About Sphynx

[Kirigarou]

Hello my name is Alex, I'm thinking about currently purchasing a Sphynx Cat or a Cornish Rex. My mother doesn't like fur a lot so these seem to be the perfect choice but I would like to ask a question to the community. I've heard that Sphynx cat get oily in general and wanted to know which cat would be the best to have to have less grooming or bathing. I have questionned some of the Sphynx breeder's and they told me there was 3 type of coats which one of them seem to be less oily and she even mentionned that she never bathed him once and he's never made any oil stains. FYI, this was a bambino breeder not the same. What's your overall thoughts on this? Would like to get an experienced answer. Thank you very much for dedicating your time.

Here's a picture of a sphynx male that the owner is selling for 300$ CAD:

 

[Catzzzmeow]

Welcome. Here is a thread on finding a reputable breeder. What to expect from a responsible sphynx breeder

Often you don’t know how oily they are going to be. But usually the furrier seem to be less oily.

 

[Xandria]

Hello, and welcome. Which part of Canada are you in? I'm in Vancouver.

There is really no way to guarantee oiliness. I agree that the more fur, the less oil. But even on a Sphynx, furriness can come and go.

As long as I being here on the SphynxLair, I have seen only a handful of people reporting that their Sphynx does not require bathing very much at all. Most of us tend to follow a fairly typical routine:

• clean ears once or twice a week,
• clean pause & trim toenails once or twice a week,
• full bath anywhere from once a week to every six weeks,
• wipe downs/spot clean every few days or once a week.

While I'm not trying to dissuade you, it's just good for people to know that there is definitely more care involved with a Sphynx cat over and above a furred cat. And people tend to either learn to put up with some permanent oil stains on bedding, or purchase darker browns or black bedding. But ask anyone of us, and we will tell you that it is completely worth it. Sphynx are unlike any other animal companion. A Sphynx-Human bond is incredibly deep and filled with love.

Good luck in your decision-making. And please ask any other questions that you have.

 

[Kirigarou]

I'm located in Quebec, Canada. And thanks for the answers. I have taken into consideration of owning a sphynx and I don't doubt that they will be an wonderful companions. I've heard that the Cornish Rex is almost acts the same as a Sphynx. I especially love the feeling of when I'm touching the Sphynx.

 

[Toa and Ross]

Welcome to sphynxlair! What a handsome boy.
Some sphynxes are more oily then others. Ross gets way less dirty/oily then Toa and they're from the same litter. My breeders said girls tend to get less oily but I can't find proof for that online.

Is the boy an adult cat they're selling or a kitten?

 

[Kirigarou]

Welcome to sphynxlair! What a handsome boy.
Some sphynxes are more oily then others. Ross gets way less dirty/oily then Toa and they're from the same litter. My breeders said girls tend to get less oily but I can't find proof for that online.

Is the boy an adult cat they're selling or a kitten?

He's a 6 month's old male.

 

[Annejo12]

I wash my sphynx 's face every day and clean her ears every day. I bathe her once a month. They are wonderful pets and worth the grooming.

 

[Monica]

Sphynx are great! I lucked out and ended up with a lower maintenance kitten who is also very naked. I think that’s pretty uncommon, so I’d suspect you would need to anticipate a lot of maintenance if you would like a sphynx. Also, besides the bathing, I still clean my sphynx’s ears and trim his nails a minimum of once a week. They also are very high energy, but a lot of fun!

On another note, I would very much question the price of that kitten. That seems extremely low for a sphynx kitten. That looks like a huge red flag in my opinion. Going forward, I would definitely visit the page recommended by @Catzzzmeow. As the saying goes, you get what you pay for. It would be awful to get a bargain upfront, only to be buried in vet bills later on, or worse.

Happy kitten hunting. If you do decide to take on the commitment and responsibilities that come with owning a sphynx, you’ve found the best resource on the web! They require more than the average house cat, but they give so much back in return!

 

[admin]

Great answers thus far, I'll just add that 300 CAD ($277.00 US dollars) seems oddly low for a 6 month old sphynx. I would be very weary at this point. Good luck on your decision.

 

[Toa and Ross]

Great answers thus far, I'll just add that 300 CAD ($277.00 US dollars) seems oddly low for a 6 month old sphynx. I would be very weary at this point. Good luck on your decision.

Good thing you noticed this cause this indeed seem oddly low.

@Xandria what are normal prices in Canada?

@Kirigarou will you buy the boy from the breeder? Or is het alreafy placed in a home and do they want to sell him? Please ask the owners lots of question cause the price seems low. But if it's a rehome fee, it's a normal price

 

[TheZu]

Normal prices in Canada are about 1,200 to 1,800. They may get as low as 1,000, but that's really pushing it. It's also not enough to just look at the price. There's dozen of Kijiji sellers that will list them at 1,500 with no paperwork, no nothing. They'll tell you it's a Russian import, yada,yada. You want to go to a registered cattery. They should be scanned, come with all paperwork and a genetic guarantee from the breeder all in the contract. I would advise NOT taking that cat even if you do decide on the sphynx.

 

[Xandria]

Max and Min were $1450 each, I think. Somewhere around there. That's with papers etc.

I too would be wary with a low price. Best to err on the side of caution.

I'm always torn. On the one hand I want to see good people rescue Sphynx from backyard breeders, but on the other hand I don't want backyard breeders to continue doing what they are doing. I always worry that a lot of inexpensive Sphynx from backyard breeders go to people who don't really care for Sphynx, but just want them for a short while. It always makes me sad.

 

[Zab]

Interesting hearing about prices around the world. Prices you've mentioned are quite the same here in Sweden. That is if you're not looking for an elf or a bambino, then the price tag goes up...
I try to think that it's for my own good because then I can get the best insurance for my new family member and yes, it is expensive but it only stings once! I say it's proof that you can buy love! I've done it, several times now...

 

[Yoda mom]

@Kirigarou welcoming you and your mom to the lair family
great advice given
Just wanted to add you and your mom can read thru this link too that is great for lookimg for red flags How to Detect fraud sphynx cat adoption ads

The help center is a womderful resource for care , etc
Sphynx Cat Help Center

The responsible breeder link provided has great info to prepare for Sphynx love

Have you amd your mom visited this kitty ?
Can the person write your name and date on a piece of paper and email to you ?
Provide email copies of vet vaccination info , neutered ?
We're the parents HCM scanned regularly

I have four sphnyx adoptees - adoption US from $250 to $600.
To be honest after my first Sphynx passed from heart problems .
I adopted an 11 mos old with no papers or scans -
I did ask the seller to take him to the vet for a wellness check and vaccinations and email me the copy - she was more than happy to have a wellness check before adoption .
Wellness checks are no guarantee but Reuther a good baseline


I also started a Sphynx savings fund for care and vet visits


Keep us updated often

 

[Zab]

@Kirigarou welcoming you and your mom to the lair family
great advice given
Just wanted to add you and your mom can read thru this link too that is great for lookimg for red flags How to Detect fraud sphynx cat adoption ads

The help center is a womderful resource for care , etc
Sphynx Cat Help Center

The responsible breeder link provided has great info to prepare for Sphynx love

Have you amd your mom visited this kitty ?
Can the person write your name and date on a piece of paper and email to you ?
Provide email copies of vet vaccination info , neutered ?
We're the parents HCM scanned regularly

I have four sphnyx adoptees - adoption US from $250 to $600.
To be honest after my first Sphynx passed from heart problems .
I adopted an 11 mos old with no papers or scans -
I did ask the seller to take him to the vet for a wellness check and vaccinations and email me the copy - she was more than happy to have a wellness check before adoption .
Wellness checks are no guarantee but Reuther a good baseline


I also started a Sphynx savings fund for care and vet visits


Keep us updated often

Ooh.. the sphynx savings fund is a good idea. I did that too and I was so grateful for it when Ossi got sick, it's really super advice for all pet owners!

 

[Marvins Mom]

Hi. I hope I can add some my perspective to this post. I live near Toronto Ontario Canada. My daughter purchased her Sphynx from Kijiji online. Marvin was 3 years old - and the lady who owned him just couldn’t care for him anymore. My daughter paid $550 Cdn for him. A deal!! She drove 3 hours to pick him up. No registration papers - no vet papers - but he was a beautiful bald cat. He is a gem - perfectly friendly and social. Gets along with our 2 hairy cats great and also our little dog. In fact - I must say - he is our probably the best of the pets. He loves us and shows so much affection. He can’t go outside because he will get sunburnt or injured or stolen .. and the other animals go outside so it seems unfair when he is at the door looking out at the others. He does require bathing but we find the more we bath him the dirtier he gets from his oils. So we bath him once a month. We clean his ears then too but they do get quite dirty and I am a little embarrassed when friends come to visit and his ears and a mess! If I wear a white t-shirt he will get oil on it when we cuddle. And he always cuddles with us. He is high maintenance compared to a hairy kitty but he is so affectionate that it makes it all worthwhile.

Regarding the price- I haven’t seen a sphyxn offered for such a low price - so be wary .. I guess it all depends. Perhaps the owners know of health defects. But if you do decide on a sphynx there is a lot of care for them - but the rewards as a companion are large!

We have said - if we had only one pet - our choice would be a Sphynx!

I hope this helps!

 

[Kirigarou]

Thank you for all your posts. The reason why the seller sold at that price was because she had 2 French Bulldogs in her house and she said they were fighting each others but that said the breeder showed me the papers and they were bred in Russia from a purebred line. This is why I have not seen the parents in their house. They were only 2 small sphinxes
They were vaccinated but not neutered/spayed. She mentioned me that if you bath your sphynx more often it would increase the sebum. I'm not sure if this is applies the same to Dwelf cats as well.

 

[Monica]

Thank you for all your posts. The reason why the seller sold at that price was because she had 2 French Bulldogs in her house and she said they were fighting each others but that said the breeder showed me the papers and they were bred in Russia from a purebred line. This is why I have not seen the parents in their house. They were only 2 small sphinxes
They were vaccinated but not neutered/spayed. She mentioned me that if you bath your sphynx more often it would increase the sebum. I'm not sure if this is applies the same to Dwelf cats as well.

Hmm... Maybe I’m misreading, but I’m not sure I’m quite understanding your post. Did you end up getting the male sphynx you were asking about originally? Did you get more than one?

You mentioned being told about or shown papers. All papers (vet records, registration, etc) should convey with the sale. Meaning, the seller should have copies of all paperwork from the Russian breeder, and you, the buyer, should receive that same copy from the seller when you purchase the cat. I mention this only because you will want to have as much documentation as possible for your vet’s records in case of preexisting or future health issues, and for general peace of mind. I would definitely request copies of everything from the seller. If at all possible, I would ask the name of the Russian breeder/cattery the kitten came from. That way you can contact them, and ask about the health of the cat’s parents. Plus, I think it’s neat to track down my sphynx’s family tree, but I may just be a weirdo!

I also noticed you spoke about a dwelf cat... Dwelf, Elf, Sphynx, and Bambino will all have generally the same bathing and care requirements. Their oiliness/sebum levels will varying, depending on the individual cat.

If you did get your sphynx, please share photos and keep us updated! We would all love to hear the progress! :happy:

 

[Kirigarou]

Hmm... Maybe I’m misreading, but I’m not sure I’m quite understanding your post. Did you end up getting the male sphynx you were asking about originally? Did you get more than one?

You mentioned being told about or shown papers. All papers (vet records, registration, etc) should convey with the sale. Meaning, the seller should have copies of all paperwork from the Russian breeder, and you, the buyer, should receive that same copy from the seller when you purchase the cat. I mention this only because you will want to have as much documentation as possible for your vet’s records in case of preexisting or future health issues, and for general peace of mind. I would definitely request copies of everything from the seller. If at all possible, I would ask the name of the Russian breeder/cattery the kitten came from. That way you can contact them, and ask about the health of the cat’s parents. Plus, I think it’s neat to track down my sphynx’s family tree, but I may just be a weirdo!

I also noticed you spoke about a dwelf cat... Dwelf, Elf, Sphynx, and Bambino will all have generally the same bathing and care requirements. Their oiliness/sebum levels will varying, depending on the individual cat.

If you did get your sphynx, please share photos and keep us updated! We would all love to hear the progress! :happy:

I've decided to wait and not get the Sphynx yet. I'm actually doing more research on it to see if it would be the cat I wanted and also getting prepared . What's the lowest sebum levels you can find in any hairless cat? I've given thoughts on it and I see lots of people recommending in Youtube to have coconut oil during summer for the skin to not dry out. I see that some mention the bathing of an hairless would be once every month, some every 4 months. As for the teeth, a weekly brushing, ears monthly.

 

[Monica]

@Kirigarou That’s a smart decision.

The only real indicator of how oily your sphynx will be is the degree of hairlessness. Typically, the fuzzier sphynx tend to require less bathing. Less fuzzy sphynx will most likely require more bathing. However, there are exceptions. Kenzo is neither fuzzy nor oily, but he is not the norm.

As a rule of thumb, I would take the approach that a sphynx, or any similar hairless breed, WILL require weekly bathing and care, so that you are mentally prepared to take on that responsibility. Then, IF you get a sphynx that can go a month or two without a bath, it’s like a bonus. Ear cleaning NEEDS to be done once a week. Nail trimming and cleaning, once or twice a week.

If you are not wanting a cat that requires that much weekly care, you should pick a different breed. That being said, if you truly enjoy the sphynx traits, you could adopt an F1 or F2 coated sphynx from a breeder’s outcross program. An early outcross sphynx will be much fuzzier, but should still have the spunky puppy-monkey-baby personality of a sphynx. They should be at available at a lower price point as well. Key words to include in your search inquiries would be coated sphynx, outcross sphynx, velvet sphynx. I hope this is helpful!

 

[Binx]

Hello my name is Alex, I'm thinking about currently purchasing a Sphynx Cat or a Cornish Rex. My mother doesn't like fur a lot so these seem to be the perfect choice but I would like to ask a question to the community. I've heard that Sphynx cat get oily in general and wanted to know which cat would be the best to have to have less grooming or bathing. I have questionned some of the Sphynx breeder's and they told me there was 3 type of coats which one of them seem to be less oily and she even mentionned that she never bathed him once and he's never made any oil stains. FYI, this was a bambino breeder not the same. What's your overall thoughts on this? Would like to get an experienced answer. Thank you very much for dedicating your time.

Here's a picture of a sphynx male that the owner is selling for 300$ CAD:

 

[Binx]

I have a male. He is very naked. I bath him maybe once a month. I have heard the more you bath the oily they will be. Could be wrong.

 

[draconusgryph]

I have two naked babies, I guess not babies anymore lol. Anyway, I am moving to an acreage and there is hard water, so we have to put water softener in. Question is, is the farm water going to be hard on their skin?