Affectionate neutered hairless male seeking that special someone who likes to cuddle up at night. Must be willing to administer antibiotics weekly and rub lotion on after baths.

That's who Pipin, an 8-year-old sphynx cat who hit the bottom after his years at the top of the feline frenzy, is looking for these days. The exotic pet went from being Supreme Grand Champion in his breed and doing commercials with former Utah Jazz player Antoine Carr to a foster home after being dropped off by his former owners who decided they didn't want him. Now his famous feline mug is on the Lost Paws Web site, using his big eyes to entreat someone to take him home.

Ruthanne Nielsen, a volunteer with Lost Paws and Pipin's foster owner, has had him about three weeks, and she's a little worried about finding a home for him because of his special needs. In addition to his untraditional appearance, Pipin has a condition that resulted in his immune system to adversely react to his dental issue. To stop the reaction, all of his teeth were pulled.

"I think what's hard is because he's going to take a very special person because of his allergies," she said.

He requires medication weekly, which lessens the symptoms and helps keep the drooling caused by mouth inflammation to a minimum. His veterinarian, Dr. Sandy Garrett, said he'll be on the medication for the rest of his life. The condition is controllable, though, and isn't contagious.

"It doesn't really surprise me, because it is more common in kind of the weirder breeds of cats," she said.

Pipin can still eat dry cat food, and except for the occasional bloody nose and lots of sneezing, he really is just like any other cat.

Except he doesn't have any hair or whiskers, his skin is wrinkled and mottled in the sphynx coloring, he requires bathing at least once a week and then lotion to keep him from flaking and he can't go outside or he'll get sunburned. Plus, petting him is a disconcerting experience; he doesn't exactly feel like a cat.

But don't let that stop you. He likes to cuddle, especially at night when he gets chilly, since he doesn't have any fur to keep him warm. He flakes after baths but doesn't shed. He's a bargain for an exotic pet; sphynxes normally sell in the $1,200-$2,000 range. And, no cat hair to vacuum up.

"We have hairy and we have non-hairy, and I like the non-hairy," Nielsen said.

For more information, contact Lost Paws at (801) 423-1334. Pipin will be at PetSmart at 472 W. 990 North in American Fork from 10-11 a.m. today for anyone who's interested.

Heidi Toth can be reached at 344-2543 or htoth@heraldextra.com.

Q&A with Pipin the famous hairless cat

Editor's note: The interview is not actually with the cat.

Q: What kind of human are you looking forfi

A: Someone who will sit and pet me and scratch my ears, bathe me frequently, keep me warm in the winter and give me my medication once a week.

Q: What are your good qualitiesfi

A: I'm sweet and friendly and not afraid of anything, and I get along well with other animals. Plus, I look good in a sweater.

Q: Tell us something you would only tell a stranger.

A: Purr.

Q: What's your biggest accomplishmentfi

A: I was in a commercial with Jazz center Antoine Carr a number of years ago. I can't remember what it was for, and no one at the Jazz office can either, but they tried to contact Antoine. I'm hoping he'll adopt me.

Q: What are the benefits of being hairlessfi

A: No shedding and no hairballs. People who are allergic to cats can still be allergic to me, though.

Q: What are some of the challenges you've overcomefi

A: All of my teeth were pulled as the last resort to a condition called stomatitis, which is inflammation of the mouth. Between that and the medication, it's mostly under control. I was neutered.

This story appeared in The Daily Herald on page A1.