Each Sphynx pet parent wants to give their babies the best- it is essential to provide them with a lot of love and care. There are dozens of articles about bathing your furry pet, but very few talk about our non-furry queen – the Sphynx cat.
How To Care For A Sphynx Cat
Similar to humans, cats produce oils on their skin, and compared to furry cats – the oil won’t wipe away in their hair but will amass on their skin. That’s why you may be required to bathe your hairless cat weekly.
To bathe your hairless cat, you need warm water and hypo-allergic pet shampoo. Ensure that there is no residual shampoo left on the skin, you need to rinse them properly because leftover shampoo can irritate.
It is also crucial that you dry your cat correctly because they can get too cold (this applies to our furry friend). Pat them with a clean and dry towel and they should be good to go. If you do not bathe them often or follow the set routine (weekly), Sphynx can be prone to acne and blackhead.
If your cat eventually does break out, you can often clean the area with an anti-bacterial soap until it fades away, but if it is becoming more serious, you may want to take a quick trip to the vet.
Ear Cleaning
Furry animals benefit from their fur; as mentioned above the fur absorbs the oil, but this is not the only advantage they may benefit from- they may also catch away debris and dirt from the ear. Cleaning their ear regularly will prevent them from developing an infection. As part of their routine, you should be able to clean their ear, you should be able to do that when they are bathing.
You can use a pet ear cleaner along with a cotton ball. Most articles that I have read on the topic will tell you to put the cleaner directly into the animal’s ear – there is nothing wrong with this method but some animals do not like squirting a product in their ear canal and may move briskly. I recommend that you saturate the cotton ball with the product and wipe away the debris.
Clip Their Nails
Every cat or I should say every pet needs their nails trimmed as they may get stuck in a blanket or carpet – not only they may hurt themselves and ruin your upholstery furniture. As Sphynx cat does not have fur, they are more prone to cut them open with their nails.
They should be comfortable with nail clippings- as with ear cleaning, You should make it part of their routine. If you are afraid of cutting them or hurting them you may want to bring them to the vet to get their nails clipped.
Keep Them Warm
It is important to keep them warm too- they do not have fur to keep them warm, do not forget to provide them with warm blankets. Some blankets are now available for pets- they are self-heated and are the best for Sphynx cats.
You may also want to dress them, however, remember that they have oily skin so you should wash their clothes regularly (I would recommend every day as you do for yourself) because the constant friction with the oil and the skin may make them even more prone to acne.
You may allow them to sunbathe. However, I would recommend before noon and do not extend the sunbathing time for too long. Fur does not only keep them warm, it also traps ‘cold’ for when it is summer so they feel refreshed. In summer you can prepare a Popsicle with their favourite treat.
Many people want to own a Sphynx cat but do not have enough confidence to do so; you can check our previous blog articles about Sphynx cats. It is demanding to care for a Sphynx cat, it requires patience and a lot of love. Let us know in the comments if you want us to talk more about Sphynx cats…
