bringing your baby home

If you have other pets, they should be quarantined from each other for 10-14 days, and should not be introduced until your new kitten is comfortable with the new surroundings. For cats, hissing and growling when meeting other animals is normal, but should stop within a few days. While your new kitten is acclimating to the new home, all other pets should be placed in a separate room while your new kitten explores alone. Allow them to smell the other animal's scent first, either through a door or gate, or with a blanket or clothing article the other animal has used. Then introduce them under close supervision until they are completely comfortable with each other.

temperature

If you are comfortable, your kitten should be comfortable. Make sure your kitten always has its own pet bed with a blanket and a warm spot for he/she to go to if it is cold.

food & water

Hairless breeds have a higher metabolism than most cats because of their need to keep their body temperature warm, so they eat more than the average cat. I recommend giving your cat unlimited access to dry food at all times. Always provide premium grain free cat food. If you suddenly switch foods at any time, they will most likely get diarrhea or vomiting until their system re-adjusts to the new food. I recommend that if you do wish to gradually add more of the new brand to the old brand every couple days until you are feeding 100% of the new brand.

Fresh water should be available at all times!

ALLERGIES

Some people who suffer from cat allergies can tolerate living with Sphynx. This is because there is no airborne hair to deal with and the reactive chemical in their saliva is lower than many breeds. Regular bathing also keeps the dander at bay. However depending on the type and severity of the individuals allergic reactions, there are some who will still be allergic.

Unfortunately I do not allow potential customers into our home to test whether you are/aren’t allergic to sphynx. For many reasons but also because I do own furry cats and the test would be inconclusive.

BATHING

Despite its apparent lack of hair, hairless breeds must be groomed. For a regular cat, body oils are absorbed by the fur, but the hairless, clearly lacking in that attribute, does not have a natural way of keeping the oil on the skin in balance. This can lead to skin problems and oil spots on the furniture. A regular bathing routine once every 2-4 weeks. Over-bathing could cause your kitten to secrete more oils. You can use any kind of mild baby wash or sensitive body wash. If your hairless gets dirty in between baths, you can wipe them down with a fragrance-free baby wipe or a warm, damp cloth. My kittens start having bi-weekly baths at about 5 weeks of age. You must avoid too much sun for your kitten. Kittens will easily sunburn if there is too much exposure. Sphynx should be kept indoors only. If you choose to take your cat with you outdoors, they should be on a leash and harness or crated under your supervision at all times with limited sun exposure.

EYES & EARS

The hairless breeds also lacks eyelashes, which can result in dirt , 'goop' or 'eye-boogers' in the corners of their eyes. This is completely normal for the sphynx breed. Use a clean soft washcloth with warm water and gently wipe the catsâ€™ eyes and face. Your kitten will also have a black waxy buildup in their ears. This is normal for the breed. You can use a warm wash cloth to remove this buildup and coconut or mineral oil added to the end of a Q-tip to clean out the wax build up.

vaccinations

Your kitten will be up to date on vaccines before he/she leaves. A booster vaccine is recommended at one year old and then once every 3 years. Never give FIP or FELV vaccines to your kitten and never give two different vaccines on the same day unless it is a combo vaccine. Many cats have had severe reactions to two vaccines given on the same day. FIP vaccines are often time fatal if your cat has ever been exposed to the corona virus, which 90% of cats in a multiple cat household have been exposed. Â They will break out with the fatal form of FIP if given the vaccine. Â There is no known treatment for FIP, it is fatal.

HCM

Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) is found in all cat breeds and is the most common heart disease. This is generally a genetic disease that can happen at any time to any breeder regardless of scanning and precautions. HCM is a thickening of the heart’s left ventricle wall. Any cat can develop HCM at any time in their lives.

I do scan my adult cats yearly.

How can you sex a kitten?

It can be difficult to tell what sex a kitten is when it is small.

In female cats, the anus and vulva openings are close together and look like the letter ‘i’.
In a male cat, there are small testicles under the anus and the penis is below.