TEMPERAMENT
Sphynx cats are a very lively, playful, and intelligent breed. They tend toward mischeif and are usually in the middle of the action. They are extremely friendly and outgoing, wanting to be right where the people are. Most are taken back by how intent they are about making eye contact. They seem to look right into your soul.
Many have described them as part monkey and dog- we feel like they are little people. They prefer to sleep under the covers next to their humans at night and bask in the sun during the day. They are not timid and aloof, often running to the door to greet visiotrs. Sphynx cats are not a one-person cat; they get along with every member of the family and often have special relationships with each member of the family. There is never a dull moment when you have a Sphynx cat in the house to entertain you. Because of their extremely affectionate nature, they do best in homes with other pets and are not happy being left alone too long. They love to sleep in a pile with their buddies!
Click hGeneral Care
The near- hairlessness in Sphynx is a fairly unique state of affairs. While lovely to look and fabulous to touch, the hairless factor is not without consequences. Cats with hair absorb the natural body oils that all cats secrete. With sphynx, the hairlessness can cause the ears, eyes, nose, and feet to appear dirty in a hurry. They require frequent bathing. This varies between individual cats and their owners preferences, but weekly to monthly bathing is advised. This is a five-minute task easily accomplished since Sphynx kittens are accustomed to bathing at an early age. Some actually enjoy their baths and will purr while being lathered up. Often times, they will jump in the tub or shower with you to play. We use Aveeno bath products and a wash cloth. Care is taken not to get soap/water in their ears and eyes while bathing. Toenail beds are also cleaned after the bath, using a warm washcloth. The nail bed needs to be dried to prevent any kind of problems from moisture.
A Sphynx cats' ears tend to build up with a brown waxy substance and require weekly to monthy cleanings (depending on the individual cat). We use over the counter cat ear cleaner. After putting several drops in each ear, massage the base of the ear and allow the kitty to shake his head (to loosen the debris). We then carefully use Q-tips to remove the wax, but only from areas you can easily view naturally. Going down the ear canal is not wise, as you can eventually cause a plug to form. Infection is possible if this happens.
Sphynx tend toward a higher metabolism because of their hairlessness. They also eat more and eliminate more than the average cat. A solid diet, full of fiber and protein with little or no “fillers” is recommended. We feed Nature’s Variety Raw Instinct mixed with ProPlan Hairball Chicken and Rice hard food. We also use Nature’s Variety raw chicken mixed with ProPlan Chicken and Rice wet food.
Sphynx do not have unusual needs for warmth. Generally, if you are fine, they are fine. If they are cold, they find the warm spots in the house. They do enjoy sleeping in piles and under covers and love the warmth of the sun like most other cats.
Why Are They So Expensive to Adopt?
Sphynx are not inexpensive to adopt. Still, few breeders, if any , actually make a profit breeding this lovely animal. Sphynx breeders generally have invested an enormous amount just to get started. It costs more to breed than we ever bring in via adoptions. We know this and enjoy the endeavor in ways that "hobbyists" do.
We have spent a great deal of time and energy researching pedigrees and attempting to breed healthy cats from diverse genetic backgrounds to reduce the likelihood of genetic faults. Doing so requires that we bring new lines into the fold on a semi-regular basis. Breeding males and females are usually between 1800 to 3000 US dollars. Ours come from a variety of states in the US and in Canada. To keep the stress to a minmum, our 3-5 females live with me; 1-2 males live with my mother or with another breeder. We keep breeding careers as short as possible so that our beloved cats can be spayed/neutered and rest easy with a family member or in a forever pet home. Breeding is stressful on the body and mind of a cat. We prefer that they focus on the birds in the garden and finding the perfect napping place as soon as possible. Practicing this manner is more costly than it would be if we kept our cats breeding for longer periods of time.
We aim to raise them with the utmost care and attention to optimal health and happiness. To do this, we are committed to the providing them with the best diet and medical attention available. Breeding cats require a higher level of caloric intake. The calories need to be high in protein and other usable food sources. Additionally, prior to breeding (and annually), breeding cats have echocardiograms to determine heart functioning and to rule out hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a serious genetic ailment that is present within the feline population in general. Our echos cost about 300.00 per cat. We also take care to have breeding cats blood typed in most cases to be sure there is compatibility with each breeding. Ultrasounds are often performed during pregnancy to assist us with ensuring safe deliveries. If and when a cat has any symptoms of illness, we have a mobile veterinary who comes to the house. This allows us to limit exposure to any potential pathogens that are common in typical veterinarian offices.
Breeders who ask less than the standard adoption fee (1000-1500 US for a kitten) rarely have this kind of investment in the health and happiness of their cats. Many claim to be able to profit from this endeavor. We have accepted that this isn't possible and are unwilling to cut corners if it jeopardizes the welfare of our cats. We are hoping that by "frontloading" in this manner, the kittens will grow into healthy adults with long, happy lives. We have spoken with many adoptees who once opted for the kitten that was $200.00 less but who were later heartbroken becuase their kitten had genetic heart defects undetected because the breeder chose not to
make that kind of investment in the kitten's parents. We'd like to prevent this.
WHY CAN'T I GET THE KITTEN EARLIER?
Kittens that are not staying in our breeding program are ready to go if and when they have been fully immunized and are prepared for life without their mother. This is typically around 16 weeks of age. We do not let them go earlier because it is in their best interest to make this move at the right time.
Leaving their mother and moving to a completely new home may be the most stressful time of their lives. This often happens right after a time period where they have had several insults to the immune system (via vaccinations) , surgery for spay and neuter and have undergone weaning from their mother's milk. This stressful period, from about 9-16 weeks, can leave them vulnerable. We must keep the kitten's best interest at the forefront when deciding when they are ready to go.
This often goes against adoptees wishes to have the kitten as soon as possible. Adoptees often feel they must bond with the kitten as soon as possible. We agree with this philosophy. We only need to add that the people will bond, but not until after the kitten has successfully bonded with it's mother and is properly socialized as a kitten. We believe that the relationship with it's mother and siblings is more important for the kitten's future development than any relationship it will have with adoptees. The kitten will stay with it's first family until it is ready to live without them. Then they will bond with their humans fully and completely.
