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Taylor2tone

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Hello,
I am new to this site and also to owning a Sphynx!
I will be getting my little man on Thursday and was wondering if you guys had some general tips for owning a Sphynx! I could use all the help and support I can get!

I recently just got back from the pet store and purchased some beginning supplies.
I bought Blue Buffalo kitten food and was wondering if any of you have tried this and how you cats did with it?!? Any other suggestions for food, litter, things like that!
Thanks,
Taylor(y)
 

Catzzzmeow

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@Taylor2tone Welcome. I recommend starting with the same food and litter as breeder is currently using and slowly change over to what you hope to use. Also try to use same style litter box as breeder is already using.

Patti
 

Taylor2tone

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Thank you the Breeder said she was using Royal Canin and also Iams. Whats the best way to slowly change over?
Would you recommend Blue Buffalo or should I return it and purchase some other brand?
 

Hairless Blessing

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Welcome to sphynxlair, good to have you.
Royal Canin, is a good food. I'm not familiar with Iams.
But if you want to switch food here is how.
First week 1/4 New food and 3/4 old food
Second week 1/2 New food and 1/2 old food
Third week 3/4 New food and 1/4 old food
Fourth week completely change.

The best shampoo is HyLyt and use exfoliating gloves.
Wash face and body down daily with warm cloth.
Try to bathe once a week. You might be able to go two weeks.
Each sphynx is different.

You will need to get lysine to give daily, it great for their immune system.
Have plenty of throws around for your baby to be able to get under
and stay warm.
Get into the bed also. They want to sleep with you.
Feed wet 3 times daily and leave dry out at all times.
They need more food to stay warm, their metabolism is so high.
Here is the links for the shampoo and lysine, it has to be pure.

For Lysine
Lysine Powder - 500 Grams

For shampoo
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?pcatid=27287

Share pics of gotcha day. Let us know how the day goes.
 

Toa and Ross

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Hello @Taylor2tone and welcome to sphynxlair! Royal Canin is a good food. Most sphynx do well on it. I don't know about the Blue Buffalo, we don't have it here at my place.

@Hairless Blessing did give you great advice for changing food.
We don't have the Hylyt shampoo here so I use normal pet shampoo. Before washing my boys I rub some (warmed up) coconut oil on their skin to get the first dirt of. Then I wash them with the shampoo and rinse very well.
My boys hate bathing so I'm always prepared and make it quick.

I have a lot of blankets in my house were they can crawl in and under.

But most of all you need to be prepared to get a lot of love and cuddles from your boy:)!

Do you already know what the name of your little man will be?
Enjoy your gotcha day. Hope to see some pics!
 

KitKat26

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Thank you the Breeder said she was using Royal Canin and also Iams. Whats the best way to slowly change over?
Would you recommend Blue Buffalo or should I return it and purchase some other brand?

Hi there, I've read a lot of posts on the Lair about people having issues with blue buffalo giving their sphynx runny stinky poo so I'm staying away from it. My breeder uses royal canin kitten so that is what I'm putting my girl on unless she develops a problem with it.

I would recommend ear cleaner epi optic or zymox seems to be popular here. You may also stock up on canned pumpkin in case your sphynx has runny poo, it's suppose to help firm up their stool.
 

Yoda mom

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@Taylor2tone , Welcome to the lair family! Glad to have you join us! Gotcha day is a few days away! So excite for you! We of course want to know your little mans name and see lots of pics and stories here

Jump right in and enjoy the forums and ask away Any questions!
Great advice given by Hairless blessing- she got me Hooked on hylyt shampoo , exfoliating gloves and baby wash cloth, powder l-lysine I mix in wet food- many vets office carry hylyt shampoo
I get those plush 50x6o throw blankets at Ross and Marshalls . I keep so,e blankets on the bed and sofa- I find they love to heat seek on your lap or against me with these blankets

I would keep the same food and litter that he has with the breeder and do a slow transition/mix if you need to change - lots of us like Dr Elseys clumping unscented litter- virtually dust free
- I get most of my stuff with free shipping over$49 at chewy.com-
Dr. Elsey's Precious Cat Ultra Clumping Cat Litter, 40-lb bag
with awesome customer service and stuff arrives in 2-3 days. Lots of online retailers to choose from.
I use epi optic and precision a tips and small cosmetic round pads to clean ears

I strongly recommend double and triple kitty proofing everywhere! Cord blinds, hair bands, bread ties, and any fragile objects secure or moved :) these guys get into and eat all kinds of stuff!

Always watch your feet :) they are constantly underfoot :)
And watch opening doors- they are super fast escapees!
I personally microchip and do not use collars or leave clothes on my kitties
To prevent snagging or getting stuck on mouth (my moms cat did) if I am not home supervising.


Be sure to take lots of gotcha day pics and make sure you leave with all paperwork and vaccination records/ contract-
If you have a contract that has a wellness check within 72 hours ** do not skip it! It's good to establish a repoire with your vet and get a good checkup on your new little man
 

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lealea

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Welcome to the site, this is the most wonderful, amazing, helpful and supportive online community and you'll always have people quick to help and guide you.

I've not had my little Rosie too long, so I'll just chip in with a few things I've learned along the way.

Definitely kitten proof! I already have 3 cats, but a little naked in the house gets up to more mischief than you can imagine. She's a good girl overall and doesn't set out to cause problems, but if you like it, stick it down or hide it as Rosie very quickly learnt that if she's bats things with her feet she can knock them on to the floor, that's anything, pens, reading glasses, keys, papers, books, you name, if it's light enough to be pushed on to the floor, she will give it her best go.

Bathing is a breeze fortunately, but it's not always perfect for everyone, so be prepared to have the death stare and a lot of fuss and upset in the beginning. Staying calm and talking firmly but gently has Rosie purring her way through her baths. Holding their chest with one hand and gently washing with the other and bath mats are a bonus to stop little feet from slipping.

All my brands here in Australia are different to yours, so I won't list them, but Rosie strangely prefers crystal cat litter as it's low odour and wicks moisture so she doesn't get her feet in any widdles. We still change weekly to two weekly to keep things nice and fresh though. Crystals might feel uncomfortable for your baby though, so a clumping or pellet or paper one might suit best, just transition slowly so your baby doesn't get confused about where to pee. Also, more than one tray helps. We have 4 cats, two outdoor ones, but still, one per cat stops territory wars and they all have their favourite pee spot. Rosie digs for England every time she uses it- some tend to announce their toilet times, so don't be shocked if you suddenly have a lot of talking at potty time!

I use a "my first shampoo" pet shampoo for Rosie. It's lovely and foamy and gets all the nooks and crannies done in a breeze. I've also got exfoliating gloves and a puff, which she loves as its soft, yet really tough on pinkie dirt!

I think someone mentioned about lots of blankets, so I'll just add, make sure you check any blankets on chairs before you plop down, they are well hidden and you don't want to squish your new baby! And before you panic because you can't find your little one, go around and check hidey holes, towels, laundry, blankets, inside the bed covers, cat beds, cat tree caves and any other little boxes or holes. They have selective hearing and might not always come if they are curled up and comfy when you call! I've had my heart in my mouth plenty of times worrying she's got out, only to find her happily ignoring my cries of panic, tightly curled up in freshly washed clothes or that tiny little lump in the middle of our bed!

For food, I use mainly dry as wet gives her and my bengal the squirts. Many use raw food, which I'd love to try, but I've faced the feline resistance so far, so we're not there yet. It's definitely worth it for health benefits if you want to give it a try and there's an excellent thread by @Xandria somewhere on the site.

They love to get in bed with you, too, so get used to sleeping slightly awkwardly around your new hot water bottle baby! I turn over a lot at night and find I can now just pick Rosie up from one side and plop her on the other each time I turn and she hardly stirs now. just remember, it's the CAT'S bed from now on!

Most of all, enjoy and love your baby like you've never loved before and they will give you everything and more in return. You will never forget the day they come into your life as its changed forever.
 

lealea

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Oh and just one more thing about baths, don't use soap on their faces and careful not to wet the ears as you wash. Having a warmly wet, soap free baby face washer handy, is perfect for eyes, nose and the little face wrinkles, lips and around the ears.
 

lapril

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He's adorable!!! I'm jealous!! I've been PLEADING with my husband to let me get a third sphynx, but he put his foot down:bigtears: The old meanie is a historic enemy of the sphynx state:rage::mad:

Let's see:
Make sure you have a pair of very good high quality nail clippers. My babies need clippings once a week
Ear cleaning solution and cotton balls. Ears get VERY dirty quickly.
Heating pads to place under bedding. $10 at CVS or walgreens. Mine have literally been plugged in, on the highest setting for the past 3 yrs straight and still going strong.
Cute sweaters/clothing for keeping kitty warm. Petsmart has a large collection of doggy clothes that fit my cats. A size small would probably fit a kitten, a medium fits my adult cats.
Kitty toothbrush. Make a habit of brushing their teeth. Cleanings and extractions are very expensive. Starting at $300. Let's just say I've spent $1200 on dental related expenses this year alone.:meh:

Sphynx have absolutely horrific poop odor (unless they're on raw diet but I'll address that later). It's also runny. Worst off, a lot of sphynx don't cover the poops and do goofy things like accidentally step in it or run their tail through it:shifty:. Then, of course, run out the litter box and through the house all while painting your walls and floors the most beautiful shade of poo. It's an absolute nightmare that involves kitty quarantines, baths, laundry loads, and mopping:grumpy: I gave my babies some Weruva wet food as a treat the other day. As I was sitting at my computer later on, I heard farts and noises coming from the litter box:ROFLMAO: and of course poopy feet came out with a look of shame:ROFLMAO:

You can alleviate this by mixing puree pumpkin with the kitty food. This mildly helps firm my cats poops. The only thing that firms their poo up completely and completely eliminates poo odor is a raw diet, which I HIGHLY recommend. I feed commercial raw food. The Primal brand is what I usually get. A 3lb bag of the beef protein runs about $20- the pheasant protein is most expensive at around $40 I think. I spend at most $200/month on food for my two babies. It's a lot of money but if you can afford it, please opt for it. Your baby's tummy will thank you!
 

Yoda mom

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@Taylor2tone ,

I give 1/4 teaspoon powder mixed in wet food-
Som e flow use the capsules and break them open bad mix in wet food

L-Lysine for Sphynx Cats

Only one of mine will eat pumpkin - I warm a teaspoon full in the microwave in a mug for a few seconds - and double check temp with finger- if it's too warm I just add a wee more pumpkin - my silly cat likes to eat pumpkin from a tiny
Stainless condiment cup best - he wears it all over his chin- I give it as a snack to him too
I put about enough for 2 more days in the fridge and freeze the rest-

I do 1/4 teaspoon of l- lysine mixed in a can wet food daily for maintenance
And pumpkin as a treat to the only one that will touch it :)
 
Last edited:

Xandria

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@Taylor2tone ,

I give 1/4 teaspoon powder mixed in wet food-
Som e flow use the capsules and break them open bad mix in wet food

L-Lysine for Sphynx Cats

Only one of mine will eat pumpkin - I warm a teaspoon full in the microwave in a mug for a few seconds - and double check temp with finger- if it's too warm I just add a wee more pumpkin - my silly cat likes to eat pumpkin from a tiny
Stainless condiment cup best - he wears it all over his chin- I give it as a snack to him too
I put about enough for 2 more days in the fridge and freeze the rest-

I do 1/4 teaspoon of l- lysine mixed in a can wet food daily for maintenance
And pumpkin as a treat to the only one that will touch it :)

OMG, there's nothing worse than pumpkin stained kitty gob!!! Max gets it all over his mouth and whisker pads (I think he snorts the pumpkin!).
 

angela1974

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Wow! That is one cool name! He is adorable! I think you only give them the pumpkin if they have the runs. I don't think it is a daily thing. I could be wrong. Enjoy your new addition to your family. It is so hard not to spoil them! They are amazing kittys. I learned so much over the 4 years having Bella and I'm still learning! Good luck! I come to this forum for all my questions and needs.
 

Xandria

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Congratulations. Bartholomew is such a great name. What a precious little baby. You are going to have a fantastic few days, and every day following!
 
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