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Hopeful Sphynx Mom with Questions

Muivin

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Hello everyone.

I'm joining this forum because I've been researching a lot about Sphynx cats for the past couple of years, this forum pops up quite often and seems pretty active so I'm hoping I can be helped with my questions. : )

I've recently realized that my life is extremely empty without a pet in it. I've been looking into sphynx kittens in my area since 2011 but never had the right life combo + kitten combo. I either lived with my parents still, or lived with a boyfriend I didn't want to get an animal with, or lived in a house where I wasn't allowed pets.

I finally live somewhere where I can have my own fur(less) baby. I found a cute little pink (white fuzzed) female elf sphynx kitten online that I've rather fallen in love with. She has the cutest perpetually sad looking face, it might sound weird, but I find it ridiculously adorable. She's within driving distance, she's the color, gender, everything that I've been looking for. She was available for adoption, but I was torn between getting her and not (because of work, that I'll explain in a bit.) so she was put on hold for a family. I was so upset, but realized it was probably for the best. But then I went back to the breeder's site out of curiosity, and lo-and-behold! She was back available for adoption and on my birthday, too! (The family backed out due to medical emergency (I've been in contact with the breeder) and the site has the date of updates)

I want to adopt her, but now my issue is with work. This is where my questions come in for this forum.

Unfortunately I travel a lot for work, mostly always by plane. I travel 50-100% of any given month. Sometimes from one side of the country to the other, with flights being around 5 hours at most. I'm currently in California for two weeks for example though I live in Virginia. I've looked into hotels, and a lot of them accept cats, and my job has no problems with me traveling with an animal. I know that Delta (the airline I always fly) will accept cats in carriers of a specific size that will fit under the seats. I also know that I should (and will) get her checked by a vet before every flight.

I wanted to know your opinion and advice on getting a new kitten and traveling with her? I'm hoping that if she begins traveling with me as a kitten she will get used to it quickly and have no problems, rather than being an older cat used to being in their space.

I would be able to be home with her for a week before I would have to fly back out to California for two weeks. This is two flights, one of 1 hour and 40 minutes, and another of 4 hours and 30 minutes roughly. Do you guys think she would be okay with this or should I leave her at home (Not Alone, potentially at my Mother's) for the two weeks?

I really appreciate the input, insight, and advice.

With love and hope,

Muivin
 
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Toa and Ross

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@Muivin welcome to sphynxlair! It's great you're doing so much research and thinking it through before you get a sphynx.

I know more sphynxies travell with their humans by plan on regulary bases. For example @Maddie . Hope she can chime in to share her experience.

I think when your work is fine with it and she can fly with you in the plane she'll get used to it soon enough.

Does she have to be alone a lot in the hotelroom? That would be my only concern: kittens want to play a lot. And if they get bored they might start to play with all the furniture in the hotelroom.
So make sure she has always toys to play with and to play with her a lot when you're 'at home'.

Love your name by the way!

Natasja
 

Maddie

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Hi, I did message you back :)
On the bet check, I never had Astrid checked before every flight. Just her regular annual visit. Never had an issue. Just make sure you follow rules state to stare in vaccines I’d assume. I know some need rabies shots and to wear the tags. I don’t know if those rules count for visiting animals
 

Muivin

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Thank you very much for the feedback. Yes I messaged @Maddie directly too, because I had seen that she traveled with her Sphynx in another forum posting. Which, thank you very much for replying to me. :happy:

That would be my other concern. I would try to leave toys that she can play with, and of course would shower her with as much affection as I could once I got off work. I would also consider getting her the claw caps, to help protect the hotel furniture. But I've heard mixed opinions on those and not sure if they're good for the sphynx breed as they require their nails to be cleaned.

I read that you have to have the animal checked within 10 days before the flight, so thats why I mentioned the vet checks.

Thank you for the name compliment as well :cat:
 

admin

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Hello @Muivin and welcome to Sphynxlair! So glad you found us! Thats a tough question, would the cat be able to be carried on and with you the entire flight? If so, I would be more favorable about the situation. The other worry is being safe and secure in the hotel rooms. Lots of opportunities for escape (housekeeping?) Keep us posted on what decision you finally make, id be curios. please enjoy the community! :)
 

Catzzzmeow

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Welcome. You would also need to check out how the airlines work. I believe some have regulations about how many pets total can be on any flight which might make it challenging for you to book flights consistently/easily. I too would fear safety with hotels. Carrying litter and food etc would be something else to think about with so much traveling it’s a lot to consider. As well as not having access to your vet when you are away.
 

SphynxNinel

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I would suggest getting a pair.... Sphynxs don't want to be alone and require a companion. The breeder where I got my sphynx from woudn't give her to me before she knew 100% sure that there was another cat at home to play with.
 

Muivin

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Thank you to everyone who replied!

@admin, @Catzzzmeow, @SphynxNinel,

I would only fly with her if I was allowed to carry her on. So far the airlines I've looked into allow you to carry on an animal (for a fee) as long as they're in a carrier which can fit under the seat, is ventilated on both sides and is large enough for them to turn around in. I know that I have to call ahead and tell the airline that I would be bringing a carry-on pet, hopefully, this would negate having too many animals on the flight as mine would already be prepared for. However, if at the time they deny me or tell me she can't be carried on, I can easily switch flights. My company typically has a full 'travel day' and if you miss a flight on occasion they don't really care.

As far as hotels go, when they are animal and specifically cat-friendly, you let them know that you are bringing an animal. Most of them will not clean the room when the animal or you are in it, as well as when the Do Not Disturb sign is on. So, for example, they ask that you take your pet for a walk while they clean the room. Otherwise, the only way they'll clean the room with an animal is if it is locked up in a different part of the room, like the bathroom or the bedroom if your hotel room is a partitioned suite. Some hotels will provide you with a litter box and litter, but I'm assuming most don't and I'm fine with that. I routinely fly with a GIANT (as in 70+lb) pelican case full of tools. I can put cat litter in this box for the first night or two and buy more once I'm at my destination. Food and toys can also be packed in this case, or with my other checked bag full of clothes.

As for getting a pair, I would prefer not to have two cats at this time, perhaps in the future as I'm expecting these babies to be like potato chips (Can't Have Just One). Traveling with the cat would be a short-term solution. After a lot of reflection, I've decided that I don't want to stay at my job. Once I hit my year mark I will begin to look for another job. If she doesn't take to travel, then I will allow her to stay at home as much as it would sadden me. I would hire a caretaker to feed, play with, and clean out the litter box twice a day. I also have a roommate so she wouldn't be completely alone, though he's made it clear he doesn't want to take care of my pets. Which I 100% agree with as it's not his responsibility. I would also see if it's possible for me to travel less, but my position is designed to travel to customer sites constantly. We aren't making the business money unless we're at a customer site. Most people have said that it would be a better idea to take her with me though. I know perhaps this sounds selfish that I'm wanting a cat now instead of waiting until I find another job, but I have mental and emotional reasons as to why I'd like an animal now, without getting too deeply into my health.

I spoke to the breeder and asked her if she thought this kitten had the correct personality and temperament to travel with me often. She said, "These kittens are extremely intelligent and social. Because of this they are able to acclimate to almost any situation. I believe she will be able to travel without any issues especially if you introduce her to this environment as a young kitten. I have several clients that travel with their pets on a regular basis. I have one client that travels to Europe on a biweekly basis and he takes his two Bambinos with him."

So, to wrap up. Yes, I have decided to get this kitten after much research and many many questions to her breeder. I am excited, but also very anxious. I DO NOT want her to be unhappy traveling with me, her happiness is my first priority. If she ends up being unhappy, I honestly most likely will quit my job early and find a job that doesn't require me to travel, even though that is very much unideal for my life plans. I will make a new introduction post when I get my fur(less) baby.
 

Yoda mom

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@Muivin Ah! Sooo excited for you ! I think you will be amazed of how adventurous they are :) we have several traveling Sphynx kitty members
Kudos to you for your research :)

Can't wait for updates pics and tales!

Some kitty mums travel by car and like the sleepy Pod carrier . Not sure if it is airline approved.
I am sure you can post a thread for carrier recommendations for onboard cabin flights

I would ask the breeder if he/she microchips the kitties?
 

Muivin

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@Yoda mom,

Thank you. ^_^ I am still very nervous just because I don't want her to be unhappy. But! I am also extremely excited and can't stop thinking about all of the cuddles and places we can explore.

I have looked into carriers and I found one that is Airline approved but also expands which I think is ideal if I travel by car or if I need to leave her in the carrier for a short period of time.

I wasn't aware that breeders microchipped, I will ask! I definitely planned on immediately taking her to the vet to get looked over, cleared to fly, and microchipped.
 

Yoda mom

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@Muivin So excited for you ! You got this !

Name ideas for your sweetie ? Pics?
Be sure to actually call the microchip company and pay the registration separately -
Some vets microchip but it's a separate fee to actually register
I really like the HomeAgain microchip
You can manage your acoount on,ine and add pics! They have an email alert system too .

Please share with us the carrier you found - will be helpful to other traveling Sphynx mums n dads :)
look forward to your journey and tales with your baby !
 

Maddie

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@Muivin i only have Astrid and she’s alone all day when I go to school. She is totally fine. I go from 3-10 hours a day and she just sleeps and plays. When I’m home we just play for a bit and then she snuggles while I study. I don’t see why having one would be an issue :)

The vet checking also depends on the airline I suppose. WestJet doesn’t need that.
 

Maddie

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Also, o believe this is the carrier I have:

They have a guarantee that if you fill out the form (before every flight and have it on hand) and are denied your flight because of the carrier, they pay your ticket. I’ve never had an issue. You can buy new bottom liners too which is nice. It has wood supports in it so it doesn’t fully collapse in itself either which is nice.
 

Muivin

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@Yoda mom , Thanks for the chip tips! And the sweet words. ^_^

@Maddie , thanks again for the information. It's good to hear a rough timeframe of how long you're gone from home. I can't see the carrier you linked. Dunno if that is just me.

I'm thinking about going with the name Sushi haha

I was talking to a friend of mine about potential names and jokingly typed in 'pink' in the thesaurus. Salmon came up, so we joked about calling her Salmon because my sister has a cat named Maus (German for Mouse). Then I said I might as well name her Sushi because I love sushi. Sushi is cuter than Salmon so it's just kind of stuck at this point...she's my naked fish! haha

I asked the breeder to send me updated pictures, she even sent me a cute video!

received_1873147132752722 (1).jpeg
received_1118285661658886.jpeg
received_2123106531244091.jpeg
 

Toa and Ross

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@Muivin congratulations! So excited for you. What a beautiful girl she is. Sushi and Salmon are funny and cute names. I can see a sign at the hoteldoor "be aware of my Salmon/Sushi":)
 

Muivin

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@Toa and Ross, thank you! Yes, she's so beautiful, and really already kind of elegant and regal looking. I almost feel bad for wanting to name her something cute and silly like Sushi :p Haha I can see it now, "Beware the Naked Fish!" sign on the door. So many puzzled looks!

@Maddie, thank you! I was thinking about getting a Sherpa too. Because they seem to have the most details on what size carriers are allowed based on the seat dimensions.

I'm very excited, and super nervous. I'll be picking her up on the 28th once I return to Virginia. I'll be making my travel plans shortly after that, so when I call Delta and ask them what dimensions the carrier needs to be, I'll let everyone know if the carrier I picked out is accepted or not. I'm fairly certain it is, but I just want to make sure before I share it with the community.
 

Condo commando

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I think Sushi is stunning! I can tell that you have researched everything and are ready to make a commitment. Happy for you.

I would imagine traveling with a cat is a bit of a hassle in that you have one more thing to carry, but as long as you take Sushi in the cabin with you she should be fine. In the hotel I would be careful with opening doors; these guys can dart though a crack in a flash. I don't think leaving her in the room is such a bad thing because cats sleep like 16 hours a day so she'll probably nap and be a ball of energy when you get back from work.

The only other thing to think about is in case you can't take her on some trip, arrange ahead of time to leave her with your mom or someone who is 100% reliable. It's like having a kid; you have to be prepared for whatever.
 

Muivin

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@Condo commando,

Thank you! ^_^

Yeah, I think it will be a little bit of a hassle. But worth the pay off to have my companion with me wherever I go, for both of us.
I have the ability to leave her with my mom if absolutely necessary, but I also can hire a pet sitter if my mom doesn't agree.
 
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