Ukrainian Levkoy: male and female cats

The Ukrainian Levkoy is a unique breed of adorable, hairless, fold-eared cats. The author tells the first story of their origins in the form of a beautiful and romantic legend.

History of the breed's origin

The very name of the breed evokes the name of a flower, yet we see before us a specimen with a unique appearance, large emerald eyes, a devoted and sincere character, and cute ears. They cannot be confused with any other domestic animal. From the breed's name, it's immediately clear that it was developed in Ukraine. This is a proprietary breed and belongs to Kyiv felinologist Elena Biryukova. She initially had the desire to create a cat breed that would be completely different in appearance from others.

Beginning in 2001, painstaking work resulted in the birth of the Ukrainian Levkoy. Its appearance was so unusual that felinologists even named it after it. The cats' beautiful, down-curled ears strongly resemble the petals of the gillyflower. This is how its name, Ukrainian Levkoy, came about. The breeding work carried out to develop the new breed was based on two naturally occurring dominant mutations: folded ears and hairlessness.

The breed's ancestors were the Don Sphynx, the Oriental, the Peterbald, the Scottish Fold, and the Domestic. The first results were achieved on January 21, 2004.

General characteristics of the breed

What does Levkoy look like? What is his personality like?

Appearance

Ukrainian Levkoy is bald A medium-sized cat breed with a long, muscular, and flexible body. Levkoys have noticeable folds of skin, and their skin always remains warm. Furthermore, the Ukrainian Levkoy has beautiful, sweet, and charming large almond-shaped eyes. Their heads are long and angular, with a stepped profile.

Character

These are very gentle and affectionate individuals who are devoted to their owners. They also interact easily with other animals in the home, have inquisitive minds, are intelligent and curious, and are quick to adapt to new environments and learn. They are so quick-witted that they can easily extricate themselves from any situation. Their excellent intelligence, combined with proper training, makes them trouble-free pets.

They are excellent toilet trainers and don't even spill litter on the floor. But despite their kind nature and cheerful disposition, the Ukrainian Levkoy is a determined cat. Another interesting fact about their lives is that if their owner hasn't been paying attention for a while, they may cautiously approach them, touch them with their paw, and meow softly, as if asking, "Pay attention to me." Levkoys are also wonderful companions, playful and cheerful, loyal friends, neat "neighbors," and clean creatures.

Levkoys are also ideal nannies and companions. They can be equally entertaining to play with small children and wonderful companions for the elderly. They should be treated as full members of the family. Because this breed is hairless, they should not be allowed outside during cold weather.

Their skin is highly hypersensitive, so exposure to temperatures that are too high or too low can affect their overall well-being.

Rules of care and feeding

How to properly feed and care for Levkoy?

Care

Although this breed either has no fur at all or only patches of soft bristles, proper grooming is essential. Levkoys require frequent bathing because their skin produces more sebum than cats with long or short hair. Therefore, choose a special shampoo for bathing your cats, available at specialty stores.

The absence of fur also indicates that in winter cats need warm clothing, and in the summer heat Care should be taken to ensure that they are not exposed to direct sunlight.

Trim their nails regularly, try to brush their teeth with a special toothbrush and toothpaste, clean their ears with cotton swabs, and wash their beautiful eyes with herbal infusions.

Feeding

There are no special feeding requirements for Ukrainian Levkoys, but their diet should be selected in consultation with a veterinarian. The main foods for Levkoys include kidneys, liver, meat, udders, lungs, spleens, tripe, fermented milk products, fruits, vegetables, grains, and eggs.

All of them must be balanced and require supplements in the form of minerals and vitamins, which are lacking in these products. If you prefer dry food, you don't need to buy supplements such as minerals and vitamins, as the manufacturers already provide balanced nutrition. Dry food also helps prevent gum and dental disease. Adults are recommended to be fed three times a day.

Health

The lifespan of the Ukrainian Levkoy is 10-14 years.

Their predisposition to such diseases as uterine hernia has been noted, uterine prolapse, diseases of the ears, eyes and rectum, some diseases of the nervous system, cardiovascular, digestive and respiratory systems.

In addition, they are prone to infectious diseases. To avoid all of the above-mentioned problems, it is recommended to provide cats with proper care and nutrition.

Also, take your pet to the veterinarian regularly for a preventative examination.

An interview with a breeder about the Ukrainian Levkoy cat breed.