Merlin was found wandering the streets and placed in a shelter, where he languished for a year. My cat-allergic daughter and her (non-allergic) fiance adopted him a couple of years ago and he has been brought back to abundant health (save for his eyes, which are cloudy). He is a great source of joy.
I just learned, by the way, that "Mr. Bigglesworth", from the Austin Powers movie was a Sphynx! Somehow I missed that. Learn more about Sphynx cats here: http://www.cfainc.org/breeds/profiles/sphynx.html