Welcome to Sphynxlair! Connect with Sphynx owners & enthusiasts around the world!

admin

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#1 Food allergies: It is not uncommon for some sphynx to have food allergies. Many studies have shown that certain ingredients contained in cat food are more likely to cause food allergies than others. The most common offenders are chicken, beef, lamb, seafood, corn, soy, wheat gluten and dairy products. If you take notice, the most common offenders are the most common ingredients in many cat foods on the market.

Primary symptoms of food allergies is itchy or irritated skin that will range anywhere from small pimples, bumps or rashes to larger open wound type soars that ooze. In the sphynx breed, these symptoms are much easier to identify due to the breed having no hair and their skin exposed.


You can get your cat tested to find out the culprit quickly. If you do not want to start with testing first, you can try a limited ingredient food where the primary protein is different than what you are currently feeding. Example we see chicken is often the issue, so try a beef limited ingredient food instead. Limited ingredient foods are just that very few ingredients so less to be allergic to when trying to figure things out. This can take a couple of weeks and yes their tummies can be upset due to the change, but hopefully you see the skin improve/bumps go away…and then the tummy might adjust.
Homemade diets (raw diet) are often used, as the ingredients can be carefully restricted. Regardless of the diet used, it must be the only thing the cat eats for a couple of weeks to see. This means no treats, and no human food absolutely nothing but the special food and water


Contact Dermatitis: Symptoms include red, itchy bumps and inflamed skin where your Sphynx cat had made contact with a chemical or another type of irritant. It can also be caused by rubber or plastic food bowels or dishes. The best way to prevent contact dermatitis is to keep Sphynx away from areas where chemicals are being used and to feed your Sphynx with glass, stainless steel, or lead-free ceramic bowels or dishes.

Feline Acne: Very common in the Sphynx breed where they form comedones (also known as blackheads) on the underside of the chin and edges of the lips. These symptoms may be associated with plastic or rubber food dishes or bowls. Using stainless steel or ceramic bowls is best. It is common in the Sphynx breed because of their oily skin as well. Applying witch hazel using a cotton ball can help. Please see your vet and get their advice on this before hand.

Stud Tail: This is caused by glands near the tail that excrete excessive oils. The result is a greasy, rancid-smelling waxy brown material at the top of the tail near the base. This condition is most often often found in Un-neutered males, but fixed males and females can get it as well. Treatment involves neutering your Sphynx cat, and a daily wash with an antiseborrheic shampoo. Please see your vet and get their advice on treatment.

Sunburn: The Sphynx cats are very prone to sunburn and should be kept out of direct sunlight during peak sunlight hours if possible, usually between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. to reduce the risk of sunburn and minimize the long-term risk of developing skin cancers. The symptoms of too much sun usually consists of blotchy brown spots, redness or patches of red in the torso area or red bumps (heat rash) on the body. You could also put a shirt on them during these hours as well for protection under supervision or look into getting your windows tinted. They sell film you can place on your windows.

Just bear in mind that when it comes to any form of skin condition on your Sphynx cat ask yourself; What has changed recently in my household that could of caused my Sphynx to get a rash or irritated skin?

1. Diet (Food or snacks) 90% of rashes and irritated skin is from food. Chicken or not using a grain free food is usually the culprit.

2. Laundry soap and dryer sheets (Perhaps you washed their favorite blanket or bed)

3. Pet Shampoo

4. Over bathing - yes over bathing can cause skin irritation and rashes - try extending your bath times, some owners only wash monthly.

5. New Medication

6. Water bowl or dish (try to use ceramic, stainless steel or glass bowls, stay away from plastic bowls (plastic causes pimples or black heads)

7. Cleaning chemicals (Just cleaned the tub or sink, even the toilet seat or lid with a cleaner where your Sphynx frequently goes to drink from the drippy tub faucet or just hang out?)

8. Changing kitty litters

9. Sunbathing/ window bathing can cause a red spotty rash and irritation


Always see your vet when in question!
 
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GemmaSimpson

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Hi, just thought I would mention one of my Sphynx cats was getting large pale lumps on his skin after we switched foods, we were going to take him to the vet but changed his food back to test and the lumps went down over night. Now I look back he didn't seem to eat as much food as his brother who was eating it with no skin problems. Hope this may help someone else who is worried.
 

Yoda mom

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@GemmaSimpson welcome to the lair family. Thank you very much for sharing . we all come together from all over the world to help each other. it really does show that even with siblings each kitty can have a different reaction to foods.

curious if you have any pictures of the lumps, before and after?

Love your adorable avatar pic :) are they littermate brothers ? look forward to an introduction post of your sweeties!

hope you are an active member with us!
 

GemmaSimpson

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@GemmaSimpson welcome to the lair family. Thank you very much for sharing . we all come together from all over the world to help each other. it really does show that even with siblings each kitty can have a different reaction to foods.

curious if you have any pictures of the lumps, before and after?

Love your adorable avatar pic :) are they littermate brothers ? look forward to an introduction post of your sweeties!

hope you are an active member with us!
Hi and thanks for welcoming us x pickle and Blue are brothers, blue seems to have no skin problems but pickle has cream skin. No photos but they were different sized skin colour lumps all over him. He is much better now x
 

Yoda mom

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@GemmaSimpson awhhh so neat to be owned by siblings! Pickle and Blue are precious
my littermate boys are extremely bonded.

look forward to pics and tales of your sweeties! in a separate thread introduction for everyone to welcome you and see your sweeties

so glad you joined us!
 

Alexandramses

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Hi, just thought I would mention one of my Sphynx cats was getting large pale lumps on his skin after we switched foods, we were going to take him to the vet but changed his food back to test and the lumps went down over night. Now I look back he didn't seem to eat as much food as his brother who was eating it with no skin problems. Hope this may help someone else who is worried.

Thank you that really helps ! Did the depigmentation on your boy itch? And did it look anything like this? My boy started developing these and in a week it got so bad all over his body.. vets cant explain this and dermatologists say its just pigmentation so i shouldnt worry but it spreads so fast i am worried..
78067B24-FE35-4969-AD60-8F16847C91A0.jpeg
63E85795-E69D-4DE9-B867-8E5536B52BDA.jpeg
 

Catzzzmeow

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I am still thinking your baby is just getting lighter...the darker babies get lighter and the lighter get darker. We saw the most change in our black girl. Will keep looking for updates.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 

Alexandramses

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I am still thinking your baby is just getting lighter...the darker babies get lighter and the lighter get darker. We saw the most change in our black girl. Will keep looking for updates.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
I am really hoping thats the case ! Just so weird that he gets so many spots compared to the other ones i see online, i hope he will be completely light one day haha now he looks like a fungus :0 wouldnt change him for a bit though i love the little asshole:love:
 

GemmaSimpson

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Hi again, just to update my sphynx "pickles" skin, we had him and his brother on Royal canin adult sphynx food but concerned they needed kitten food so put them on canin kitten (both are dry foods), pickle became very lumpy and spotty so we took him to the vets and they gave us antihistamines until we found out what problem was, we put him back on adult sphynx dry food and he improved but still lumpy, then I did a bit of research about fresh food that was 95% meat and started a trial of that last week from a delivery company in the UK for fresh cat meals, his skin now has no lumps and they used to both poop twice a day and now less mess which is a bonus. Blue who is a blue sphynx was only slightly spotty has better skin too hope this helps as I was amazed at the almost instant improvement x
 

Gomez23

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Hi again, just to update my sphynx "pickles" skin, we had him and his brother on Royal canin adult sphynx food but concerned they needed kitten food so put them on canin kitten (both are dry foods), pickle became very lumpy and spotty so we took him to the vets and they gave us antihistamines until we found out what problem was, we put him back on adult sphynx dry food and he improved but still lumpy, then I did a bit of research about fresh food that was 95% meat and started a trial of that last week from a delivery company in the UK for fresh cat meals, his skin now has no lumps and they used to both poop twice a day and now less mess which is a bonus. Blue who is a blue sphynx was only slightly spotty has better skin too hope this helps as I was amazed at the almost instant improvement x
Hello!
Can I ask how long it look for Pickles skin to go down? We have recently started our Sphynx on Lily’s kitchen which is grainy free in the hope that our little one will no longer have these annoying lumps and bumps! If you have any recommendations for food I’td be greatly appreciated! :)
 

Jeffar1995

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Hello I'm very concerned for my baby jeffar, he recently developed 2 dry spots on his skin and I dont know what to do, I'm trying to narrow down what has caused it but I've always tried to keep him on the same diet and routine since I got him. Any suggestions or advice would be awesome.
 

Danniella

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Hi again, just to update my sphynx "pickles" skin, we had him and his brother on Royal canin adult sphynx food but concerned they needed kitten food so put them on canin kitten (both are dry foods), pickle became very lumpy and spotty so we took him to the vets and they gave us antihistamines until we found out what problem was, we put him back on adult sphynx dry food and he improved but still lumpy, then I did a bit of research about fresh food that was 95% meat and started a trial of that last week from a delivery company in the UK for fresh cat meals, his skin now has no lumps and they used to both poop twice a day and now less mess which is a bonus. Blue who is a blue sphynx was only slightly spotty has better skin too hope this helps as I was amazed at the almost instant improvement x
hi could you give me the name of this company? I’m really struggling to find a kitten food, I’ve had constant issues with royal canin.
 

Sphynx Mummy

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Hi again, just to update my sphynx "pickles" skin, we had him and his brother on Royal canin adult sphynx food but concerned they needed kitten food so put them on canin kitten (both are dry foods), pickle became very lumpy and spotty so we took him to the vets and they gave us antihistamines until we found out what problem was, we put him back on adult sphynx dry food and he improved but still lumpy, then I did a bit of research about fresh food that was 95% meat and started a trial of that last week from a delivery company in the UK for fresh cat meals, his skin now has no lumps and they used to both poop twice a day and now less mess which is a bonus. Blue who is a blue sphynx was only slightly spotty has better skin too hope this helps as I was amazed at the almost instant improvement x
 

Sphynx Mummy

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Hi, would you mind sharing th e name of the company with me also please? My girl is on Royal Canin kitten and has developed a rash. I'm trying to narrow down what it is. Thinking it could be litter, food or my clothes detergent. It doesn't seem to be bothering her too much but looks red and sore, especially on her legs and tail but also spreading up her back and a little on her face now. Just ordered some 'non stinky stuff' and a carrier shampoo for it. It's got amazing reviews so fingers crossed it sorts her out but, obviously I want to pinpoint the cause too
 

Yoda mom

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@Danielle13 , @Spynx Mummy , since it is an older thread member may not get a reply. do not hesitate to start own thread with pics and your location for members to chime in with products, we have several UK active members. we are here for you
 

Yoda mom

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@Baby gizmo , please fee free to start your own thread with questions, and pics , more details so we can chime in. we dont want your questions lost in another member post.
many of us keep on hand vetericyn spray, non toxic.
please tell us more about what is going on with your baby
 

jujmejia

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Hi! speaking on skin conditions , my boy developed a rash I believe from sun bathing in his sweater for too long. It got red and scabby, I took him to get a shot so he wouldnt itch as much and he stopped itching but within a couple of days he developed this black dots all over his skin . Any ideas what it could be? thanks !
 

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