Care

Recommended Items to Purchase:


•Vertical scratching post
•Horizontal scratching post
•Elevated cat bed
•Blanket
•Toys
•Sweater (X-small for new kittens and small for adult cats seem to work for the style we buy, but there is a lot of variances.)
•Nail clippers/scissors
•Cotton swabs
•Cotton rounds
•Ear Rinse (We use VetTrust Ear Rinse)
•Baby Wipes ( We use Parent's Choice Shea Butter w/ Aloe)
•Cat shampoo/soap (We like Kirk's Original Coco Castile Soap (made for humans))
•Litter box (We use Van Ness Extra Large Enclosed Litter Box)
•Litter (We use Fresh Step Scoopable)
•Waste disposal System (We like Litter Locker II because you can use Diaper Genie Refills)
•Food/water dishes
•Kitten Food (We feed Royal Canin Kitten)

Remember, these are just recommendations. You will find what works best for you and your kitty. Not all things that work well for one will work well for others.

Sphynx's have a higher metabolism than other cats. Therefore, we feed "kitten" cat food formulas for their entire life.

Bringing Home a New Kitten

    Bringing home a new kitten is a very exciting time for a family and everyone, including other pets, will be anxious to get to know this newest member of the family. It can, however, be a scary time for your new little one. When you first bring him/her home we recommend that you set up a small area of your home with a litter box, food/water, and a bed. A small bedroom, bathroom, or laundry room will work great. Initially, anytime you will not be able to keep a constant eye on your kitten, you should place him/her in his/her room. This will allow your kitten to have a place of security, learn where the litter box and food are kept, and prevent your kitten fom getting lost or injured. However, Sphynx are very social so please make sure he/she isn't spending too much time alone.

You should gradually introduce your kitten to other members of the family, being extra careful with young children. Your kitten should be kept apart from other animals in your home until he/she has been examined by your vet and has had his/her final set of vaccinations. Be very cautious when introducing your kitten to other pets. Never leave him/her unattended with them until you are absolutely positive no harm will be caused. This is obviously an area where you will have to use your best judgement in determining when, if ever, it will be safe for them to be left alone together.
     Most importantly, give your new kitten lots of love and attention and enjoy this newest member of your
family!

Keeping Kitty Clean

     Due to their lack of fur, Sphynx do require extra cleaning. Here is our schedule, but each cat is unique and may require more or less.
We give our cats bi-weekly baths. We really like Kirk's Coco Original Castile Soap. While bathing, we also clean their ears with a pet ear rinse. We use VetTrust Ear rinse. Just put a couple drops in each ear and massage at the base. This will loosen up any hardened wax within the ear canal, making it easier to remove with a cotton swab.  Your kitten will have been given baths and had their ears cleaned prior to going home, but that does not mean he/she will love it. They should at least, tolerate it. We have found that you can over bathe a Sphynx, which can actually lead to an overcompensating of oil production. If your cat starts seeming dirtier after baths than before, reduce the frequency of bathing or change your shampoo to something less harsh.
In between baths we wipe our cats with baby wipes. Some wipes seem harsher on their skin than others. We currently find Wal-Mart's brand, Parent's Choice Shea Butter, leaves their skin feeling soft.
We clip our cat's nails weekly using either Human nail clippers or a small sharp pair of scissors. Make sure to clip just the tip and to avoid clipping the quick.
Eyes are cleaned as needed. They do tend to get a gunk build up due to lack of lashes.
Ears are swabbed daily and wiped with cotton rounds to help prevent a buildup.  The ear rinse is used at bathtime or as needed.