| Care of the Sphynx -
Nails: Sphynx should have their nails trimmed and cleaned regularly. When clipping nails be sure to avoid clipping into the pink vein area inside the nail as this causes discomfort to your kitten. You may use a regular toenail clipper for kittens and a cat clipper on adults. Sphynx will get a black waxy buildup on their nails and this is normal for the breed. It works best to clean them weekly with baby wipes with aloe. We use Pampers brand as they work well for us. -
Ears: Sphynx will also have a black waxy buildup in their ears. This is again normal for the breed and it is usually NOT ear mites. You may use baby wipes to remove this buildup or a product from your vet called Cerumene.(It can also be ordered on-line. Just google it.) This product helps keep ears clean and is non-irritating. Please avoid harsh cleansers as sphynx may be sensitive and have an allergic reaction to them. Also be careful when using cotton swabs to not push any wax back into the ear canal as this may lead to infection. Kittens are sometimes are prone to ear mites due to their waxy ears. If your vet diagnosis ear mites, Revolution for kittens can be applied directly to the back of their neck. Revolution works very well and treats for up to one month. It is recommended that they have two doses one month apart to treat for ear mites. -
Eyes: Sphynx also tend to have eye boogers as they do not have eyelashes to protect their eyes from dirt. You may cleanse around their eyes with a warm wet cotton ball or a warm wet wash cloth. If you notice redness, swelling or yellow discharge please see your vet. -
Diet: It is important that you continue feeding your sphynx the same food it has been eating as a sudden change in their diet will cause an upset tummy and loose stools that can lead to dehydration quickly in a kitten. Food should be gradually changed by mixing the two foods together over several days. We feed all of our kittens Royal Canine Kitten Food and our adults our fed, Royal Canine Special. I generally feed Instinct canned food to our kittens and it can be ordered from www.onlynaturalpet.com along with many other natural healthy supplements for your sphynx baby! -
Bathtime!!!! Your sphynx should also be bathed at least every 2 weeks. Many breeders recommend weekly baths. The sphynx breed secrete natural oils and this causes dirt to build up and will lead to a stinky baby!!! Baby wipes that do not contain alcohol are great for touch ups. I use Jerob Cocoa Butter shampoo on my cats and kittens. You can do a google search and order it on-line. Rinse them well and then wrap them in a towel fresh from the dryer. They love that warm towel. Then I clip and clean their nails and clean their ears. Your kitten should be used to this ritual by the time you receive them. Most breeders will not sell a kitten until it is at least 12-16 weeks old. You will find that lighter colored sphynx need to be bathed more often to keep clean and usually darker colored sphynx need less touch ups and less frequent bathing. -
Vet: Be sure to find a vet who is familiar with the sphynx breed!!! VACCINES: Please be sure to give your kitten Merial vaccines, that do not contain the heavy metals that other vaccines contain. We give the 3 way Purevax from Merial. Never give FIP or FELV vaccines to your kittens and never give two different vaccines on the same day unless it is a combo vaccine. It is too hard on your little kitten and 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. They will break out with the fatal form of FIP if given the vaccine. There is no known treatment for FIP it is fatal. -
 Sphynx are very loveable and affectionate cats. Some people have described them as part monkey, part dog and part cat. Be ready and willing to have a pet who wants to be at your side always and follow you around like a puppy. They also tend to be part parrot as it is typical for the breed to climb up your back and sit on your shoulders whenever they get the chance!!! You will not be lonely or lack entertainment with a sphynx for a pet. Two are better than one, I always say. They are a bit addictive and you can't have just one!!!!! 8. A warning to sphynx owners: sphynx love to climb in the dryer and it has led to the death of more than one cat that I know of. They also may hide in clothes and end up in the washer. Another kitten died recently from ingesting a small toy or other object. The kitten's intestines were blocked and they had to remove 10 inches of the intestine that led to death. Christmas tree tinsel is also very dangerous and can lead to twisting of the bowels. At halloween beware of the spiderwebs that people hang as another kitten almost died from ingesting them. Be sure to sphynx proof your house!!!!!!! They are like little babies crawling around in your house. 9. Kitty Litter: I use Sweet Scoop, wheat litter, The World's Best Cat Litter, a corn based litter and Gentle Touch litter, that is like cedar pellets. All are safe for use with small kittens and cats. If ingested they do not make your cat ill. Some litters that clump are known to block the intestines of small kittens and can lead to death or poisoning when they lick their paws. Cats or kittens that are vomiting frequently may have a problem with their litter or diet. Seek your vet's counsel!!!! 10. Vomiting & diarhea: Seek your vet's counsel immediately for watery stools or vomiting, as kittens can get dehydrated and can die very quickly if not treated promptly!!!! This can come about from an abrupt change in their diets, intestinal infections or poisoning. For cats or kittens with loose stools, it may help to add fiber to the diet, such as Iams hairball formula cat food or use the Science Diet ID formula from your vet. It also helps to boil hamburger and rice, about 2/3 rice to 1/3 hamburger and feed at intervals through out the day until stools firm up or add some canned 100% pumpkin to their soft food. Soft or wet foods other than Science Diet ID soft food or Instinct soft foods can lead to soft or runny stools. See our link page for good places to purchase soft and dry foods that are all natural!!! 11. Upper respiratory: Kittens may stress when shipped or when they are going to a new home. Occasionally they may start to sneeze, cough or have runny sore eyes. If this occurs they should be seen by a vet immediately. A kitten can get very sick, very fast if not treated promptly. We recommend Doxycycline 5 mg per pound once a day and to treat at least one week past the kitten being symptom free. They also do well often times on Zithromax antibiotic and it is dosed the same way. Kittens do not generally respond to amoxicillin. Please contact your breeder for questions on upper respiratory symptoms. Please do not hesitate to call me for any questions regarding your new addition!!!! #712-473-2270 or e-mail me at: angelicsphynx@hotmail.com Your sphynx kitten/cat's health is of the utmost importance to me and we strive to raise the healthiest and best socialized kittens possible!!!!!! Thanks, Corilee |
