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Questions about my baby Berry (Nefertari--Berry, AKA Huckleberry)

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I still have some time to go before my Neffie-Berry comes home, but I'd like to be as prepared as possible. I have some questions!

It's been about 15 years since I've had a cat (severely allergic to cat hair ) so I'm quite a bit out of practice!

I know that Shannon will be starting the litter box training before Neffie comes home, and I plan on using the same litter she has and a small, shallow box to start with. My question is, is it likely that Neffie will be pretty well box trained by time she comes home? I expect some accidents (just like a new puppy!) but is there an average for Sphynx kitties? They seem like very intelligent cats!

I plan on keeping Neffie confined to one room if I'm not in direct contact with her (though, realistically, when will i NOT be loving on my sweet little kitty? I work at home! lol) Are Sphynx good at entertaining themselves? What about scratching? Is this a big issue as far as furniture damage is concerned?

We're hoping to be moved into a our bigger, better house by time Neffie comes home, but you know the "new house" jitters! We'd like to keep it looking new and pretty for as long as possible. . . yeah, right, 7 dogs (and puppies occasionally), three kids, weekly homeschool meetings at my house, and a brand new kitty. . . good luck, right? lol

I'm hoping to curb the furniture scratching ASAP, and I'm totally down with getting lots of fun kitty towers and stuff for Neffie to play with. Hell, the Chinese Cresteds will probably play WITH her on these things (They can climb almost like cats!)

Okay, I have more, but that's good for now. Any and all advice is greatly appreciated. I want Neffie to be spoiled rotten, but to be well-behaved, too.

~~~~Buzzing with excitement~~~~
 
J

Jinxlover

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Entertaining themselves:LOL::LOL::LOL: A Sphynx:LOL::Hysterical: NOPE.. They are people cats and most will not like to be without there people for to long..Sorry..lol:LOL:

Keep her claws clipped and get her a post and you should be fine. Boo does try on the couch every once in a while I just clap and scat her and she stops.I have a throw rug she like to scratch now and then. I let her b/c it is better than the couch.
 

EmbraceMonChat

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I think you're gonna be just fine on the litterbox. When my non Sphynx kittens first came home, I forgot to SHOW them where the box was and had an immediate accident. (Hey, it was a long flight!) I put her in the box, then her sister and they were like, "Oh yeah, we had one of these at our old house." No problem since. Just remember to SHOW her the box. I was also quarantining my kittens for a few weeks to be on the safe side, so they had a limited realm in which to seek the box.

You are going to have so much FUN with your Berrie!
 

gizmo6370

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When she arrives at your house....she should be litterbox trained...show her where the box is...and she will do great...
Sphynxcats like their humans very much...so i think she wants to be around you most of the time...but you also have dogs where she can play with and cuddle up with...so i think she's gonna be just fine with that :Smile:
My cats never scrats the furniture....i have 4 scratingposts ( 3 smaller and a big one )and 5 cats....
 
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Being alone won't really be much of an issue. Like I said, I work at home and my kids are homeschooled. Occasionally I'll need to leave everyone though and run errands or something. If she needs company while I'm gone, I'll bring one of our smaller dogs into her safe area. . . they can snack on cat litter together! lol

It's really good to know that they're so social. We can work with that. Chinese Cresteds are super, SUPER social as well. We can't leave them alone. Even when they need to be isolated, we always choose a buddy to go into isolation with them. They get so broken-hearted if they have to be alone even for a minute! Sounds like Sphynx and Cresties are twins!
 

susi794

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Keeping her confined to one room--you mean all the time or only while you're gone? Or are you talking about the initial quarantine? If you don't have any other cats, the quarantine won't be necessary. Sphynx cats are highly social and need their people. She won't like being confined at all. If you give her some scratching places and toys and keep interacting and playing with her, she will be much less likely to scratch your furniture.
 
J

Jinxlover

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I think she means only when she not home and the first few days she home just to keep her safe.:ThumbsUp:

Before Boo had her babies I would lock her in the bathroom at night. She hated it. You would see this little foot sticking out from under the door. I would sit there and hold her "hand" that she had stuck under the door:BigSmile: They really are "people cats" but she will be okay locked up for the first few days(tell she gets use to stuff) or while your at the walmart:ThumbsUp:
 

Gadzukz

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Walmart has these cardboard scratchers for cats, when they get all shredded you can get a refill for it, my cats love these and it has saved my furniture. The sphynx claws seem much sharper and longer than the fur cats, I have to trim them weekly. The cardboard things also come with some catnip to sprinkle on them which is awesome to my kitties!
I also have a crestie, who wants nothing to do with any cat, even a nekkie one, lol.

Congrats on your berry!
 

ckutkuhn7

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Walmart has these cardboard scratchers for cats, when they get all shredded you can get a refill for it, my cats love these and it has saved my furniture. The sphynx claws seem much sharper and longer than the fur cats, I have to trim them weekly. The cardboard things also come with some catnip to sprinkle on them which is awesome to my kitties!
I also have a crestie, who wants nothing to do with any cat, even a nekkie one, lol.

Congrats on your berry!

I bought one of these for Snuffie and she will have nothing to do with it. I think it confuses her. LOL
 
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Oh, goodness! We're animal people, we'd never leave an animal locked up and away from us! No, I was talking about when she won't be WITH us (as in, we're not home and can't bring her with us.)

When I need to clean the dog area we sometimes use harsh chemicals and we'll bring the dogs to the other end of the house and well away from fumes and such. Neffie would be kept away, too, so she'd either need to get along with her naked doggie friends really well (and she'd have a high up place to escape if she wants to torment them from above, lol) or she'd need to be confined to a private room during that heavy cleaning time. Otherwise she'll be out with us (hopefully in my lap or on my shoulder or trying to trip me as I walk down the hall.)

Any alone or away-from-people time would be MINIMAL and super short and only for safety reasons. I'm getting a Sphynx because I want a lap buddy and constant companion, not a unique conversation piece. We're already preparing our home for my Neffie-Berry and getting schedules redone to fit the needs of a kitten.
 

susi794

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Oh, goodness! We're animal people, we'd never leave an animal locked up and away from us! No, I was talking about when she won't be WITH us (as in, we're not home and can't bring her with us.)

When I need to clean the dog area we sometimes use harsh chemicals and we'll bring the dogs to the other end of the house and well away from fumes and such. Neffie would be kept away, too, so she'd either need to get along with her naked doggie friends really well (and she'd have a high up place to escape if she wants to torment them from above, lol) or she'd need to be confined to a private room during that heavy cleaning time. Otherwise she'll be out with us (hopefully in my lap or on my shoulder or trying to trip me as I walk down the hall.)

Any alone or away-from-people time would be MINIMAL and super short and only for safety reasons. I'm getting a Sphynx because I want a lap buddy and constant companion, not a unique conversation piece. We're already preparing our home for my Neffie-Berry and getting schedules redone to fit the needs of a kitten.

Thanks...I was feeling nervous about the being confined thing....guess I'm a little protective of the berries....LOL...and they aren't even mine.
 

ilovemysphynx

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Welcome AlmostNakedPups glad to hear you are getting one of the Berries to love:ThumbsUp:
You will have a lap buddy for a long time:Wink:
I have never had a litter box problem, seems like once they are trained all you have to do is show them where the box is.
Best of luck! and remember we are always here!

Love the dogs:Wink:
 

susi794

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Awwww...thanks! I love them like they are. It seems like they are a real part of my life....and that we all have had a part--no matter how small--in their little lives up til now....I will be sad to have the connection broken when they go to their forever homes--just like I do when my own babies leave for their forever homes. So, I need to enjoy them while we still have them....in the Lair that is....what a lovely place to grow up!
 

ilovemysphynx

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I think the berries have the largest family ever, they are just special how they are so lucky to end up with Shannon and the great job she did! All the info and support from all of you was just great:Wink:
So to anyone giving a berrie a forever home we demand updates!:Smile:
 

holly_savage

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I think the berries have the largest family ever, they are just special how they are so lucky to end up with Shannon and the great job she did! All the info and support from all of you was just great:Wink:
So to anyone giving a berrie a forever home we demand updates!:Smile:

I agree...Shannon, you should put that in their contracts...lol..they must join the Lair and post pics for us all to see!
 

susi794

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Sounds like a definite MUST to me. LOL...and the poor folks that are getting a berry only thought they had to answer to you....LOL...ilovemysphynx is soooooo right. The Berries have the biggest family ever! It takes a village ya know!
 
J

Jinxlover

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I agree...Shannon, you should put that in their contracts...lol..they must join the Lair and post pics for us all to see!


You guy's are all GREAT!!!

Two of the people don't even have computers!!!!!! But I will keep you guys updated.
I feel bad for the ones that do..Most only have to deal with one breeder, not a whole forum..lol.:LOL:
 

sphynxluvr

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Congratulations on Being a new Berry owner!!:LOL: I agree with everyone else, they need to be with their humans. My girls in 2004 each received their first sphynx baby and they immediately attached themselves to the girls. Stimpy picked my older daughter Kendall and Ren picked my younger daughter Kasey. So if you have kids at home, they will want to be with them. Specially when they are sick or feeling down.:Sick: I always say, "THE HEALING POWER OF A WARM SPHYNX WILL MAKE YOU FEEL BETTER!!" And it WORKS!!! :ThumbsUp:
I used positive reinforcement with my boys. If they scratched a place that didnt please me I quickly directed them to an appropriate place, aka Scratching post. When they scratch on their post I praise them and tell them how absolutely wonderful and handsome they are and I never had a problem. Everyone in the house needs to be on the same page with praising!
As long as the litter box is kept clean my boys never had accidents. I have their litter box on a large air conditioner or washing machine pan (my husbands brilliant idea) It catches all the litter that comes off their feet and if they do have an accident it's contained in the pan. Easy clean up!!
Best of luck to you, have fun with your new Berry and keep us Posted!!! Please!! Lots of pics too!!!:LOL:
 
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