A Lifetime of Love, Devotion, and Extraordinary Cats
My name is Kristen Leedom, and I’ve been breeding sphynx for 30 years. I was born an animal lover, the kind of child who connected with animals more easily than people. My days were spent in the woods with toads, frogs, and pockets full of worms, and my first true companions were my pet rats - the first animals I ever bred. Even as I struggled with severe respiratory issues and allergies that made keeping them difficult, my love for animals never faded, shaping the path I would follow for the rest of my life.
A Lifelong Bond With Animals
From Childhood Curiosity to Unshakable Compassion
Discovering the Sphynx and Building a Legacy
From First Kitten to Founding New Breeds
At 21, long before the internet existed, I discovered the sphynx breed through a tiny newspaper ad and instantly fell in love. That first kitten changed everything, leading me to purchase his brother, then a breeding pair, and eventually the house across from my parents so I could dedicate my life to these extraordinary cats. When I began, there were only about 20 sphynx breeders in the world, and I became one of the first to bring the breed online. Over the years, my passion grew into a full‑time calling — one that demands constant care, sacrifice, and devotion — and in time, I founded two new breeds: the Elf in 2004 and the Skinderlop in 2009.
What Sets Me Apart
A Deep, Lifelong Connection With Animals
From childhood, Kristen formed profound bonds with animals, nurturing them with a level of empathy and understanding that shaped her entire life’s path.
Over Two Decades of Dedicated Sphynx Breeding
With 30 years of hands‑on experience, she is one of the longest‑standing sphynx breeders in the world, committed to health, ethics, and excellence.
Founder of Two Recognized Sphynx Breeds
Kristen created both the Elf and the Skinderlop breeds, a testament to her expertise, innovation, and unmatched passion for advancing the sphynx world.
Elf Sphynx
Meet the Elf
In 2004, Kristen Leedom and Karen Nelson created the Elf cat. Looking at their own cats, they shared a vision: a hairless Sphynx with curled ears. From that idea, the Elf was born.
The two breeders began working to make that vision real, sharing it with others who fell under the Elves' spell and joined the effort. Today, Elf cats are bred all over the world.
Along the way, breeders reached a fork in the road on how to achieve those curled ears. Some outcrossed with the American Curl, others with the Highlander. Different paths, same goal, and the breed benefited from the genetic diversity both routes provided.
As an original founder, I've stayed true to the breed's original concept and standard, outcrossing only with the American Curl. I'm not a fan of the Highlander as an outcross, but I respect other breeders' right to choose it for their own programs. A divided breeder community would do more harm than a shared standard with room for different paths. We share the same dream for these cats, and this compromise serves them best.
Many Elves are now reaching generations that show the traits first envisioned for them. The breeders who've poured their years, homes and hearts into these cats are beginning to introduce them in TICA showhalls. Once introductions are complete and the numbers are met, the goal is recognition as a New Trait of the Sphynx.
The Standard
As a New Trait, the Elf standard follows the Sphynx standard, with one modification: curled ears.
The Elf appears hairless, though it isn't truly so. Skin should feel like chamois, with a fine down that's barely visible or noticeable to the touch. Short, soft hair is allowed on the ears, muzzle, tail, feet and scrotum. Without a coat, the cat feels quite warm to the touch, and it should never appear small or dainty.
The ears are the breed's signature feature: large, open and aesthetically pleasing, with firm cartilage running from the base to at least one-third of the ear's height before curving back into curled tips.
Above all, the Elf is sweet-tempered, lively, intelligent and easy to handle.
