What do I need to know about sphynx?

Living With a Sphynx

Sphynx are not just hairless cats, they are an entirely new experience; they are intensely affectionate, people-oriented, warm little companions who want to be involved in absolutely everything you do.

Before welcoming one into your home, here’s what you should know.

Personality: Velcro kittens, kitty clowns & sweet little shadows

Sphynx are highly social; they thrive on interaction and prefer companionship. They love all company, any humans they can find or any pets they can win over as friends or playmates.

They are:

• Exceptionally affectionate and tactile

• Playful and inquisitive well into adulthood

• Highly intelligent and interactive

• Confident, bold and people-focused

They will follow you from room to room, supervise your cooking, sit on your laptop while you work and burrow under the doona at night. Many owners describe them as “dog-like” in their attachment and extroverted nature.

If you want an independent, aloof cat, that you never see, a sphynx is not right match. If you want a constant, warm companion - they are extraordinary.

Coat Types & Skin Texture

Although often described as “hairless”, Canadian sphynx are not completely bald; they have varying degrees of fine down.

Skin and coat types include:

• Peach-fuzz suede texture – the most common type; soft, warm, silky and low maintenance

• Short velvet coat – dense, short down; extremely silky. Still very wrinkly, but rarely needs a bath

• Bald with sparse hair on nose, ears, tail or feet - the classic Canadian sphynx look; smooth and delightful to touch

• Extremely bald - a touch of hair on the nose, otherwise completely naked.

Texture varies between lines and even between littermates. Some feel like warm suede; others like soft chamois leather.

Because there is no heavy coat to absorb oils, their skin behaves differently to a coated cat.

Grooming & Skin Care

Sphynx need some help with their grooming to keep them looking and feeling their best.

Unlike their furry counterparts, sphynx need:

• Fortnightly ear cleans to prevent itchy ears

• Nail clipping every couple of weeks, to keep nails blunt so they don’t scratch themselves

• Baths as required depending on skin/coat and colour

Light coloured, bald sphynx need the very regular baths to keep their colours looking clean and bright, while darker or downy/velvety coated sphynx need only a wash when they’ve done something quite special to get themselves dirty!

Keeping Warm

Sphynx have a higher resting body temperature than most coated breeds. They typically feel like a warm hot water bottle when you hold them.

However, because they lack insulation:

• They actively seek heat

• They love sunny windows

• They burrow under blankets

• They adore heated beds

In cooler climates or air-conditioned homes, they may wear light clothing or benefit from heated bedding. Indoors is essential — they are not suited to outdoor living.

Despite feeling warm to the touch, they can lose body heat quickly without environmental warmth.

Feeding

Sphynx burn more energy maintaining body heat. This means:

• They often eat more than a similarly sized furry cat

• They benefit from energy dense, high-quality, protein-rich foods

• They may need biscuits available for grazing to help keep them in good condition

It is normal for Sphynx to have healthy appetites. As they’re often motivated by food, they respond well to training with treats as a reward.

The Sphynx Experience

Living with a Sphynx is deeply personal and incredibly rewarding.

They are warm in every sense — physically and emotionally.

They require:

• Love

• Attention

• Interaction

• Warmth

• Company

In return, they give extraordinary companionship, affection and personality.