New Kitty- so many questions....

[Ollie]

Hi,
I'm new to the forum, and new to owning a sphynx...I have a few questions but first want to start with our most pressing issue. We have had our bundle of joy for 4 weeks now. He is 15 weeks old. We have had to follow him around after every time he poops in the litter box to wipe him. He drags his tail, or doesn't lift his tail and ends up being a naked poop covered bandit crawling back into our sheets at 2 am. Needless to say, although we find him quite endearing, this changing sheets EVERY night is exhausting. When we first changed his food, he got the runs and I understood why he had poop down his leg, on his tail but now he appears to be adjusting to the food and while improved any poop on my sheets is too much :-(
I have added a tiny bit of pumpkin to his food, have changed to a better quality and yet his poops are not as solid as cats I have owned in the past- is this normal?
Thank- you to all those who reply

 

[andreanar]

As you read thru the posts here, you will find that solid poops are the thing we all strive for! Most of us have trouble at one time or another, or forever. Your kit is just a baby and its usual that they have poo feet for awhile. It usually gets better as they grow. In my opinion, sphynx seem to have sensitive digestion. They are sensitive to food changes. Can you keep your bedroom door shut to protect your bed? No one likes to sleep with poop! Ugh. Congrats on your new baby!!

 

[assibassi]

Congratulations on your Baby!
I think we all had to deal with Poo foot/ tail. I knew exactly "when" mine were going, i was waiting outside the Box with a Wet wipe! My Husband started calling me the Poop-patrol. Run Hairy runnnnn he said . He came with solid poo and i kept the Breeders food, but he seemed to be nervouse a bit and it just went to mush. My older Cat started getting soft poo as well. I switched food and it was better for the lil man, but my big Man had then big issues with the food, his never went normal again . I switched to Raw a few months down the road , when the lil man was old enough to do so and it solved all our troubles.

 

[Ollie]

Thanks Andreanar, I've been reading about sphynx's sensitive tummies so we are switching him to a grain free food. I know he has had a few adjustments, new home, thanksgiving ( Canada festivities with lots of new people about for the weekend, and probably a few too many food changes in too short of a time. He sleeps with us, I thought I read that if you aren't prepared to sleep with a sphynx then don't get one?? So I feel mean to lock him out if my room. We tried one desparate night but he cried loudly from the laundry room so no one was going to sleep that night. If I can only train him to lift that darn tail ( and to not poop in the middle of the night!). Thank goodness he's cute :-o

 

[Ollie]

Assibassi,
Do you make your own raw food or purchase it? Not too sure I can go for that idea....I have read about it but...somethings about it disturb me.
I'm hoping the grain free, high protein, organic pumpkin additive and him settling in are going to help soon, oh please soon . Full night sleep is a distant memory....

 

[Ollie]

Added to this- the poor characters tail is sore from constant wiping ( he poops 4-5 times a day!) so he sees us coming after the litter box with wipes and moans.... I have no memory of how many times our other cats pooped because it was not an issue.... But how many times is normal?

 

[muddpuddles01]

Nasty poos and the "attack of the dreaded poop foot" seem to come with the territory. They make up for it in cuteness!

 

[Embracing-Joyx4]

Just keep the pumpkin on hand it really does help also you can buy kibble for hairball formula it has a way of firming up poop as well. Dont switch his kibble just and a bit of the hairball formula also.

Xtina

 

[admin]

Hi,
I'm new to the forum, and new to owning a sphynx...I have a few questions but first want to start with our most pressing issue. We have had our bundle of joy for 4 weeks now. He is 15 weeks old. We have had to follow him around after every time he poops in the litter box to wipe him. He drags his tail, or doesn't lift his tail and ends up being a naked poop covered bandit crawling back into our sheets at 2 am. Needless to say, although we find him quite endearing, this changing sheets EVERY night is exhausting. When we first changed his food, he got the runs and I understood why he had poop down his leg, on his tail but now he appears to be adjusting to the food and while improved any poop on my sheets is too much :-(
I have added a tiny bit of pumpkin to his food, have changed to a better quality and yet his poops are not as solid as cats I have owned in the past- is this normal?
Thank- you to all those who reply

Sorry to hear of your issue. Have you had him to the vet for testing of a possible bug of sorts? Sphynx kittens can come home with many things. See this article for one that is very common amongst new kittens - http://www.sphynxlair.com/community/threads/sphynx-cat-with-diarrhea-giardia.3610/

 

[MollysMom]

If his tail is getting sore, try just wiping with warm water on a paper towel or kleenex... can also just use a warm cloth and wash them after. Sometimes the ingredients in baby wipes can be irritating if they are getting used frequently.

 

[Ickushouse]

I knew exactly "when" mine were going, i was waiting outside the Box with a Wet wipe!

Even with good poops, Eudo would always manage to step in or drag his tail through as he turned around to check it out. I too, was waiting at the box and whisked him up to wipe! (Maybe the reason why he now tears out of the box like a wild animal after pooping.) He is now 6 months+ and we haven't suffered poo foot or tail for several weeks. It should get better. Yes, in bed, late, when you're trying to get to sleep for work, is the worse.

Hope the poops get better soon!

P.S. Sorry to laugh at your expense, but your post was very funny : "bundle of joy/naked poop bandit"

 

[Hairless Blessing]

Welcome to sphynxlair, good to have you. I know, there was a member on here before, she started, giving her baby
food for hairballs, it took care of the problem.
When you switch food are you doing it slowly? If not, and feeding table food, will cause problems too.
I hope, you find, just what it takes for your baby.

 

[Ollie]

Sorry to hear of your issue. Have you hadd hime to the vet for testing of a possible bug of sorts? Sphynx kittens can come home with many things. See this article for one that is very common amongst new kittens - http://www.sphynxlair.com/community/threads/sphynx-cat-with-diarrhea-giardia.3610/

Thanks. We are him back to the vet for his 3rd round of shots next week so I will ask about giardia, he did have a stool sample looked at the first visit, not sure if they tested for giardia though. He seems to improve then get a bout of the runs again out of the blue. I continue to try to change his food and will ease back on how fast I do this.

 

[Ollie]

Even with good poops, Eudo would always manage to step in or drag his tail through as he turned around to check it out. I too, was waiting at the box and whisked him up to wipe! (Maybe the reason why he now tears out of the box like a wild animal after pooping.) He is now 6 months+ and we haven't suffered poo foot or tail for several weeks. It should get better. Yes, in bed, late, when you're trying to get to sleep for work, is the worse.

Hope the poops get better soon!

P.S. Sorry to laugh at your expense, but your post was very funny : "bundle of joy/naked poop bandit"

Thanks! I'm really just wanting to do what is best for our new kitten...and don't want his tummy so upset. Oh okay I'm admitting to sleep deprivation too...I am trying to see the bright side but hope for an end to the poo flinging soon.

 

[Ollie]

Welcome to sphynxlair, good to have you. I know, there was a member on here before, she started, giving her baby
food for hairballs, it took care of the problem.
When you switch food are you doing it slowly? If not, and feeding table food, will cause problems too.
I hope, you find, just what it takes for your baby.

No! No table food even though he is a major begger. I too hope to find the right blend for our Oliver...I'm trying a high protein, no grain food right now, with a bit of pumpkin mixed in. I think I need to slow down how fast I do the switch. I'm afraid to add anything new but will remember the hairball idea for a later time. Thanks!

 

[Ollie]

If his tail is getting sore, try just wiping with warm water on a paper towel or kleenex... can also just use a warm cloth and wash them after. Sometimes the ingredients in baby wipes can be irritating if they are getting used frequently.

Thanks! I bought face cloths just for him too. And coconut oil .... I hope it helps. His tail has taken too much abuse lately...poor guy.

 

[pussiette]

Same problem here from the first day we got her poo everywhere then skin problems turns out food allergy.