian Levkoy cats have quite sweet, affectionate dispositions without unwarranted aggressive tendencies when properly bred. Still respect signs of overstimulation to prevent reactive biting/scratching.
“Do Ukrainian Levkoy cats have much hair loss problems?”
Ukrainian Levkoy cats are purposefully bred to be hairless cats apart from some downy fur. Lacking coats, no excessive shedding occurs but skin must be routinely monitored for sunburn or acne.
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