Sphynx Care
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Caring for a Sphynx hairless cat is a bit like caring for "normal" coated cats, but they still
do require some special care because of their unique looks. Below is some information
on their proper care and many instructions.
Bathing
Sphynx hairless cats have natural body oils and the oil absorbs dirt, dust, and etc. Most
Sphynx cats need to be bathed about once a week or so. If you introduce a cat to baths
early in their life, they may get used to taking a bath and most will seem to enjoy it.
(Although there may be those who just hate baths and persists to snarl and be
miserable during the whole ordeal.)
Before you attempt to give a bath you will need to make certain that you have all the
equipments that you need. You don't want to get halfway through the bath to realize that
you forgot what was needed in order to complete their bath. I generally will get a good
nice washcloth, rubber mat (for the bottom of the tub so your cat won’t slip), a cup, cat
shampoo, and a warm nice towel. You will then run the bath with warm (not too hot or
cold) water. I will run it until it comes up to about the cat's shoulder blades or stomach.
Then gently put the dirty cat in the water. Get the cat wet and lather on some cat
shampoo. Then you will rinse off all of the soap/shampoo and dry your now clean cat off.
This procedure doesn't take too long and after much practice, you can complete the
whole routine in about 10-20 minutes. After the whole process I like to spend some time
with the cat as a kind of reward for the both of us.
Kittens should not be bathed/washed in the following: preparations containing: Zinc,
Salicylic acid, Tea tree/Meleuca oil, Tar type shampoos, and flea/tick baths. We HIGHLY
recommend HealthyPetNet’s Soothing Mist and Herbal Blend shampoo. We find that by
using this food and products their skin is not TOO oily, but of course they still need
weekly baths, ear cleanings along with daily eye cleaning as required. Do NOT use any
kind of topical mite or flea preparations on this Cat/Kitten such as Frontline, Advantage
and etc. This can potentially kill or badly hurt your Cat/Kitten.
Face, Eyes and Nails
After bathing or before the bath, you can take a nice warm wet washcloth and wash your
cats face. You may clean out their eyes with pure water or chamomile tea or an herbal
natural eye wash using the same washcloth or cotton balls. For the nails you can use a
washcloth as well or cotton balls. If necessary, you can use some soap to help free the
dirt from the nails, but be sure to rinse the soap off afterwards). The best way to clean
the cat’s nails is with using baby wipes that contains lanolin. It helps to remove the dirt
much easier. At this moment you should probably just trim your cat's nails. You can do
this by carefully squeezing him/hers toe; the claw should then come out so that you can
trim it. Be careful not to cut the sensitive pink part called the “quick” (don't cut within
about 2 mm. of the quick) and you will clip only the very tip of the nail. You will need to
trim your cat's nails about every week or so. You may also give your cat wipe downs in
between bathing with baby wipes.
Ears
Cleaning your Sphynx cats ears must absolutely be done because if it is not, their ears
will get very itchy, dirty, waxy and uncomfortable, and they can even get deadly ear
infections.
To clean their ears, first you need some equipment. I will use some cu-tips, cotton balls,
and a good all natural cat ear cleaner. You first put a little of the ear cleaner to break up
the wax then use the cotton balls to get all the wax out. I do not recommend using the cu-
tips unless you absolutely know what you are doing because it is very easy to go too far
and puncture the ear drum. When you do use the cu-tips, you must NEVER go any
deeper than you can see. You may deafen your kitty very easily if you go too far into the
ear canal.
Nutrition
Sphynx hairless cats have a higher metabolism than other “furred cats” in order to keep
warm and to maintain their constant body temperature. They require high quality all
natural food with wholesome ingredients. We HIGHLY recommend HealthyPetNet’s
food/daily nutritional systems and supplements exclusively. You may purchase it and all
the products for your cat and dog from HERE
Cat Litter and Cat Box
We recommend Swheatscoop. We also recommend PaPurr recycler paper cat litter Or
World’s Best Cat Litter.
You can also use a horse bale of kiln-dried Pine Shavings that you can get at a feed
store where they sell horse supplies and feed. It is very adsorbent, cheap, natural, dust
free and safe. A good brand is “America’s Choice” or “Dry Nest.” It is in a big 12 or 8
cubic feet bag and it will last you a very long time for use as cat litter. I have been using
it for a while now and it is very good. It is not heavy to carry like clay cat litter and other
cat litters. It is light, virtually dust free and inexpensive to buy. Some also use “Wood
Stove Pellets” that is like Feline Pine, but probably not very good on a cats feet. Make
sure the wood stove pellets are natural and do not contain any chemicals. Some people
may use chicken crumbes(like World’s Best Cat Litter). Make sure the chicken crumbles
is an unmedicated brand. Some chicken food may contain antibiotics and you don’t want
your cat consuming it. Some people use corncob husks, Alfalfa pellets and beet pulp.
We recommend the self-cleaning litter box from Omega Paw. You may purchase it from
Target or anywhere else they may have it. A plastic storage container also makes a
great litter box, but be sure to get one that is heavy plastic so that it won’t tip over. We
also suggest that you clean litter boxes daily and provide at least one litter box per each
two cats. If the litter boxes are not kept clean, the Cat/Kitten may find a more suitable
place to go.
Do NOT use any clay-based, and especially clay clumping cat litter with dust as these
are known to cause death. Please read here at http://www.thelighthouseonline.
com/marina/articles/clump.html and http://www.catmom.com/marina/articles/clump.html
Products to purchase and what we recommend
I HIGHLY recommend purchasing all the cat products from HealthyPetNet for your
cat/kitten. You can also get wholesale prices by becoming a preferred customer and
having the products shipped right to your door at a discount.
We feed and use all of HealthyPetNet’s products for our cats and dogs. They are free-
fed this dry kibble food with supplements and given raw food later in the evening or
about twice a day.
You may purchase the Food/ daily nutritional systems, supplements, cat treats, ear
cleaner, shampoo, soothing mist and even products to clean your home safely without
using toxic horrendous chemicals HERE
We also recommend feeding raw food at http://www.hare-today.com
You can purchase naturally raised rabbit and chicken, and etc. from Hare Today Gone
Tomorrow.
The best raw food that nutritionally resembles what the cats would get in the wild is raw
rabbit/wild rabbit and or other game animals. And it should also be mixed with the
supplements of course. The cat would also need to be fed the organs such as the liver,
heart and bones of that animal as well as egg yolks. Cats as obligate carnivores should
eat a species appropriate diet. If you can get your cat to eat naturally raised mice/rat
that would also be best and it has a very high taurine. The most important in this diet
would be Raw Meat or protein which is using muscle meat, next is bone, organ and then
egg yolks. The supplements come next and should be mixed in with the above. Animals
that are raised naturally in their natural state are best fed to your cat than conventionally
raised.
Best Raw Meat for cats to feed:
Rabbit/wild Rabbit or Game Meats
Skinless chicken thighs or Turkey thighs is closer to what it would eat in the wild. It is
preferably best to not use any conventionally raised meat/animals of any kind. The best
is naturally raised such as what you get at whole foods or the website listed above and
below, but the downside to buying from the market is that they drain the blood of the
animals which is beneficial to your cat. If you order from the websites I listed they do not
drain the blood and give you it whole, etc. It is best to feed whole animals occasionally as
well if that is possible.
Whole Food 4 Pets is located in Washington State and you can get raw food from them.
We also recommend Feline Instinct’s Natural Nutrition to mix with the raw food or maybe
Feline Future. We prefer to use Feline Instinct.
The Felix Scratching post is available by calling 206-547-0042
Animal Emergency Care and other Flower Essences can be ordered from Green Hope
Flower Essences or call (603) 469-3662.
Potassium Sulphate can be ordered at Eco Enterprises at 1800-426-6937
Ark Naturals products or call (800) 926-5100.
Annie’s Herbals or call 919-542-4649.
HomeoPet homeopathic remedy products at http://www1.revivalanimal.com/
Only Natural Pet Store
Ear Cleaners I use:
HealthypetNet's Ear Care Formula exclusively
Vet Solutions ear cleaner from Revival Animal
All natural ear wash from NaturVet at http://revivalanimal.com/
Ark Naturals Ears All Right from Ark Naturals.
Shopping list for ingredients to feed raw foods/meat
Here are the ingredients for the natural raw diet. Most of the supplements can be
purchased from The Vitamin Shoppe. They have reasonable prices and in the potencies
needed. These are the ingredients that you will mix in with raw food/meat, liver, organs,
bones, egg yolk and etc. For the recipe to make this raw meat diet using the ingredients
listed below Click HERE.
Vitamin Shoppe Ordering Information at http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/ or call 1800-223-
1216
1. Vitamin Shoppe B Complex 50 mg. Capsules(not gel caps)
2. Vitamin Shoppe Dry E-400 400 IU
3. Twin Lab Mega Taurine 1,000 mg.
4. Yerba Prima Psyllium Whole Husk Powder
5. Calson Laboratories Salmon Oil Capsules (avoid brands that contain plant-based
omega 3 fatty acids)
6. Primier Labs multi-glandular product can be ordered online at http://www.
herbalglobal.com/
Or ImmoPlex Glandulars can be purchased at http://www.nutricology.com
You can get Kelp and Dulse from Maine Coast Sea Vegetables at http://www.seaveg.
com/ or call at 207-565-2907. You would want to order one pound of dulse powder (or
Granules) and one pound of kelp powder.
Or Frontier Herb at http://www.frontierherb.com has both Kelp powder and Dulse
granules as well as Psyllium husk powder in bulk.
If you use bone meal instead of raw bones, Solid Gold has it in two pound containers at
http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/
You will want to order a 2-Ib. container.
The gelatin is available at just about any grocery store. Knox sells boxes containing
about 20 packages of unflavored gelatin.
The Northern Tool grinder can be ordered at http://www.northerntool.com or call 1800-
221-0516. The grinder is item #168620. It is a 110 Volt, 1000-watt grinder. This grinder
grinds bones and meat together. You would use this to prepare your raw food.
Tuna Dash is available for finicky cats to mix in with the raw meat at http://www.catclaws.
com or call 501-354-5015.
Only Natural Pet Store
We recommend growing organic cat grass and cat nip.
Do not use any type of chemicals to clean your home especially ones that are toxic to
our pets. A simple and very effective cleaner is a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water.
You can buy a spray bottle at the dollar store and mix your own solution or you can buy
a good cleaner from my website above. Another very good all natural cleaner for your
home is Terra Cleanse or Citra-Solv. You can purchase it at Whole Foods or anywhere
else they may sell it or from the Pet Medicine Chest
You may also purchase the products from HealthyPetNet over the phone by calling:
Phone: (877) 561-7178
Hours 8:00 AM to 7:00PM EST
Please use my ID Number: 10064262
when calling HealthyPetNet directly.
The best healing for your cat/kitten holistically is by Homeopathy. Homeopathy works on
a dynamic or energetic level and cats do very well with it. Homeopathic remedies should
be highly diluted with water. The more diluted a homoeopathic remedy is the more potent
it is considered to be. Homoeopathic mother tinctures should not be used undiluted.
Homeopathic remedies can be purchased at Washington Homeopathy. We use and
HIGHLY recommend these remedies at http://www.homeopathyworks.com/ or call 1800-
336-1695
Homeopathy Overnight also has remedies at http://www.homeopathyovernight.com or
call 1800-276-4223
Or Natural Health Supply at http://a2zhomeopathy.com or call (888) 689-1608 or
Hahnemann Pharmacy at http://www.hahnemannlabs.com/ or call 1-888-427-6422
Buying Homeopathic Remedies:
You may buy homeopathic remedies at most health food stores. I have the Washington
30c kit that is a set of 50 remedies from Washington Homeopathy at http://www.
homeopathyworks.com/ or by calling 1800-336-1695. They also carry single remedies.
Natural Healthy Supply, at http://a2zhomeopathy.com/ or call (888) 689-1608. They
have LM remedies, amber bottles, and vials suitable for preparing LM homeopathic
remedies as well as single remedies and kits.
When you purchase remedies ask for the #20 pellets. The small #20 pellets are easier
to administer to cats because it is more difficult for them to spit out the tiny pellets. If you
do use the larger pellets then it is best to crush them between two clean spoons and
then administer the powder. I usually use the 30c potency on my cats. It seems that this
potency works without causing any aggravations. With the 30c, especially in an acute
case or disturbance, I switch remedies after 12-24 hours if it does not work. It is better
to use the 30c as there could be aggravations using other potencies.
It would be most important to read up on homeopathy and have an idea of how it works.
Communication and observation are imperative when you use homeopathy. You should
watch and make note of everything, no matter how minor it is. Keep a journal on your
cat.
It is important to understand that homeopathy is not going to act immediately, or at least
it shouldn’t unless you have an acute case. It should work slowly. Patience is the key.
Conventional treatment isn’t going to cure the problem but only mask/suppress it for a
while. Patience and the understanding of the principles of homeopathy are paramount.
Finding a Homeopathic Veterinarian:
Interview the homeopathic vet before you put your money down. Find a Vet that
practices 75-100 percent homeopathy. Nothing less will do. If the homeopathic vet
practices Chinese Medicine, acupuncture and homeopathy, he is not specialized
enough. He needs to focus on 100 percent on homeopathy. You will want to ask if he or
she believes aggravations are necessary. Although they may occur and should be mild,
aggravations are not necessary to heal. Ask the vet if he has read the Organon and
what edition he practices by (it should be 5th or 6th edition). If the vet has not read or
does not know what the Organon is, he is not a homeopathic vet. The Vet should have
read the entire Organon at least once a year. The Organon, by Samuel Hahnemann is
considered the bible of Homeopathy.
A good place to start on finding a homeopathic vet is at The Academy of Veterinary
Homeopathy at http://www.theavh.org or by calling 866-652-1590
How to use Homeopathic remedies:
Get the appropriate remedy for your cat. You will probably want to use the 30c potency
of that remedy. Homeopathic remedies should not be given within 30 minutes of your cat
eating food. You should not mix Homeopathic remedies with any other foods except for
milk or cream. If your cat likes milk or cream, you can dissolve a few pellets in a clean
glass saucer of milk or cream. Let your cat drink the cream or milk. The cat does not
need to drink all of it in order for the remedy to work.
If your cat will not drink the milk or cream you can pour a few pellets, no more than three
or four, into the cap of the remedy vial. Do not touch the pellets; the oils in your skin can
contaminate the remedy. Open the cat’s mouth and put the pellets in. If you are using a
remedy that is in the larger pellets, you may need to crush it into a powder between two
clean spoons. Cats may usually spit out the larger pellets so it is better to use 30c
potency smaller pellets. If it is in a powder or the tiny pellets, they usually cannot spit
them all out. Even if one pellets got in the cat’s mouth, that would be all it needs. If any
drop on the floor throw them away.
The same potency should usually not be administered more than once. If you need to
give the same remedy again, you should use the liquid method of dosing which changes
the potency of the remedy slightly. Dissolve one 30c pellet in a sterilized glass jar, or
amber vial. Put the cover on the jar strike it against the palm of your hand(brace your
arm against your wrist) five times. You can also put a towel on a countertop as a pad and
strike the jar against the countertop. Draw off one spoonful of the water from the jar and
stir it into a clean glass containing another four ounces of spring or distilled water. Stir
the water in the second glass about ten times. Then give your cat a spoonful of the
liquid from the second glass. You can use a glass eyedropper or stir the liquid into a bit
of cream or milk. The liquid method of dosing is very gentle and often works better than
dry dosing in sensitive cats. Now you wait for the remedy to work and watch for new
symptoms.
We also use and recommend all natural chemical-free herbal Pet Health Remedies from
the Pet Medicine Chest.
Please contact the company for any specific requirements that they suggest especially if
your cat/kitten is sick. Contact the company and tell them about your cat’s/kitten’s
ailments and they should be able to help you with the proper treatments. You should
properly get a diagnosis from a good and knowledgeable Vet to find out the cause of the
ailments. Provide this company with all the necessary information about your cat/kitten.
They will personally give you a free consultation. Cats can sometimes object to herbal
remedies, but most of the time they do help.
We really don’t recommend all those toxic horrendous antibiotics/drugs at the Vet if you
can treat them naturally with the recommend products from the Pet Medicine Chest and
mainly using Homeopathic remedies. Some of those things that the Vet gives you for
your cat can really have some bad affects later in your cat’s life and even damage their
organs. We would only recommend antibiotics as a last resort if nothing from the Pet
Medicine Chest or Homeopathic remedies works to save your cat/kitten. If your cat/kitten
is seriously ill and can’t wait you should get to the Vet if need be, but if you can treat
them naturally with something from the Pet Medicine Chest and using Homeopathy you
should try that option first. We recommend that you keep these products on hand for
emergencies. Do Not use Homeopathic remedies and Herbal remedies all at the same
time. It is best to try using Homeopathy first as your first option.
We use these products on all our pets to avoid all the horrendous toxic drugs/antibiotics
from the conventional/traditional Vet. They are treated in a holistic manner and only go
to a Holistic or Homeopathic veterinarian. I HIGHLY recommend getting a good Holistic
and or Homeopathic Veterinarian for the health and wellbeing of your cat/kitten. Drugs
seem to only mask the problem and eventually you will run into more problems. Drugs do
not cure the problem nor do they ever prevent the problem. Cats do not do well with
drugs/antibiotics and it only adds to more stress as well as it suppresses the immune
system. Please do take the time to learn about the more natural approaches for your
pets instead of just conventional treament. It can really make a difference in the health
and longevity of your pets. There are many great books out there such as, Raising Cats
Naturally: How to care for your cat the way nature intended by a holistic cat breeder
named Michelle Bernard. You can get her book at http://www.blakkatz.
com/raisingcatsnaturally.html
Her website is http://www.blakkatz.com and it has lots of good information.
Other good books is “Heal Your Cat the Natural Way by Richard Allport, Dr. Pitcairn's
Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats, Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats :
Your A-Z Guide to Over 200 Conditions, Herbs, Vitamins, and Supplements,
Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs: Small Doses for Small Animals by Donald
Hamilton, Don Hamilton, Natural Remedies For Dogs And Cats by C.J. Puotinen. The
New Natural Cat by Anitra Frazier. Information Ann Martin provides on the pet food
industry in Food Pets Die for: Shocking Facts About Pet Food. All You Ever Wanted to
Know About Herbs for Pets, by Mary L. Wulfftilford and Gary L. Tilford.
Please do contact the breeder as well as they may have experience that will greatly help
you save your Cat/Kittens life.
Other equipments and supplies:
Do purchase some nice cat furniture with 100% natural sisal. A good one is The Felix
Scratching post that is available for about $50 by calling 206-547-0042
We recommend heat pads/beds that are for pets only. You should purchase some nice
cat toys. We highly recommend scratching posts.
Health Care
Provide your Sphynx with fresh holistic all natural cat food and supplements from
HealthyPetNet
Your Sphynx should also be fed a Raw Meat diet.
Your Sphynx should NOT be fed poor quality commercial cat foods that contain By-
Products, Preservatives, Fillers, Artificial Flavoring or colors, chemicals and a non
balanced Raw Meat diet. This CAT/KITTEN should be fed in accordance to
HealthyPetNet’s feline cat food/supplements and a properly balanced Raw Meat diet as
detailed in Michelle Bernard’s book Raising Cats Naturally(http://www.raisingcatsnaturally.
com/). The Raw Meat diet should be mixed with a dry food supplement listed above for
properly balanced nutrition or with Feline Instinct’s http://felineinstincts.com or Feline
Future’s Instinct TC at http://felinefuture.com, but Feline Instinct is most recommend.
Check out the book Food Pets Die For to find out shocking facts about what is really in
your pet’s food.
If you are going to only feed a commercial pet food I only recommend a premium all
natural food such as HealthyPetNet and or Wysong.
Provide your cat/kitten with yearly veterinarian examinations and no vaccinations. Your
cat/kitten has already been vaccinated by the breeder and it should be good for the rest
of the cat/kittens life. We actually do not really recommend vaccination as we believe it
is the leading cause for health problems and chronic diseases today. DO NOT use a
vaccine with Chlamydia as that portion of the vaccine seems to cause problems. Do NOT
vaccinate for Ringworm, Bordetella (Bordetelloisis), Chlamydia(Chlamydiosis), Feline
Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
(FIV) and any recently developed vaccines. These vaccinations are too controversial
and may cause some serious health problems.
In addition, the Sphynx should not be vaccinated:
• On the same day of Neuter/Spay, any other surgery or other procedure, no matter
how minor;
• On day within thirty (30) days from any surgical procedure;
• If he/she is suffering from any illness, however minor;
• If he/she is suffering from any stressful situation such as a move to a new location,
at the time of addition of a new cat or other animal to the household;
• With any vaccine between the shoulder blades (NOTE: Vaccines containing the
antigens Panleukopenia, Feline Herpesvirus I, Feline Calicivirus (+/-Chlamydia) should
be administered in the right fore region (RF) or be given intranasally. (IN); Vaccines
containing rabies antigen (+/- other antigens) should be administered in the right rear
region (RR) according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Rabies=Right); or
• With a rabies vaccine in conjunction with any other vaccine;
The following vaccinations pursuant to the following schedule are acceptable:
• Rabies as required by law and no more frequently or sooner than six months of
age;
• One three-in-one vaccination (panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus)
administered at about six months old if the Sphynx is in excellent health and under no
stress; and
• If desired, one booster three-in-one vaccination (panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis
and calicivirus) administered when the Sphynx is in excellent health and under no stress.
• The above protocol will protect your Sphynx for life assuming he/she is kept in a
natural and in a holistic manner.
• If the Sphynx suffers any adverse reaction (defined below) to a vaccination, a
competent homeopathic or holistic veterinarian should be contacted immediately.
• Possible adverse reactions:
• Discomfort at the site where the vaccine was given;
• Fever (normal is 101.7-102.5)
• Diminished appetite or activity;
• Vomiting or diarrhea;
• Sneezing or runny eyes;
• Sore joints or lameness;
• Temperament changes;
• Lumps or bumps at the injection site (no matter how small); or
• any activity not normal, no matter how minor, for the Sphynx.
You should agree to further not to use any antibiotics, sulfa, cortisone and steroids
except in the case of a critical emergency. You should further contact the Breeder
immediately should the Sphynx fall ill.
The book, Raising Cats Naturally: How to care for your cat the way nature intended, and
the information it contains, should be purchased at http://www.blakkatz.
com/raisingcatsnaturally.html
The Cat/Kitten must always receive full and prompt medical care as it is needed. We
recommend going to a Holistic veterinarian and Homeopathic veterinarian if it is at all
possible. We recommend treating your cat/kitten holistically and only in a holistic manner.
Dental disease is fairly common with this breed and should be kept in order with regular
examinations and cleaning by your veterinarian at least twice a year (every 6 months or
so). We recommend Non-Anesthetic teeth cleaning at least twice a year as
maintenance. You should also brush your cat’s teeth once a week and give raw food in
chunks. You will find that your cat will not need brushing as long as it is kept on a raw
food diet and the raw food is fed in chunks.
Sphynx must be kept strictly INDOORS only. This cat must NEVER be declawed.
Declawing is a mutilation involving the amputation of a large portion of the Cat/Kitten’s
toes, which is likely to alter the Cat/Kitten’s temperament and general well-being.
Declawing is a form of amputation of the joints of the foot and constitutes cruelty.
Declawing causes immense psychological effects and physical/emotional effects. You
must provide adequate scratching posts and regular nail trimming.
Great website links for natural cat care:
http://www.blakkatz.com
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/feline.htm
Great website for Cat products:
Only Natural Pet Store
http://www.drsfostersmith.com
http://revivalanimal.com/
You will have a happy and healthy cat/kitten as long as your provide everything above
and more. Vaccination isn't going to make your cat/kitten healthier. People these days
simply over vaccinate their cats. If you provide good quality healthy all natural nutrition,
keep your sphynx in a clean healthy pleasant environment, minimally vaccinate or don’t
vaccinate, and minimally medicate your cat/kitten(if you are not treating the cat
holistically already) you'll have a healthier and happier cat in the long run.
do require some special care because of their unique looks. Below is some information
on their proper care and many instructions.
Bathing
Sphynx hairless cats have natural body oils and the oil absorbs dirt, dust, and etc. Most
Sphynx cats need to be bathed about once a week or so. If you introduce a cat to baths
early in their life, they may get used to taking a bath and most will seem to enjoy it.
(Although there may be those who just hate baths and persists to snarl and be
miserable during the whole ordeal.)
Before you attempt to give a bath you will need to make certain that you have all the
equipments that you need. You don't want to get halfway through the bath to realize that
you forgot what was needed in order to complete their bath. I generally will get a good
nice washcloth, rubber mat (for the bottom of the tub so your cat won’t slip), a cup, cat
shampoo, and a warm nice towel. You will then run the bath with warm (not too hot or
cold) water. I will run it until it comes up to about the cat's shoulder blades or stomach.
Then gently put the dirty cat in the water. Get the cat wet and lather on some cat
shampoo. Then you will rinse off all of the soap/shampoo and dry your now clean cat off.
This procedure doesn't take too long and after much practice, you can complete the
whole routine in about 10-20 minutes. After the whole process I like to spend some time
with the cat as a kind of reward for the both of us.
Kittens should not be bathed/washed in the following: preparations containing: Zinc,
Salicylic acid, Tea tree/Meleuca oil, Tar type shampoos, and flea/tick baths. We HIGHLY
recommend HealthyPetNet’s Soothing Mist and Herbal Blend shampoo. We find that by
using this food and products their skin is not TOO oily, but of course they still need
weekly baths, ear cleanings along with daily eye cleaning as required. Do NOT use any
kind of topical mite or flea preparations on this Cat/Kitten such as Frontline, Advantage
and etc. This can potentially kill or badly hurt your Cat/Kitten.
Face, Eyes and Nails
After bathing or before the bath, you can take a nice warm wet washcloth and wash your
cats face. You may clean out their eyes with pure water or chamomile tea or an herbal
natural eye wash using the same washcloth or cotton balls. For the nails you can use a
washcloth as well or cotton balls. If necessary, you can use some soap to help free the
dirt from the nails, but be sure to rinse the soap off afterwards). The best way to clean
the cat’s nails is with using baby wipes that contains lanolin. It helps to remove the dirt
much easier. At this moment you should probably just trim your cat's nails. You can do
this by carefully squeezing him/hers toe; the claw should then come out so that you can
trim it. Be careful not to cut the sensitive pink part called the “quick” (don't cut within
about 2 mm. of the quick) and you will clip only the very tip of the nail. You will need to
trim your cat's nails about every week or so. You may also give your cat wipe downs in
between bathing with baby wipes.
Ears
Cleaning your Sphynx cats ears must absolutely be done because if it is not, their ears
will get very itchy, dirty, waxy and uncomfortable, and they can even get deadly ear
infections.
To clean their ears, first you need some equipment. I will use some cu-tips, cotton balls,
and a good all natural cat ear cleaner. You first put a little of the ear cleaner to break up
the wax then use the cotton balls to get all the wax out. I do not recommend using the cu-
tips unless you absolutely know what you are doing because it is very easy to go too far
and puncture the ear drum. When you do use the cu-tips, you must NEVER go any
deeper than you can see. You may deafen your kitty very easily if you go too far into the
ear canal.
Nutrition
Sphynx hairless cats have a higher metabolism than other “furred cats” in order to keep
warm and to maintain their constant body temperature. They require high quality all
natural food with wholesome ingredients. We HIGHLY recommend HealthyPetNet’s
food/daily nutritional systems and supplements exclusively. You may purchase it and all
the products for your cat and dog from HERE
Cat Litter and Cat Box
We recommend Swheatscoop. We also recommend PaPurr recycler paper cat litter Or
World’s Best Cat Litter.
You can also use a horse bale of kiln-dried Pine Shavings that you can get at a feed
store where they sell horse supplies and feed. It is very adsorbent, cheap, natural, dust
free and safe. A good brand is “America’s Choice” or “Dry Nest.” It is in a big 12 or 8
cubic feet bag and it will last you a very long time for use as cat litter. I have been using
it for a while now and it is very good. It is not heavy to carry like clay cat litter and other
cat litters. It is light, virtually dust free and inexpensive to buy. Some also use “Wood
Stove Pellets” that is like Feline Pine, but probably not very good on a cats feet. Make
sure the wood stove pellets are natural and do not contain any chemicals. Some people
may use chicken crumbes(like World’s Best Cat Litter). Make sure the chicken crumbles
is an unmedicated brand. Some chicken food may contain antibiotics and you don’t want
your cat consuming it. Some people use corncob husks, Alfalfa pellets and beet pulp.
We recommend the self-cleaning litter box from Omega Paw. You may purchase it from
Target or anywhere else they may have it. A plastic storage container also makes a
great litter box, but be sure to get one that is heavy plastic so that it won’t tip over. We
also suggest that you clean litter boxes daily and provide at least one litter box per each
two cats. If the litter boxes are not kept clean, the Cat/Kitten may find a more suitable
place to go.
Do NOT use any clay-based, and especially clay clumping cat litter with dust as these
are known to cause death. Please read here at http://www.thelighthouseonline.
com/marina/articles/clump.html and http://www.catmom.com/marina/articles/clump.html
Products to purchase and what we recommend
I HIGHLY recommend purchasing all the cat products from HealthyPetNet for your
cat/kitten. You can also get wholesale prices by becoming a preferred customer and
having the products shipped right to your door at a discount.
We feed and use all of HealthyPetNet’s products for our cats and dogs. They are free-
fed this dry kibble food with supplements and given raw food later in the evening or
about twice a day.
You may purchase the Food/ daily nutritional systems, supplements, cat treats, ear
cleaner, shampoo, soothing mist and even products to clean your home safely without
using toxic horrendous chemicals HERE
We also recommend feeding raw food at http://www.hare-today.com
You can purchase naturally raised rabbit and chicken, and etc. from Hare Today Gone
Tomorrow.
The best raw food that nutritionally resembles what the cats would get in the wild is raw
rabbit/wild rabbit and or other game animals. And it should also be mixed with the
supplements of course. The cat would also need to be fed the organs such as the liver,
heart and bones of that animal as well as egg yolks. Cats as obligate carnivores should
eat a species appropriate diet. If you can get your cat to eat naturally raised mice/rat
that would also be best and it has a very high taurine. The most important in this diet
would be Raw Meat or protein which is using muscle meat, next is bone, organ and then
egg yolks. The supplements come next and should be mixed in with the above. Animals
that are raised naturally in their natural state are best fed to your cat than conventionally
raised.
Best Raw Meat for cats to feed:
Rabbit/wild Rabbit or Game Meats
Skinless chicken thighs or Turkey thighs is closer to what it would eat in the wild. It is
preferably best to not use any conventionally raised meat/animals of any kind. The best
is naturally raised such as what you get at whole foods or the website listed above and
below, but the downside to buying from the market is that they drain the blood of the
animals which is beneficial to your cat. If you order from the websites I listed they do not
drain the blood and give you it whole, etc. It is best to feed whole animals occasionally as
well if that is possible.
Whole Food 4 Pets is located in Washington State and you can get raw food from them.
We also recommend Feline Instinct’s Natural Nutrition to mix with the raw food or maybe
Feline Future. We prefer to use Feline Instinct.
The Felix Scratching post is available by calling 206-547-0042
Animal Emergency Care and other Flower Essences can be ordered from Green Hope
Flower Essences or call (603) 469-3662.
Potassium Sulphate can be ordered at Eco Enterprises at 1800-426-6937
Ark Naturals products or call (800) 926-5100.
Annie’s Herbals or call 919-542-4649.
HomeoPet homeopathic remedy products at http://www1.revivalanimal.com/
Only Natural Pet Store
Ear Cleaners I use:
HealthypetNet's Ear Care Formula exclusively
Vet Solutions ear cleaner from Revival Animal
All natural ear wash from NaturVet at http://revivalanimal.com/
Ark Naturals Ears All Right from Ark Naturals.
Shopping list for ingredients to feed raw foods/meat
Here are the ingredients for the natural raw diet. Most of the supplements can be
purchased from The Vitamin Shoppe. They have reasonable prices and in the potencies
needed. These are the ingredients that you will mix in with raw food/meat, liver, organs,
bones, egg yolk and etc. For the recipe to make this raw meat diet using the ingredients
listed below Click HERE.
Vitamin Shoppe Ordering Information at http://www.vitaminshoppe.com/ or call 1800-223-
1216
1. Vitamin Shoppe B Complex 50 mg. Capsules(not gel caps)
2. Vitamin Shoppe Dry E-400 400 IU
3. Twin Lab Mega Taurine 1,000 mg.
4. Yerba Prima Psyllium Whole Husk Powder
5. Calson Laboratories Salmon Oil Capsules (avoid brands that contain plant-based
omega 3 fatty acids)
6. Primier Labs multi-glandular product can be ordered online at http://www.
herbalglobal.com/
Or ImmoPlex Glandulars can be purchased at http://www.nutricology.com
You can get Kelp and Dulse from Maine Coast Sea Vegetables at http://www.seaveg.
com/ or call at 207-565-2907. You would want to order one pound of dulse powder (or
Granules) and one pound of kelp powder.
Or Frontier Herb at http://www.frontierherb.com has both Kelp powder and Dulse
granules as well as Psyllium husk powder in bulk.
If you use bone meal instead of raw bones, Solid Gold has it in two pound containers at
http://www.solidgoldhealth.com/
You will want to order a 2-Ib. container.
The gelatin is available at just about any grocery store. Knox sells boxes containing
about 20 packages of unflavored gelatin.
The Northern Tool grinder can be ordered at http://www.northerntool.com or call 1800-
221-0516. The grinder is item #168620. It is a 110 Volt, 1000-watt grinder. This grinder
grinds bones and meat together. You would use this to prepare your raw food.
Tuna Dash is available for finicky cats to mix in with the raw meat at http://www.catclaws.
com or call 501-354-5015.
Only Natural Pet Store
We recommend growing organic cat grass and cat nip.
Do not use any type of chemicals to clean your home especially ones that are toxic to
our pets. A simple and very effective cleaner is a 50/50 solution of vinegar and water.
You can buy a spray bottle at the dollar store and mix your own solution or you can buy
a good cleaner from my website above. Another very good all natural cleaner for your
home is Terra Cleanse or Citra-Solv. You can purchase it at Whole Foods or anywhere
else they may sell it or from the Pet Medicine Chest
You may also purchase the products from HealthyPetNet over the phone by calling:
Phone: (877) 561-7178
Hours 8:00 AM to 7:00PM EST
Please use my ID Number: 10064262
when calling HealthyPetNet directly.
The best healing for your cat/kitten holistically is by Homeopathy. Homeopathy works on
a dynamic or energetic level and cats do very well with it. Homeopathic remedies should
be highly diluted with water. The more diluted a homoeopathic remedy is the more potent
it is considered to be. Homoeopathic mother tinctures should not be used undiluted.
Homeopathic remedies can be purchased at Washington Homeopathy. We use and
HIGHLY recommend these remedies at http://www.homeopathyworks.com/ or call 1800-
336-1695
Homeopathy Overnight also has remedies at http://www.homeopathyovernight.com or
call 1800-276-4223
Or Natural Health Supply at http://a2zhomeopathy.com or call (888) 689-1608 or
Hahnemann Pharmacy at http://www.hahnemannlabs.com/ or call 1-888-427-6422
Buying Homeopathic Remedies:
You may buy homeopathic remedies at most health food stores. I have the Washington
30c kit that is a set of 50 remedies from Washington Homeopathy at http://www.
homeopathyworks.com/ or by calling 1800-336-1695. They also carry single remedies.
Natural Healthy Supply, at http://a2zhomeopathy.com/ or call (888) 689-1608. They
have LM remedies, amber bottles, and vials suitable for preparing LM homeopathic
remedies as well as single remedies and kits.
When you purchase remedies ask for the #20 pellets. The small #20 pellets are easier
to administer to cats because it is more difficult for them to spit out the tiny pellets. If you
do use the larger pellets then it is best to crush them between two clean spoons and
then administer the powder. I usually use the 30c potency on my cats. It seems that this
potency works without causing any aggravations. With the 30c, especially in an acute
case or disturbance, I switch remedies after 12-24 hours if it does not work. It is better
to use the 30c as there could be aggravations using other potencies.
It would be most important to read up on homeopathy and have an idea of how it works.
Communication and observation are imperative when you use homeopathy. You should
watch and make note of everything, no matter how minor it is. Keep a journal on your
cat.
It is important to understand that homeopathy is not going to act immediately, or at least
it shouldn’t unless you have an acute case. It should work slowly. Patience is the key.
Conventional treatment isn’t going to cure the problem but only mask/suppress it for a
while. Patience and the understanding of the principles of homeopathy are paramount.
Finding a Homeopathic Veterinarian:
Interview the homeopathic vet before you put your money down. Find a Vet that
practices 75-100 percent homeopathy. Nothing less will do. If the homeopathic vet
practices Chinese Medicine, acupuncture and homeopathy, he is not specialized
enough. He needs to focus on 100 percent on homeopathy. You will want to ask if he or
she believes aggravations are necessary. Although they may occur and should be mild,
aggravations are not necessary to heal. Ask the vet if he has read the Organon and
what edition he practices by (it should be 5th or 6th edition). If the vet has not read or
does not know what the Organon is, he is not a homeopathic vet. The Vet should have
read the entire Organon at least once a year. The Organon, by Samuel Hahnemann is
considered the bible of Homeopathy.
A good place to start on finding a homeopathic vet is at The Academy of Veterinary
Homeopathy at http://www.theavh.org or by calling 866-652-1590
How to use Homeopathic remedies:
Get the appropriate remedy for your cat. You will probably want to use the 30c potency
of that remedy. Homeopathic remedies should not be given within 30 minutes of your cat
eating food. You should not mix Homeopathic remedies with any other foods except for
milk or cream. If your cat likes milk or cream, you can dissolve a few pellets in a clean
glass saucer of milk or cream. Let your cat drink the cream or milk. The cat does not
need to drink all of it in order for the remedy to work.
If your cat will not drink the milk or cream you can pour a few pellets, no more than three
or four, into the cap of the remedy vial. Do not touch the pellets; the oils in your skin can
contaminate the remedy. Open the cat’s mouth and put the pellets in. If you are using a
remedy that is in the larger pellets, you may need to crush it into a powder between two
clean spoons. Cats may usually spit out the larger pellets so it is better to use 30c
potency smaller pellets. If it is in a powder or the tiny pellets, they usually cannot spit
them all out. Even if one pellets got in the cat’s mouth, that would be all it needs. If any
drop on the floor throw them away.
The same potency should usually not be administered more than once. If you need to
give the same remedy again, you should use the liquid method of dosing which changes
the potency of the remedy slightly. Dissolve one 30c pellet in a sterilized glass jar, or
amber vial. Put the cover on the jar strike it against the palm of your hand(brace your
arm against your wrist) five times. You can also put a towel on a countertop as a pad and
strike the jar against the countertop. Draw off one spoonful of the water from the jar and
stir it into a clean glass containing another four ounces of spring or distilled water. Stir
the water in the second glass about ten times. Then give your cat a spoonful of the
liquid from the second glass. You can use a glass eyedropper or stir the liquid into a bit
of cream or milk. The liquid method of dosing is very gentle and often works better than
dry dosing in sensitive cats. Now you wait for the remedy to work and watch for new
symptoms.
We also use and recommend all natural chemical-free herbal Pet Health Remedies from
the Pet Medicine Chest.
Please contact the company for any specific requirements that they suggest especially if
your cat/kitten is sick. Contact the company and tell them about your cat’s/kitten’s
ailments and they should be able to help you with the proper treatments. You should
properly get a diagnosis from a good and knowledgeable Vet to find out the cause of the
ailments. Provide this company with all the necessary information about your cat/kitten.
They will personally give you a free consultation. Cats can sometimes object to herbal
remedies, but most of the time they do help.
We really don’t recommend all those toxic horrendous antibiotics/drugs at the Vet if you
can treat them naturally with the recommend products from the Pet Medicine Chest and
mainly using Homeopathic remedies. Some of those things that the Vet gives you for
your cat can really have some bad affects later in your cat’s life and even damage their
organs. We would only recommend antibiotics as a last resort if nothing from the Pet
Medicine Chest or Homeopathic remedies works to save your cat/kitten. If your cat/kitten
is seriously ill and can’t wait you should get to the Vet if need be, but if you can treat
them naturally with something from the Pet Medicine Chest and using Homeopathy you
should try that option first. We recommend that you keep these products on hand for
emergencies. Do Not use Homeopathic remedies and Herbal remedies all at the same
time. It is best to try using Homeopathy first as your first option.
We use these products on all our pets to avoid all the horrendous toxic drugs/antibiotics
from the conventional/traditional Vet. They are treated in a holistic manner and only go
to a Holistic or Homeopathic veterinarian. I HIGHLY recommend getting a good Holistic
and or Homeopathic Veterinarian for the health and wellbeing of your cat/kitten. Drugs
seem to only mask the problem and eventually you will run into more problems. Drugs do
not cure the problem nor do they ever prevent the problem. Cats do not do well with
drugs/antibiotics and it only adds to more stress as well as it suppresses the immune
system. Please do take the time to learn about the more natural approaches for your
pets instead of just conventional treament. It can really make a difference in the health
and longevity of your pets. There are many great books out there such as, Raising Cats
Naturally: How to care for your cat the way nature intended by a holistic cat breeder
named Michelle Bernard. You can get her book at http://www.blakkatz.
com/raisingcatsnaturally.html
Her website is http://www.blakkatz.com and it has lots of good information.
Other good books is “Heal Your Cat the Natural Way by Richard Allport, Dr. Pitcairn's
Complete Guide to Natural Health for Dogs & Cats, Natural Health Bible for Dogs & Cats :
Your A-Z Guide to Over 200 Conditions, Herbs, Vitamins, and Supplements,
Homeopathic Care for Cats and Dogs: Small Doses for Small Animals by Donald
Hamilton, Don Hamilton, Natural Remedies For Dogs And Cats by C.J. Puotinen. The
New Natural Cat by Anitra Frazier. Information Ann Martin provides on the pet food
industry in Food Pets Die for: Shocking Facts About Pet Food. All You Ever Wanted to
Know About Herbs for Pets, by Mary L. Wulfftilford and Gary L. Tilford.
Please do contact the breeder as well as they may have experience that will greatly help
you save your Cat/Kittens life.
Other equipments and supplies:
Do purchase some nice cat furniture with 100% natural sisal. A good one is The Felix
Scratching post that is available for about $50 by calling 206-547-0042
We recommend heat pads/beds that are for pets only. You should purchase some nice
cat toys. We highly recommend scratching posts.
Health Care
Provide your Sphynx with fresh holistic all natural cat food and supplements from
HealthyPetNet
Your Sphynx should also be fed a Raw Meat diet.
Your Sphynx should NOT be fed poor quality commercial cat foods that contain By-
Products, Preservatives, Fillers, Artificial Flavoring or colors, chemicals and a non
balanced Raw Meat diet. This CAT/KITTEN should be fed in accordance to
HealthyPetNet’s feline cat food/supplements and a properly balanced Raw Meat diet as
detailed in Michelle Bernard’s book Raising Cats Naturally(http://www.raisingcatsnaturally.
com/). The Raw Meat diet should be mixed with a dry food supplement listed above for
properly balanced nutrition or with Feline Instinct’s http://felineinstincts.com or Feline
Future’s Instinct TC at http://felinefuture.com, but Feline Instinct is most recommend.
Check out the book Food Pets Die For to find out shocking facts about what is really in
your pet’s food.
If you are going to only feed a commercial pet food I only recommend a premium all
natural food such as HealthyPetNet and or Wysong.
Provide your cat/kitten with yearly veterinarian examinations and no vaccinations. Your
cat/kitten has already been vaccinated by the breeder and it should be good for the rest
of the cat/kittens life. We actually do not really recommend vaccination as we believe it
is the leading cause for health problems and chronic diseases today. DO NOT use a
vaccine with Chlamydia as that portion of the vaccine seems to cause problems. Do NOT
vaccinate for Ringworm, Bordetella (Bordetelloisis), Chlamydia(Chlamydiosis), Feline
Infectious Peritonitis (FIP), Feline Leukemia Virus (FeLV), Feline Immunodeficiency Virus
(FIV) and any recently developed vaccines. These vaccinations are too controversial
and may cause some serious health problems.
In addition, the Sphynx should not be vaccinated:
• On the same day of Neuter/Spay, any other surgery or other procedure, no matter
how minor;
• On day within thirty (30) days from any surgical procedure;
• If he/she is suffering from any illness, however minor;
• If he/she is suffering from any stressful situation such as a move to a new location,
at the time of addition of a new cat or other animal to the household;
• With any vaccine between the shoulder blades (NOTE: Vaccines containing the
antigens Panleukopenia, Feline Herpesvirus I, Feline Calicivirus (+/-Chlamydia) should
be administered in the right fore region (RF) or be given intranasally. (IN); Vaccines
containing rabies antigen (+/- other antigens) should be administered in the right rear
region (RR) according to the manufacturer's recommendations. Rabies=Right); or
• With a rabies vaccine in conjunction with any other vaccine;
The following vaccinations pursuant to the following schedule are acceptable:
• Rabies as required by law and no more frequently or sooner than six months of
age;
• One three-in-one vaccination (panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis and calicivirus)
administered at about six months old if the Sphynx is in excellent health and under no
stress; and
• If desired, one booster three-in-one vaccination (panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis
and calicivirus) administered when the Sphynx is in excellent health and under no stress.
• The above protocol will protect your Sphynx for life assuming he/she is kept in a
natural and in a holistic manner.
• If the Sphynx suffers any adverse reaction (defined below) to a vaccination, a
competent homeopathic or holistic veterinarian should be contacted immediately.
• Possible adverse reactions:
• Discomfort at the site where the vaccine was given;
• Fever (normal is 101.7-102.5)
• Diminished appetite or activity;
• Vomiting or diarrhea;
• Sneezing or runny eyes;
• Sore joints or lameness;
• Temperament changes;
• Lumps or bumps at the injection site (no matter how small); or
• any activity not normal, no matter how minor, for the Sphynx.
You should agree to further not to use any antibiotics, sulfa, cortisone and steroids
except in the case of a critical emergency. You should further contact the Breeder
immediately should the Sphynx fall ill.
The book, Raising Cats Naturally: How to care for your cat the way nature intended, and
the information it contains, should be purchased at http://www.blakkatz.
com/raisingcatsnaturally.html
The Cat/Kitten must always receive full and prompt medical care as it is needed. We
recommend going to a Holistic veterinarian and Homeopathic veterinarian if it is at all
possible. We recommend treating your cat/kitten holistically and only in a holistic manner.
Dental disease is fairly common with this breed and should be kept in order with regular
examinations and cleaning by your veterinarian at least twice a year (every 6 months or
so). We recommend Non-Anesthetic teeth cleaning at least twice a year as
maintenance. You should also brush your cat’s teeth once a week and give raw food in
chunks. You will find that your cat will not need brushing as long as it is kept on a raw
food diet and the raw food is fed in chunks.
Sphynx must be kept strictly INDOORS only. This cat must NEVER be declawed.
Declawing is a mutilation involving the amputation of a large portion of the Cat/Kitten’s
toes, which is likely to alter the Cat/Kitten’s temperament and general well-being.
Declawing is a form of amputation of the joints of the foot and constitutes cruelty.
Declawing causes immense psychological effects and physical/emotional effects. You
must provide adequate scratching posts and regular nail trimming.
Great website links for natural cat care:
http://www.blakkatz.com
http://www.shirleys-wellness-cafe.com/feline.htm
Great website for Cat products:
Only Natural Pet Store
http://www.drsfostersmith.com
http://revivalanimal.com/
You will have a happy and healthy cat/kitten as long as your provide everything above
and more. Vaccination isn't going to make your cat/kitten healthier. People these days
simply over vaccinate their cats. If you provide good quality healthy all natural nutrition,
keep your sphynx in a clean healthy pleasant environment, minimally vaccinate or don’t
vaccinate, and minimally medicate your cat/kitten(if you are not treating the cat
holistically already) you'll have a healthier and happier cat in the long run.
Updated 04/20/2005
©Copyright 2005 SphynxnCavies
Cattery and Margaret's Hairless
Pigs Caviary All Rights Reserved
Cattery and Margaret's Hairless
Pigs Caviary All Rights Reserved
