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Does your cat smell?

SniffyMama

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We just adopted our first Sphynx 11 wk old kitten 1 week ago after years of longing for one. She is soooo sweet and we love her so much, but....well....she smells.....like cheese! We don't remember her smelling like cheese the first day we brought her home. And we've bathed her twice and cleaned her ears. It doesn't seem to be coming from any particular part of her. We were thinking that maybe it's the different food that we're feeding her (don't remember the name) as opposed to what the breeder fed her. Is this common for a Sphynx to have an odor?
 

ElGatoLoco

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That's odd. ButterBall has his own unique smell but it's not a foul odor. He's had so many poop issues you'd think he'd smell like poop but thank god he doesn't. ButterBall's odor is akin to a dirty flower. That's the best description I could come up with. I think his litter's odor rubs off on him a little bit.

What does your kitties litter smell like? Maybe it's a mixture of food and litter.
 

sydkat7

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Piglet sometimes gets a musky, earthy smell if she hasn't been bathed in a while (my fiance says that she's appropriately named...LOL!) but when she's clean, she smells like a baby. It sounds like you've checked everywhere else, but have you checked your kitten's nailbeds? If that's clean, then it could be the diet she's on...what brand of catfood are you feeding her?
 

Brooke

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We just adopted our first Sphynx 11 wk old kitten 1 week ago after years of longing for one. She is soooo sweet and we love her so much, but....well....she smells.....like cheese! We don't remember her smelling like cheese the first day we brought her home. And we've bathed her twice and cleaned her ears. It doesn't seem to be coming from any particular part of her. We were thinking that maybe it's the different food that we're feeding her (don't remember the name) as opposed to what the breeder fed her. Is this common for a Sphynx to have an odor?

Hi Sniffy! First off, congrats on your new baby!! You're really in for so much fun with her!
What's her name? Is it Sniffy? ...and please, please, please we'd love to see pictures!!

So, after I read your post, I grabbed Walter and sniffed him all over (ok, well, not ALL over -ew) and he didn't have any scent at all. Plus its been about 2 weeks since he had a bath. The only time he ever has a smell is right after a bath, he smells like baby shampoo. Too bad it only lasts for a day!

But, before I got him neutered, he was kinda stinky (like stinky cheese). Then again, your kitten is too young to be smelling because of hormones, I think. Plus, she's a girl, and I think that would be more of a boy thing.
 

PitRottMommy

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We just adopted our first Sphynx 11 wk old kitten 1 week ago after years of longing for one. She is soooo sweet and we love her so much, but....well....she smells.....like cheese! We don't remember her smelling like cheese the first day we brought her home. And we've bathed her twice and cleaned her ears. It doesn't seem to be coming from any particular part of her. We were thinking that maybe it's the different food that we're feeding her (don't remember the name) as opposed to what the breeder fed her. Is this common for a Sphynx to have an odor?


They usually don't have an odor when they're relatively clean. Kittens are obnoxious and like to get in to things. I would recommend trying a degreasing soap (like Dawn) to see if the smell resides. If you note less of the smell, it's likely an overproduction of sebum that you're smelling. If it does not help, your companion may have problems with yeast infections in the near future (skin and ears, usually). Make sure to clean those nails really well too, they like to harbor bacteria that is especially malodorous.
 

Moonstone

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Congrats on your kitten !

My sphynxes smells their own odor, but it's not very strong, I must have the noze on the skin to get it.
I suppose it 's the food that gives her a cheese odor ?
 

silly4lilly

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my male river doesnt smell but my female milky smells because she has very oily skin. both of them have stinky paws, though. they smell like fritos!!!!!
 

Brooke

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my male river doesnt smell but my female milky smells because she has very oily skin. both of them have stinky paws, though. they smell like fritos!!!!!

My dog's paws smelled like fritos!! People would tell me I was crazy, but then I would jam his paw into their nose and make them smell it. Yep, EXACTLY like fritos.

So, does this mean their feet smell good or that fritos actually smell like feet?? :LOL:
 

PitRottMommy

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My dog's paws smelled like fritos!! People would tell me I was crazy, but then I would jam his paw into their nose and make them smell it. Yep, EXACTLY like fritos.

So, does this mean their feet smell good or that fritos actually smell like feet?? :LOL:

That's a yeast infection. Your dog probably licked his paws and caused a secondary yeast (and sometimes bacterial too) infection. Symptoms such as these are often secondary to allergies (inhalant, AKA atopy). White dogs (such as small breeds like maltese and bichons) will show red (rust-colored) in the areas they lick. In a darker colored dog, it will be harder to detect just by color alone.
 

Maximus

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The funniest part of this post is that one day Otie smelled like cheeder cheese all day long. I couldn't figure out what happened to him but he had gotten into my god daughters Mcdonald breakfast, so I asumed that was it. I was going to get him in the bath that night but didn't get a chance to. The next day the smell was gone, it was the wierdest thing. We were running around calling him Cheeda Bob. So in tribute to his smelly day, I vowed to name my next cat Cheeder Cheese!
 

sydkat7

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The funniest part of this post is that one day Otie smelled like cheeder cheese all day long. I couldn't figure out what happened to him but he had gotten into my god daughters Mcdonald breakfast, so I asumed that was it. I was going to get him in the bath that night but didn't get a chance to. The next day the smell was gone, it was the wierdest thing. We were running around calling him Cheeda Bob. So in tribute to his smelly day, I vowed to name my next cat Cheeder Cheese!

Cheeda Bob!!!! LMAO!!!:LOL: That's priceless! Or you can always call him Chester Cheetos...LOLOL! :Hysterical:

Thanks for the laugh this morning, Max...I really needed it!
 

cchloerun

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Ok, everyone is going to think I'm crazy, but yes, all of my nakeds smell... GOOD! They smell like baking oatmeal cookies (best way to describe). My boyfriend and sister agree- baking cookies!!!
It's especially strong after or during a nap when they sweat. I think it's such a comforting smell- it makes me happy :-D

I thought I would find others here noting the same yummy smell after I read the title, so this is odd. Maybe it's their food.
 

Brooke

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Ok, everyone is going to think I'm crazy, but yes, all of my nakeds smell... GOOD! They smell like baking oatmeal cookies (best way to describe). My boyfriend and sister agree- baking cookies!!!
It's especially strong after or during a nap when they sweat. I think it's such a comforting smell- it makes me happy :-D

I thought I would find others here noting the same yummy smell after I read the title, so this is odd. Maybe it's their food.

Yum yum! What do you feed them?
 

cchloerun

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we switch back and forth between the different Pro Plans, but come to think of it, they smelled this way with science diet too- weird!
 

kalliee129

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Meecho REEKED when I first got her. I mean when I first picked her up I smelled something and just figured she needed a bath. Half way home from New York it was sooooooo bad we had to open all the windows and sunroof. In the middle of December!!! We laughed the whole way home about how bad she smelled. This went on for almost a week until the food they people were feeding her was out of her system. Now she only gets a little smelly when she has been playing really hard and gets really sweaty and even that isn't a fraction of what she smelled like when I first got her. :Laugh:
 

ilovemysphynx

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I agree my Leo smells sooo good I love it everyone else in the house thinks I am nuts but its just this great smell! ( None of the others have this smell) ! I can not describe it :Adore:I just love it I will have to go sniff and see if I can come up with something:BigSmile:
 

saintbabby

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but....well....she smells.....like cheese!

I don't know about how cat's skin is terribly different from human skin, but when human skin doesn't get to stay dry and aired out and clean, it can start to smell like that too. like when ear jewelry is left in for too long, or if there are neglected skin folds that don't get exfoliated (gross, right?) they can start to smell just like cheese. Its from when dead skin cells are sloughed but not shed off the skin, and when that mixes with the skin oils and sits for a few days. it can start to smell really ripe! You said your darling kitty has been bathed a few times this week, but did you really get into her wrinkles to wash and dry them really well? or between her toes, places like that? It could be just a few spots on her body that are emanating this scent, not her whole body.

On the other hand, it could be her diet. Like how if you eat garlic all day long, your sweat and skin will smell like garlic, her food could be having that sort of effect on her.
 

ilovemysphynx

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I don't know about how cat's skin is terribly different from human skin, but when human skin doesn't get to stay dry and aired out and clean, it can start to smell like that too. like when ear jewelry is left in for too long, or if there are neglected skin folds that don't get exfoliated (gross, right?) they can start to smell just like cheese. Its from when dead skin cells are sloughed but not shed off the skin, and when that mixes with the skin oils and sits for a few days. it can start to smell really ripe! You said your darling kitty has been bathed a few times this week, but did you really get into her wrinkles to wash and dry them really well? or between her toes, places like that? It could be just a few spots on her body that are emanating this scent, not her whole body.

On the other hand, it could be her diet. Like how if you eat garlic all day long, your sweat and skin will smell like garlic, her food could be having that sort of effect on her.

Very good point, you sure did all your research and need to find your Sphynx!:ThumbsUp:
 

lovinsphynx

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Sanura has her own smell too the funny thing is that i like it, i feed her science diet too i'm trying to think of what it reminds me but i don't think i compare it to anything but it's not a strong smell just smells a little oily but after i bath her i rub coconut cooking oil on her to keep her soft so maybe that's it.
 
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