Does anyone has a Sphynx?

[sugarplumfairy28]

This is more of a musing then anything else. DH has always wanted a Sphynx, and we were discussing the practicality of owning one.

We are generally cat people anyway, having recently gone from 10 to 9. We have one cat, who is brain damaged and cannot be an outside cat for her own safety. So we would have an indoor companion for a Sphynx. From what I understand, Sphynx' really need to be kept indoors, due to not suiting cold or hot weather.

What else do people know?

A relative I see often has one. They are very very friendly, even with strangers. Always really warm to touch and feel fuzzy, like a peach. Really playful loving cats.

Yes, they are indoor cats only. Unless you cat proof your garden and only let it out in mild weather.

I meant a relative I see a lot owns one! Not often has a sphynx

You cannot let them out in winter because they get cold.

IN the summer you cannot let them out because they get sunburnt.

Their tails look like rats' tails and if you glance down and it is by ur feet you instinctively jump away because it looks like a rat.

You have to rub oil into their skin so they dont get dandruff.

They get cold in winter and have to wear a little jumper.

They seem affectionate but they are just seeking the heat from ur crotch.

Poor things should never have been bred. Whoever did this needs shooting.

(source - had one for a week or two)

Oh they also love baths.

pony did you own one for a week or just look after one?

well it was a bit silly but a couple in the village were getting divorced and there were lots of bad feelings....

~The Ex hub to be stopped my dd as she was going down the road and said 'do you want a cat'? (she was just a animal loving kid so she said yes).

About a week later, the Ex wife to be was running around the village saying "where is my cat, somebody has stolen my cat....!"

News travelled fast so she got her cat back v quickly...

Really?! He just gave it away to someone on the street. That's terrible. Glad she got it back again.

Yes, you have to bathe them to stop a build up of oils on their skin i believe. I have always quite fancied one!

yes what a swine!
I mean it was a v small village so everyone knew who everyone was...but still...it kind of made us look really bad in the ex wife's eyes, as though we were in cahoots with her ex...
ahhh village life....

Cornish Rex are very similar indeed to Sphynx, in looks as well as character. They have short, curly hair rather than being bald. I do feel rather sorry for Sphynx as a breed, maybe they're happy enough but there are a lot of obstacles to them 'catting' properly.

Oriental Shorthairs are fantastic cats, more traditionally cat-like than the Sphynx or the Rex but still pointy looking. They are great smugglers and ever so intelligent.

I have always been incredibly against having indoor cats. I truly believe they should be allowed out and let them be cats. Their not as domesticated as dogs and have instincts and urges which I think they should be allowed to explore.

That being said, now that we have an indoor cat, I say now, she's actually 4, it would be nice to have a cat who also needs to be indoors with her. I wouldn't dream of getting another who is fully capable of being outside and just keeping them in. This is how the discussion came up.

I don't quite get the looks, and have to say I'm very hit and miss and apparently shallow, I think some look a bit too odd, especially the ones with no markings at all, but a few seem quite cute.

Do they tend to like baths? I have had the unfortunate task of having to bath a couple of ours before and felt like I'd been dragged through a bramble bush for 6 miles after.

We have one. He is great. We only bath him once a month because he isn't particularly greasy and his skin dries out after we bath him. If he gets dirt patches we just use a wipe and give him a rub. His ears need cleaning once a week because wax builds up, he has gotten used to this now and just sits and lets me fiddle, we also have to clip his nails often too. If you do the nails when he is sleepy it's no trouble at all.
He doesn't go outside and seems cool with that, he escaped once out the front door got a few feet away, looked at us like wtf is this and ran back inside.
He is clever, playful and affectionate, jumps up to greet dh everyday when he hears the car pull in after work.
He does feel the cold so wears a jumper at this time of year, he has an electric blanket to snuggle into and insists on sleeping under the duvet in bed with us.
We all love him very much, he is my shadow cat and follows me everywhere sticking his nose into everything. He is full on though, demanding affection and attention a lot, definitely not the cat for you if you like personal space!

I've got a Devon Rex, very similar to Sphynxes, same facial features, huge "cupped" ears, very intelligent and playful. They are only partially bald, (mine has a baldy neck, chest, tummy and inside legs, covered in a layer of peach fuzz. The rest of him is short curls.

We got a sphynx kitten yesterday! He is amazing! Here is a picture We all love him already, and already loves our dogs and Siamese cats, he's perfect!

Oh goodness mayo he is just scrummy!

I know, he is adorable

Work has really dragged today, my husband and son have been at home playing with him all day, I can't wait to get back and have peach fuzz cuddles!

I've been showing pictures of him to all my colleagues, but I must say, he has had very mixed reactions- poor Presley!

I love them, they are like walking scrotums!

I couldn't have one - it's very very shallow, but, they don't feel nice to stroke - they're not furry like cats, but they're not quite smooth either and I can't work out how to touch them.

They seem to have quite oriental personalities though, which I do like, but the way they feel just puts me off them.

Ah, Mayo, congratulations on your adorable new addition to your family.

I love the little "worry lines" on the forehead. And those ears! Give him some drinking straws to play with, and you'll see how dexterous his little hands are.

Are you going to get him a little jersey?

Hi! We own, show and have bred sphynx for many many years, as well as being heavily involved in all relevant sphynx societies. They are absolutely awesome cats! You will not find a breed as friendly, playful, loving and entertaining. They are trainable and just incredibly affectionate. Shouldn't need to be bathed more than once a month, if left longer they may leave brown oil marks. No need for jumpers, if you're fine, they're fine (beds / blankets suffice). Most importantly make sure you buy from a breeder who had the cats hcm scanned YEARLY and all cats must be negative. Google hcm. All I can say is they are part monkey, part dog, part human, oh and one will never be enough..... Any other qs please ask!

Oh and they are lovely to stroke, think warm peach. Stickiness of skin etc are all breeding issues. They have been very over bred for profit by back yard breeders so be very careful where you purchase one from, if you do decide one is for you.

They seem to be very sweet natured cats from the ones I've come across. They seem to set off my allergies worse than any other sort of cat I've ever come across so I couldn't have one even if I wanted one. Their looks don't really appeal to me that much but I totally understand why people love them, they have expressive little faces.

Thanks Rubbish I got home this evening and he has formed such a lovely bond with my four year old DS already, they love each other, it's adorable! We have ordered him a little jumper as our house can get a bit chilly, so thought it was best to have it just in case, but at the moment he seems really warm all the time so not sure if he'll need it or not.

I can't believe I haven't had one of these cats before, what a waste of 30 years! I think that it may be an addictive breed...i'm already imagining a little hairless friend for him

They feel warmer to the touch than other breeds, because they haven't got a shield of floof around them, if that makes sense? When little M (Devon Rex, semi hairless) sits on my lap, it's like having a hot water bottle on my legs. His little feet are usually chilly though. I didn't think about knitting him some bootees, really I didn't

Oh Mayo, he is so sweet. Congratulations on your new kitty! Love the name, I wasn't allowed to name any of our clowder Presley.