Need advice

[anniemarie92]

Hello all,

I’ve been shopping for a sphynx for awhile. I’ve never owned before but I’ve researched the breed tremendously. I responded to a classified ad for two sphynx brothers that I went to see today. Both are two years old. I bonded with one of them immediately. I love him! He was everything I imagined a sphynx to be. His brother on the other hand not so much. He was not nearly as friendly and seemed very squeamish when I held him. The price is right but the owner will only sell them as a bonded pair.

My question is this: Do I adopt them only feeling like I truly bonded with one? Maybe a connection will grow with the other shy brother? I know cats can be so shy around new people.

 

[Toa and Ross]

Hi there! What an exciting time for you, searching for a sphynx to love.
The current person being owned by two sphynxes is doing a good thing: making sure the boys will stay together. They probably are best buddies.
It's great to have two buddies at home. I have two brothers too. If you would come to visit my boy Toa would be the one cuddling with you right away. My boy Ross would hide and not want to be picked up. If he knows you though, he's just as loving as his brother.
What does the one who has the sphynxs now about the personalities of both? Does she have a bond with both?

You can only follow your heart and guts. Are you're willing to put time and efford to get to know them both and accept them as they are?

 

[Catzzzmeow]

For me it is always what is best for the cat. If the person wants them to go together there is a reason for it. This breed is very social. Going to a new home is very stressful on them at any age, but especially as adult cats...they will settle in faster having a buddy they already know and love.

 

[Shmeeps]

Go for it! I have two cats but they're not siblings. My girl is very standoffish and aloof. You cuddle on her terms which is only on the couch under a blanket. She cringes and flattens to a pancake if you try to pet her most other times but with absolutely no aggression. I do pick her up daily and give her kisses which she tolerates and if I have a piece of bacon she becomes my best friend in the world. My boy is like a small dog. He follows me everywhere and wants to cuddle all the time. He cries if I leave the room and she couldn't care less. So I snuggle on her terms and play fetch with him and I love it. You have the added extra of them being siblings. I'm sure he'll warm up to you but it may take a while.

 

[Yoda mom]

@anniemarie92 Glad we were able to chat PM about these sweet boys..
my adopted bonded pair are amazing ... having had them in my heart and home for years I can definitely see why the previous mum n dad needed them to stay together .

It is always a pitter patter of the heart to adopt Sphynx , to open our hearts and home to those babies in need . It is a long term commitment .. only you know your schedule , lifestyle , time to commit to care , giving medications , arrangements for care/meds when out of town l etc ..

It’s most definitely needs to be an objective decision with the head for what is best for them because as we all know these sphynx pull at our hearts . Always do right by them .

Not often said , but I also needed to share it’s okay to wait. I waited several years for mine for the time to be right in my life . I used to keep a picture of sphynx on my desk amd say “someday”.
I actually did not adopt the first sphynx that came my way for consideration .

If thinking about it and checking all the boxes fits I would say go for it ((hugs)))

 

[anniemarie92]

Thanks for all the responses. I think I’m going to move forward. Question: after petting one of the cats yesterday for a few minutes, my hands were covered in a brown grease. I know these cats can get oily without bathing, but the lady said she had just given them baths two days prior so that make me think they are REALLY oily. I don’t think this current owner is super knowledgeable about sphinxes and she’s feeding them Costco brand food.

Is this something that can improve with a better diet? Or should I expect that every time I pet my kitties my hands are going to get dirty?

 

[Yoda mom]

Awhhh bless you ..
We will help with food and spa day tips ..
You will see Improvement ...
foods can effect skin greasiness too ... new USA Acana made my crew very greasy amd visibly brown like they didn’t have a bath two days prior .
Lots of throw blankets helps too
I can have white sheets too
Your hands won’t be brown once you get a routine .
(My boy I thought had a brown face in his adoption pic ..nope ... he is silver )

Be sure to set up a vet visit ahead of time so you will have his medication set up to Refill start new prescription thru your vet ( my vet actually will fill my dogs meds thru chewy )

(((Hugs)) following closely for updates of the dynamic duo
Look forward to pics amd tales amd your journey with us

 

[Shmeeps]

Yoda mom is right. Diet and actually over bathing can give YOUR guys the greasies. You'll need to fine tune their needs through trial and error. What works for one may not work for the other but having litter mates helps a little. Keep them on whatever food the other owner is feeding now. If I could only give one piece of advice it would be to seriously think about feeding them raw. I feed freeze dried raw. No raw mess but a little costly. The best thing is the poop is almost non existent in the box! No fillers in raw means no fillers coming out. Just dried up little odorless little litter critters. Plenty of threads to read on that subject in the raw diet forum. Lots to learn but you're in the right place. Let the journey begin

 

[kauna]

I would agree that what is best for them would be to be kept together. It would help with transitioning to your place by having them both who are familiar with each other help one another with the adjustment.

Some sphynxes are more greasy and what works for one wont always work for others. I agree on feeding a good quality diet will help in this regard. I started my girl on raw as a kitten and she stopped eating it. I felt it was better to have a fed cat than try and force the raw food. I feed her N&D by Farmina now the boar and apple variety and she loves it! I was feeding other brands and she would be more greasy on one, get upset tummy on another so far this one works well.

There is a lot of information on these threads so you are in the right place. You are in for a treat with these two! Lots of love and support

 

[anniemarie92]

@Shmeeps I would be open to feeding them raw... do you have any idea how much it costs you per month to feed a raw diet per cat? Also, the owner told me that she just feeds the dry Costco brand. Is it ok to just feed dry food to sphynx’s or should they be getting dry + canned if you are feeding them a traditional non-raw diet.

Also, one of the kitties I’m planning to adopt has HCM and needs meds daily. The current owner told me she just refilled his meds. For those owners with kitties with HCM that need meds, how willing are you vets to prescribe refills without an appointment? Obviously I’m planning to bring these cats in for yearly wellness exams but imagine it could get very costly if vets mandate appointments every 2 to 3 months just to get a prescription refill. (I say this as a person with pretty significant ADHD, I have to go to the doctor every 2 months to get a script refill for my adderall, even though nothing has changed and the appointment is merely transactional.) I’d like to avoid trips to the vet every two months with a healthy cat just to get a script refill.

 

[anniemarie92]

I would agree that what is best for them would be to be kept together. It would help with transitioning to your place by having them both who are familiar with each other help one another with the adjustment.

Some sphynxes are more greasy and what works for one wont always work for others. I agree on feeding a good quality diet will help in this regard. I started my girl on raw as a kitten and she stopped eating it. I felt it was better to have a fed cat than try and force the raw food. I feed her N&D by Farmina now the boar and apple variety and she loves it! I was feeding other brands and she would be more greasy on one, get upset tummy on another so far this one works well.

There is a lot of information on these threads so you are in the right place. You are in for a treat with these two! Lots of love and support

I’m looking into that food. Do you feed wet or dry or a combo of both? how much of each if so? any advice is greatly appreciated!

 

[Yoda mom]

@anniemarie92 I free feed dry kibble and use a 3oz can a day
be sure not to switch food too soon ... hopefully owner will give you the bag of their food.
always a slow change to new food
I personally add a few pieces of the new food a day and go super slow over 10-14 days
Especially with bringing home newbies . It’s s great big new world ..

As for meds , my vet did see my newbie and called Im prescription to my choice

( I check good rx chewy , have a Walgreens family card that can be used for pet prescriptions
As well as Sam’s club .. amd samsclub plus gives more of a discounts on pet meds ... but have leaned to shop call and compare so I have the info on hand ) I did this bcz my dog is on expensive meds and prices vary by over $ 200 on some sources .)

You can ask the owner the name of the pill prescription and much the pills cost per month to give a good baseline.


I am glad you are jumping in to ask questions we all learn and grow together .
I learn something new everyday ...

Look forward to updates

 

[Anita Eccleston]

Hello all,

I’ve been shopping for a sphynx for awhile. I’ve never owned before but I’ve researched the breed tremendously. I responded to a classified ad for two sphynx brothers that I went to see today. Both are two years old. I bonded with one of them immediately. I love him! He was everything I imagined a sphynx to be. His brother on the other hand not so much. He was not nearly as friendly and seemed very squeamish when I held him. The price is right but the owner will only sell them as a bonded pair.

My question is this: Do I adopt them only feeling like I truly bonded with one? Maybe a connection will grow with the other shy brother? I know cats can be so shy around new people.

Hello love !
Oh this is a step that you wouldn’t regret ! I think you will have to have patience they don’t fall in love with us instantly , like we do with them ! I feel we have to earn their love feeding them and catering to their every need . That’s how they fall in love with us I feel anyway ..
Go with your heart and your gut feeling !
Then you will know you’ve made the right decision !
Best wish to you and please keep us updated
Xxxx❤️❤️❤️❤️Xxxx

 

[kauna]

I’m looking into that food. Do you feed wet or dry or a combo of both? how much of each if so? any advice is greatly appreciated!

I feed a combination of both wet and dry. She gets 1/2 can am and pm. For the dry I feed her small portions throughout the day. I use the nobowl feeding system. she gets 3 mice during the day and 2 at night. I started this to keep her weight under control.

 

[oolahappi]

@anniemarie92 Hi Anniemarie, I'm giving you this advice before reading the other responses so forgive me if it's already been covered. Definitely get both! Sphynx are such social creatures. They have feelings and probably know something is going on, which may be affecting the one boy's reaction to you. There is always an adjustment period. The most skittish cat can become a love bug if given time - I know this from experience!

 

[anniemarie92]

Thank you all for the info. As of now I’m planning to pick up both boys on Sunday. However I’m starting to feel a bit of anxiety regarding Yoda (the one that I immediately bonded with) and his heart condition. His owner told me that he has HCM and needs Atenolol 25 mg every day. He’s only two years old. I’m not so much worried about the meds as much as falling head over heels in love with this kitty only for him to die of heart failure in a couple years. What do you all think? Should I take the leap/chance with Yoda (heart condition lover boy) and Luke (beautiful cat but a bit standoffish) or wait it out to find a sphynx without the baggage? I’m leaning towards taking the leap but I really don’t want to be heart broken if I fall in love and lose him early. Thanks in advance!

 

[oolahappi]

@anniemarie92 You'll just have to follow your heart on this one. There are no guarantees in life.

 

[Yoda mom]

@anniemarie92 Kitties like people in our lives are on medication for various conditions ...
the time spent together we wouldn’t miss for anything in the world ..

(My bonded pairs personalities really came out once settled in ..
So I wouldn’t worry too much about Luke’s shyness at first ... lol I told you about my Batman and Yoda ittermates I adopted )

A kitty not on medication is no guarantee of longevity ...

On a positive side , Yoda was tested and has a treatment plan of medication .
I ask myself how many babies out there have undetected heart related issues and no meds to help .

if I had my girl ( who was not on meds ) for only one day ..... I knew it was the best day filled with love ...
they only know our love ... each day is a gift.
For me , part of sphynx life is knowing that HCM unfortunately is harsh reality seen in the breed.

All the best wishes for Yoda and Luke
((Hugs))) to you
We support you in what you decide is best for them and you

 

[Toa and Ross]

@anniemarie92 Follow your heart...you fell in love with Yoda right away. I think that's what counts. Maybe Yoda is with you for only a few years, maybe for 10 years. We can never know. But what we do know is the love we feel for our sphynxs is everlasting. And I'm sure you'll bond with Luke too over time.

I had a sphynx girl Foxy for only 5 months. I loved her with all my heart and when she died it broke my heart. I was devastated. And my heart is still broken. But still I'm happy I had her in my life for a while.

Better a broken heart then a heart that knows no love!

 

[Uksphynxmum]

I agree there are no guarantees. My boy was diagnosed with a heart murmur at 6 months. He lived 12 years until when hcm finally got him. As previous posts said he has been diagnosed and has treatment plan. You could buy a kitten and issues suddenly develop.
X

 

[Beckinboots]

@anniemarie92 Our cat, Ninja (not a sphynx), was diagnosed with a heart murmur and holes in his heart when he was a couple of months old. We said our final goodbye to him on Tuesday. He was 17 years old; we never thought he'd make it to 5.

Follow your heart. These little cats are resilient and constantly surprise us. Nothing in life is guaranteed and to paraphrase the great bard, 'tis better to have loved and lost than not given a needy kitty (or two) a loving home and regret it forever more

 

[Anita Eccleston]

I feed a combination of both wet and dry. She gets 1/2 can am and pm. For the dry I feed her small portions throughout the day. I use the nobowl feeding system. she gets 3 mice during the day and 2 at night. I started this to keep her weight under control.

Hello there !
Please please don’t think me rude or ignorant ! Do you actually feed them real mice ?
I swear before god I would have a heart attack if I even heard the sound of them !
This is basically one reason I’ve only ever had in door kitties . I’d be too afraid of them bringing things home !
I actually have a friend who lives near a massive lake and her domestic cat brings all kinds of things home to her as gifts ! I would die ! Her cat once took her a massive toad and it was alive it took her ages to get it from her ..
sorry I’ve prattled on once again lol
But serious real mice ? ( I’ve just shuddered again )
Xxx❤️❤️❤️❤️Xxx

 

[Yoda mom]

@anniemarie92 ((hugs))) please keep us updated with your decision

 

[alandsim]

Hello there !
Please please don’t think me rude or ignorant ! Do you actually feed them real mice ?
I swear before god I would have a heart attack if I even heard the sound of them !
This is basically one reason I’ve only ever had in door kitties . I’d be too afraid of them bringing things home !
I actually have a friend who lives near a massive lake and her domestic cat brings all kinds of things home to her as gifts ! I would die ! Her cat once took her a massive toad and it was alive it took her ages to get it from her ..
sorry I’ve prattled on once again lol
But serious real mice ? ( I’ve just shuddered again )
Xxx❤❤❤❤Xxx

I thought the same thing but after some googling it sounds more like they're mice-shaped dispensers!



By the way @kauna , I would love to hear more about this feeding system and how it's working for you if you want to make a post about it!

 

[kauna]

Hello there !
Please please don’t think me rude or ignorant ! Do you actually feed them real mice ?
I swear before god I would have a heart attack if I even heard the sound of them !
This is basically one reason I’ve only ever had in door kitties . I’d be too afraid of them bringing things home !
I actually have a friend who lives near a massive lake and her domestic cat brings all kinds of things home to her as gifts ! I would die ! Her cat once took her a massive toad and it was alive it took her ages to get it from her ..
sorry I’ve prattled on once again lol
But serious real mice ? ( I’ve just shuddered again )
Xxx❤❤❤❤Xxx

hahaha! No, no real mice here. I thought I included a link to them. My apologies for the confusion.

They are little plastic containers with mice shape soft exteriors that you can feed dry food in. The containers can be washed in the dishwasher and the exterior mice can be washed in the washing machine. The idea is to have the cat "hunt" for their food. They can be placed in different areas and the cat has to find them. I have to keep them in one room that the dogs cannot get to. Once they get them they have to bat or pick up the mouse just like catching a real mouse (I would assume) to get any of the dry kibble out. It keeps them from overeating and can help with weight. They recommend 5 of their feeding spoons daily since I also give wet food I usually give Aggie them in the am and pm. It has definitely helped with her eating too fast and vomiting.