Breed History:

The Ukrainian Levkoy is a modern cat breed developed in Ukraine during the early 2000s by breeder Elena Biriukova. The breed was created by combining the Donskoy's hairless trait with the Scottish Fold's folded ears, along with other breeds during its development.

The first Ukrainian Levkoy was reportedly born in 2004. The breed was named after the Levkoy flower, whose folded petals resemble the cat's distinctive folded ears.

The Ukrainian Levkoy is recognised by some international and regional cat organisations but is not universally recognised by all major registries.

Today, the breed is known for its unusual combination of a hairless or nearly hairless body, inward-folding ears, long limbs, and distinctive angular facial structure.

Gender	Height	Weight
Male	20 to 25 cm	4 to 6 kg
Female	18 to 23 cm	3 to 5 kg

Size: Medium

Life Expectancy: 12 to 15 years

Breed Appearance:

The Ukrainian Levkoy has a slender, muscular, and somewhat angular body.

The breed commonly features:

• Wedge-shaped head

• Long, flat facial profile

• Prominent cheekbones

• Strong chin

• Large, almond-shaped eyes

• Large ears

• Distinctively folded ears

• Long neck

• Slender but muscular body

• Long legs

• Oval paws

• Long, tapering tail

The breed's coat can range from:

• Completely hairless

• Very fine fuzz

• Short, velvety hair

The skin can display many different colours and patterns.

The most distinctive features are its:

• Folded ears

• Hairless or nearly hairless body

• Large eyes

• Long, slender limbs

• Angular facial structure

Eye colours vary according to the individual and can include:

• Green

• Gold

• Amber

• Blue

• Hazel

Breed Type – Companion / Family Cat:

The Ukrainian Levkoy is affectionate, social, intelligent, and playful.

It is known for being:

• Affectionate

• Social

• Intelligent

• Playful

• Curious

• Gentle

• People-oriented

• Adaptable

These cats generally form strong bonds with their owners and enjoy human companionship.

They can be good with children and other pets when properly socialised.

They often enjoy being handled and may seek out warm places and close physical contact.

Training:

The Ukrainian Levkoy is intelligent and generally responds well to positive reinforcement.

Training should focus on:

• Early socialisation

• Positive reinforcement

• Basic obedience

• Harness training

• Recall training

• Trick training

• Mental enrichment

The breed can learn:

• Basic commands

• Tricks

• Fetch

• Harness walking

• Puzzle toys

• Interactive games

Gentle, short training sessions are usually most effective.

Health & Care:

The Ukrainian Levkoy has a relatively small breeding population, so responsible breeding and genetic diversity are particularly important.

Potential health concerns include:

• Skin problems

• Sunburn

• Temperature sensitivity

• Dental disease

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy

• Ear problems

• Obesity

• Joint problems

Because the breed combines the hairless trait with folded ears, breeders should pay particular attention to overall genetic health and responsible selection.

The folded-ear trait is associated with cartilage development and should be monitored carefully.

Routine veterinary examinations, appropriate health screening, regular dental care, parasite prevention, skin care, a balanced diet, sufficient exercise, and maintaining a healthy body weight help support long-term health.

Living Conditions:

The Ukrainian Levkoy is best suited to indoor living.

Ideal environments include:

• Apartments

• Houses

• Urban or suburban homes

• Families with children

• Homes with other cats

• Homes with cat-friendly dogs

Because of its limited coat, the breed is sensitive to both cold and excessive sunlight.

Useful additions include:

• Warm beds

• Blankets

• Cat trees

• Scratching posts

• Window perches

• Tunnels

• Puzzle feeders

• Interactive toys

Direct prolonged exposure to strong sunlight should be avoided.

Exercise:

The Ukrainian Levkoy has moderate exercise requirements.

Recommended activities include:

• Interactive play

• Wand toys

• Chasing games

• Fetch

• Puzzle feeders

• Climbing

• Indoor games

• Training sessions

Around 30 to 45 minutes of active play and enrichment per day helps maintain physical and mental stimulation.

Multiple shorter play sessions work well.

Grooming:

The Ukrainian Levkoy has moderate grooming requirements despite its lack of fur.

• Regular skin cleaning

• Bathing as needed

• Gentle cleaning of skin folds

• Regular ear cleaning

• Regular nail trimming

• Regular dental care

Hairless individuals can accumulate skin oils and may require periodic bathing.

The folded ears also require careful monitoring and gentle cleaning.

Over-bathing should be avoided because it can irritate the skin.

Advantages:

• Extremely distinctive appearance

• Affectionate and people-oriented

• Intelligent and trainable

• Social and playful

• Good with children and other pets

• Low shedding

• Adaptable to apartment living

• Enjoys human companionship

• Relatively low exercise requirements

Disadvantages:

• Requires regular skin care

• Sensitive to cold

• Vulnerable to sunburn

• Folded ears require careful monitoring

• Potential risk of inherited health problems

• Relatively rare breed

• Limited long-term population health data

• May require warm indoor environments

• Responsible breeding is particularly important due to its small gene pool