ABOUT SPHYNX CATS
The most distinctive feature of the sphynx cat is its appearance of hairlessness. The Sphynx is of medium size and body conformation with substantial weight for its size. Females are generally smaller than males. The head shape is a modified wedge, with prominent cheekbones and whisker pads giving a squared appearance to the muzzle. The body is warm and soft to the touch, with a skin texture akin to either a soft peach or a smooth nectarine.
The Sphynx is sweet-tempered, lively, intelligent, and amenable to handling. My Sphynx cats and Sphynx kittens are part of our family. Sphynx kittens are ready to go to their new homes when they are socialized and ready for their new environment around 12-14 weeks old. I love talking with potential owners about my Sphynx hairless kittens and sharing pictures. I am very proud of all of my hairless cats. Our sphynx kittens come in all colors. Including black, white, Cream, blue etc.
Personality:
The Sphynx cat Kitten is possibly one of the most affectionate, sociable and intelligent cats in the world. They will greet you, snuggle up and sleep with you, You will have no say in the matter whatsoever. Very vocal, almost to the point where you find yourselves having a two way conversation. Sphynx hates being alone. Sphynx will soon learn to play fetch and love to play. They love children and other animals, and make a wonderful addition to any family, they thrive on attention.
The Sphynx is very outgoing, and can at times be very child-like in personality. It’s a good thing that the Sphynx loves attention. When it’s not receiving the attention, the curious and energetic Sphynx is exploring its surroundings, otherwise seeking high places, chasing a bug or just generally getting into mischief. This is a highly social cat. If you are gone during the day, the Sphynx will enjoy having a friend in the form of another Sphynx, another cat or even a dog. It loves to be held, and you can expect it to sleep with you, most likely under the covers. Think of it as having a living hot water bottle.
Care:
The Sphynx is one of the most clean and healthy on a long term basis, requiring at least one bath per week to remove bacteria and other nastiness from its near fully unprotected skin. The heavy maintenance factor of this cat is tenfold made up for by the breed’s good temperament, high intelligence, success in shows and also the fact that it is very amenable to handling – making bathing, grooming and other care less of a chore.
The Sphynx is not truly hairless; it has a thin layer of vellus hair covering its body. Even so this still leaves its skin virtually unprotected, and removes the advantage other cats enjoy of their thick fur absorbing most of their body oils. Dust, grease, and dirt will quickly accumulate around the Sphynx’s nail beds, ears and nearly everywhere else if neglected, to avoid such build up, the cat should be regularly bathed at least once per week depending on lifestyle. Unlike most other breeds, Sphynx are usually rather tolerant of bathing – some will even enjoy it, either way you aren’t likely to encounter any sort of resistance when the time comes.
Ensure that you carefully clean the areas around the Sphynx’s nails, eyes and ears, giving the rest of its body a good scrub with shampoo. When looking for a shampoo brand its best to ask a vet, as this breeds skin is easily irritated. Your Sphynx should have its own litter tray, which should be changed every 2-3 days in order to keep it as clean as possible. It isn’t recommended to dress a Sphynx cat in clothes, for obvious reasons covered already – such as irritation of the skin, and manual body temperature regulation, but also because it will sometimes cause balance and movement issues, which can be disastrous for a cat.
Feeding:
Sphynx cats require a premium diet to remain healthy. This breed needs to have access to food and a bowl of fresh water 24 hours a day, mainly because it uses these to regulate its body temperature. Owners should choose to shy away from the cheaper produced cat foods and buy either higher priced products or special formulated foods made specifically for hairless types.
Some owners choose to switch their Sphynx to a raw food diet; this can be beneficial but also pricey as the cat cannot be fed many of thehormones and artificial substances found in produced meat. The solution for this is to buy organically; organic meats should be available from your local butchers. You should shred or blend meats before feeding them to your Sphynx to help with digestion.