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Lunas Mommy

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Hello everyone!

As some of you know, I will be bringing home my first sphynx next month!

I've spent the last few weeks researching/learning everything I need to know about the breed and making sure I'll give Luna the best life ever.

One thing that I am curious about is taking her on walks. I would like to take her on daily walks/adventures. (weather permitting of course )

She will be 12 weeks old when I bring her home. At what age can I /should I start taking her outside?

I know that their skin is very sensitive, she will always have the proper clothing. I don't agree with putting sunscreen on them. If it's too hot, she won't be taken outside. If it's to cold, she won't either.

I've read that it's pretty healthy/beneficial for a cat to be taken outside.

Do any of you walk your cat?

How can I ensure it's a pleasant thing? What harness/leash should I use? Any specific things I should be careful with when taking her out?

Also, I know that I'll need to get her used to the harness/leash when we're inside. I won't be taking her outside until I feel that she's confident/comfortable with it.

I've read/heard about sphynx who love going outside, they'll eagerly wait by the door and look forward to their outside adventures.

Looking forward to all your tips/ walking your cat stories :)
 

JenFid

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The thing about walking with cats that I've learned is you don't really "walk" them like you would a dog. More like they walk and you follow. Sometimes I am able to coax Mulder with a light tug and kissing/snapping and calling him over to me, but otherwise he goes where he wants. Get a good sturdy harness and have Luna wear it often inside, until she gets used to it. I use a harness that secures around the neck and chest with velcro, so far it's proved to be pretty inescapable (not that Mulder has ever really tried to escape it).

I don't remember quite when I first took Mulder into our backyard. It was too cold when he first got here. So he probably had about a month or so of being indoors and settling before I let him outside. He was nervous the first few times and wouldn't leave the deck, but he quickly warmed up to it. The only problem now is he loves going outside so much he will sit by the door and cry incessantly, and he will absolutely try to rocket past you to get outside. Any time I have to get a package from the front, I have to pick him up first. Coming or going to the garage, we have an attached mudroom, and that door now always has to be closed (we call it the kitty airlock), since last time it was left open he darted out into the garage before the garage door was finished closing - my hands were full of groceries so there was no stopping him. So just be ready for this kind of behavior if Luna decides she likes going outside.

I don't know about any diseases they can get from going outside...since you'll be with them I don't think there is a big risk. I would make sure their vaccinations are current, and if you have mosquitoes they should be on heart worm meds for sure. Know what plants are poisonous.

Most of all, let your kitten pick the pace!
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Cleopatra Beers

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You can start taking your cat out when he has had all his vaccinations. Cleopatra started going with us 2 days after we got her when she was 12 weeks old. That's a little early for most cats--they need to be comfortable in their new homes first. But she made it very clear that she wanted to be with me all the time. and she was queen of the house from day 1, so taking her for a car ride seemed to be the next best thing. Now she and Marcus ride in strollers and wear soft harnesses that are made for dogs or harness-shirts that I make. They are always on a leash when we take them places and I always ask permission before we go into stores (it's surprising that most places allow them in their strollers!).

At home, we have a screened-in patio where they are allowed to play. It has cat-friendly plants, cat posts and outdoor furniture. We do not allow them out in the backyard because our walls are about 5 feet high and they can easily escape.

As far as temperature goes, they are allowed out in temps of up to 105 degrees F (40C). When it is really hot here (yesterday was 115F 46C) they can't go out until it cools down at dusk. We do take Cleopatra on trips when it is hot, but we run the car air conditioner to cool it down before she gets in. And of course, we never leave her in the car. In the winter, they are allowed on the catio whenever they want--but they almost never go out. When we go on winter trips, we put on Cleo's wool dress that is fleece lined and Marcus' padded jacket. They are good at letting us know when they are cold, so we also have blankets in the strollers to cover them with if they are too cold.

Hope this loong post helps!
 

Toa and Ross

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@Lunas Mommy and @Annika Laybourn
Hope Luna and Hendrix will going to like walking outside!
It always makes me happy to see nakeds being outside.

When I did got my boys I tried to let them get used to wear a harness. Oh men, they hated it and were making a big show: throwing them self on the ground, walking like they were drunk and falling again like it was so heavy it was impossible to carry on:).

I kept trying but they kept hating it. So I stopped trying. Last week I wanted to give it a new try. Maybe they will deal better with it now they're a bit older, but...the harness' don't fit anymore. I bought harness for kittens and with 11 moths they're too big:).

My boys do play outside in my garden and they love it!!

About diseases: it's important they did got their vaccins before taking them outside. But then there are still diseases they can get where are no vaccinations for. It's like the furry cats who go outside, there's always a risk.
 

Annika Laybourn

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I think he will @Toa and Ross - I'm already beginning to think in ways like "ohhh - maybe I could bring Hendrix here" when I go somewhere. But I will not try anything until he's got his second vaccination later this month. Maybe after that I will try a harness and see how it goes. Denmark is after all a pretty cold country, so maybe its a no go when its freezing outside? I dont know - is it at all possible to go with a sphynx when its below 0 degrees celcius?
 

JenFid

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I think he will @Toa and Ross - I'm already beginning to think in ways like "ohhh - maybe I could bring Hendrix here" when I go somewhere. But I will not try anything until he's got his second vaccination later this month. Maybe after that I will try a harness and see how it goes. Denmark is after all a pretty cold country, so maybe its a no go when its freezing outside? I dont know - is it at all possible to go with a sphynx when its below 0 degrees celcius?
You could still get a harness and have Hendrix wear it inside, even if you're not planning on going outside for awhile. That way by the time he's ready to go out there shouldn't be any fuss about wearing it :)

Regarding freezing weather, I've been wondering about this too. Minnesota winters can be pretty harsh, a couple years ago we had 5 days in a row when it was -30 degrees (-34 celcius). That's pretty rare but I'd say 10 degrees is pretty standard during the "cold" part of winter here (-12 celcius). If I have to take him out for something like going to the vet, or visiting our family cabin, I think my plan is to put a sweater on him and see if he will tolerate being in his fleece sling and then zipped up in my jacket.
 

Toa and Ross

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@Annika Laybourn and @JenFid : think it depends on the sphynx if they wanna go outside when it's cold. I saw video's of sphynx happy playing in the snow. Don't think my boys will ever walk in the snow. They can play in my garden every day if they want. Yesterday it was 18 celsius here, they put their paw out, shivered, and didn't want to go out:rolleyes:.
 

JenFid

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@Annika Laybourn and @JenFid : think it depends on the sphynx if they wanna go outside when it's cold. I saw video's of sphynx happy playing in the snow. Don't think my boys will ever walk in the snow. They can play in my garden every day if they want. Yesterday it was 18 celsius here, they put their paw out, shivered, and didn't want to go out:rolleyes:.
Crazy! I see there's a couple Youtube vids I'll have to check out over lunch. Mulder begs all the time to go out. It's been raining pretty good here the last couple days, so I very obligingly open the door - he runs out on to the deck, makes it most of the way down the stairs before he realizes something is amiss and sprints back inside, lol! Then no more begging to go out for the rest of the day!

I'll definitely be getting him a good winter kind of coat, something heavier than fleece. Maybe he would enjoy the snow, hard to say with the way he reacts to rain though, lol.
 

Xandria

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Max loves going outside, for car rides, and going to the pet store. I waited until Max had all of his vaccinations (I think it was approximately 4 or 5 months of age). We started with taking him to the pet store. Then we graduated to taking him out for walks once the weather got better.

Usually we have him in a shirt as well as a harness (depending on the weather). Always in a harness, however. We use a retractable leash made in Germany that you can STOP with the push of a little button. It's a really great leash.

We always wash his paws when he comes in from being outside. I just use the Huggies natural wipes. When outside, we definitely keep an eye on him with respect to his engaging the environment (keep Max away from other animals for the most part, make sure he doesn't engage any bees or wasps, etc.)

@Catzzzmeow introduced me to this awesome harness:

At 1st I purchased the small, which was a little big for Max right now, but the extra small fits perfectly. Originally I had a different harness that was similar in design, and even smaller (Max outgrew that in a couple of months).

When the sun is out, we limit Max's exposure to 15 minutes at a time, maximum 2 times a day.

And totally – they will walk you, not the other way around. We will bring some tiny treats in a container that we use to reward and bribe. It helped Max explore a little bit further than his usual domain.

Most important, let them set the pace. Some don't like to be outside. If they are scared, then it may be a no go. There are only so many times you can try to get them comfortable in the environment and I think it will be pretty clear whether they are comfortable or not. For instance, Max loves going to the pet store, but he doesn't like the sound of noisy carts or people. He does, however, enjoy meeting other pets but I definitely gauge whether we should move away from other animals or allow Max and the other animal (with the permission of the other human) to come into close proximity. It's funny how many times people ask me if Max is friendly! LOL.

Can't wait for your pictures!

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Lunas Mommy

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Thank you for all the advice/tips everyone! Sorry I didn't answer earlier.

I'll look into that harness!

I was also wondering about taking Luna out during the winter so i'm glad that was brought up.

Btw we've chosen the date I get to bring Luna home, September 19. I can't wait!! :happy::happy::happy::happy:
 

Annika Laybourn

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And all this chatting about going outside and pictures of kittys outside made made cave... somehow I ordered Sphynx-clothes online. From the US. So Im preparing for an extra bill when they arrive :D So now I've got to find a harness thats souitable. Another one to explain to my husband... Expenses seem to pile up after Hendrix moved in :D
 
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Lunas Mommy

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And all this chatting about going outside and pictures of kittys outside made made cave... somehow I ordered Sphynx-clothes (from Sphynx swag - I like the one hole idea instead of sleeves) online. From the US. So Im preparing for an extra bill when they arrive :D So now I've got to find a harness thats souitable. Another one to explain to my husband... Expenses seem to pile up after Hendrix moved in :D

How old is Hendrix?? What size did you order??

Luna is on the smaller side, she's the smallest one of her siblings. So I'm thinking small might be too big for her.
 

Annika Laybourn

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How old is Hendrix?? What size did you order??

Luna is on the smaller side, she's the smallest one of her siblings. So I'm thinking small might be too big for her.

Every size of course:ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO::wideyed:. He is only like 15 weeks, so really small still.

Meaning - 1 "ankle biter size", 1 "bambino size" and 1 "regular size". The description for sizes is this:

"REGULAR size is for most adult hairless cats age 1 to 18. BAMBINO size fits hairless kittens age 6 months to 1 year and smaller adult cats. ANKLE BITER size fits hairless kittens 15 week to 6 month olds. LIL NIPPER size fits hairless kittens age 8 weeks to 15 week olds for when they are with the breeder or for the trip home."​

So Im hoping that he will go through every size. When ordering from the states to Europe it made sense to order the whole lot at once :smuggrin:
 

Silke

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We walk. Well. She walks, and I follow.
She *hates* a harness (but the one Max wears looks awesome. Gonna have to try find one in the UK). I picked up a HiVis vest harness for her and she absolutely loathes the thing. (I have a small and a medium, but the small is too small) Walks around as if she were drunk.
But...like Mulder...she is a menace when it comes to going outside. She sits at the door and yowls. And makes a mad dash if I don't watch it.
Tricky stuff. :)
 

Xandria

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And all this chatting about going outside and pictures of kittys outside made made cave... somehow I ordered Sphynx-clothes online. From the US. So Im preparing for an extra bill when they arrive :D So now I've got to find a harness thats souitable. Another one to explain to my husband... Expenses seem to pile up after Hendrix moved in :D

And they don't stop either! Hubby and I love buying things for Max. Our entire home is pretty much all about Max!
 
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Xandria

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I'm not sure if the link to the harness came through my post or not. I don't see it.

Here it is again.



ohhhhh, I have ad blocker installed, that's why I don't see it. sigh.
 

Silke

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Yeah... That harness in XS costs £37.43 + £6.49 delivery in the UK (which works out as $68.91), and is only available in Pink. (Small is £40.27+ £5.57 delivery which would be $71.92)
That's SOME markup...
I tried to use a "Walk n Vest"
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(I can't post a link yet) which is for rabbits / ferrets, but the velcro at the belly is very broad and very stiff.
She HATED it. (Drunk walking)
So atm I only use a small collar.
 

Xandria

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Yeah... That harness in XS costs £37.43 + £6.49 delivery in the UK (which works out as $68.91), and is only available in Pink. (Small is £40.27+ £5.57 delivery which would be $71.92)
That's SOME markup...
I tried to use a "Walk n Vest"
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(I can't post a link yet) which is for rabbits / ferrets, but the velcro at the belly is very broad and very stiff.
She HATED it. (Drunk walking)
So atm I only use a small collar.


That was actually Max's first harness. But he outgrew it pretty quick. sigh.

Sadly, not all harness companies are sanely available in all countries. Hope you find something suitable!
 

Silke

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The velcro on the one I got is horrendous though. Might find a softer and narrower one and try again.
 

Annika Laybourn

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The harness thing is the next obstacle to tak my boy out. So any tips would be great! The one you put a link to @Xandria looks good. But I wonder how I would combine the shirt/sweater and the harness. Do you guys make a hole in the shirt for the leash, or do you put harness on top of clothing, or only use clothing with built ind harness?
 

Toa and Ross

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After reading all the post on walking outside and seeing the pics I thought I would give it one more try. I tried the harness with Toa and Ross when they were about 5-6 months old and they hated it!

Now they're 11 months old. First I found out that the kitten harness was to small for them:). So bought two cheap harness just to try if they would like it this time.

I put them on and...they didn't mind at all!! So of we went for a little walk.

That was too much for Toa (@Xandria can you believe it? Bad boy Toa chickened:). And I guess it's also not a very clever idea of me to walk with two cats the same time.

So I put Toa inside the house and went for a walk with Ross. What a brave boy!

Ross loved it and was so curious. He even wanted to run to a very big dog but I stopped him from doing that:)
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This was his "winner pose" when he came back in the garden, seeing Toa laying on the windowsill
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Xandria

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The harness thing is the next obstacle to tak my boy out. So any tips would be great! The one you put a link to @Xandria looks good. But I wonder how I would combine the shirt/sweater and the harness. Do you guys make a hole in the shirt for the leash, or do you put harness on top of clothing, or only use clothing with built ind harness?

Some shirts come with a hole (but not always in the right spot LOL). If it's a shirt that I know Max will outgrow, I'll just make a new or correct hole. Otherwise I put the harness on over his shirt. And once he stops growing then I'll have indoor and outdoor shirts for him (good lord, he's such a diva).
 

Xandria

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@Toa and Ross -- what fabulous photos and outing. Ross is the man!! Macho macho. heee. He's going to give Toa a run for his money. I hope you have more outings with Ross, and maybe Toa will eventually un-chicken and join in. But I agree... two at once (unless in a stroller) may be too much. BTW, Max runs for other animals too (and runs away from humans).
 
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