The Amazing Sphynx Kittens All Play Together
- 5 năm trước
These Sphynx kittens though
Sphynx Cats — 5 Things to Know About Living With Hairless Cats
Sphynx cats, AKA naked cats or hairless cats — what's it like to live with them? A Sphynx cat owner spills on everything from chattering to coat care!
I got my two female Sphynx cats — also known as naked cats or hairless cats — within a year of each other from the same responsible and experienced breeder. Skinny Mini is a mischievous five-year-old calico tabby, and dainty three-year-old Fly has seal-tortie-sepia coloring. (Isn’t that an Instagram filter?) I had done my research on cat breeds and was not going into Sphynx cat ownership unprepared — or so I thought.
Since adopting my first Sphynx cat, I’ve come to realize that:
1. Sphynx cats are stunning creatures, but not everyone will agree with me
Sphynx cats allow us to appreciate fascinating feline morphology without all that fur getting in the way. I knew I liked the unique appearance of the Sphynx before getting one, but I didn’t know I’d be so completely captivated by my cats’ big bat ears, runway model cheekbones, and delightful skin folds. I love how Fly’s legs look like she’s wearing sagging pantyhose, and how when Skinny Mini quivers her tail it sends a ripple of wrinkles up her back. I can’t get enough of stroking their soft, warm skin and kissing their adorable pot bellies. Sphynxes often don’t have whiskers or eyelashes, which draws even more attention to their expressive, almond-shaped eyes and chubby whisker pads.
Unfortunately, I also realize now that a lot of people find this breed ugly and unappealing. I don’t know how many times I’ve shown someone a photo of my girls only to be met with a grimace and a comment along the lines of, “Ugh! They are so strange looking! Why would you want a cat like that?” I certainly find this type of remark insulting, and always hope that the same person doesn’t show me a picture of their kid just after.
I understand that sphynx cats are not everyone’s cup of tea, but as my mother used to tell me, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” (Or, just lie to me and tell me my cats are super cute.)
2. These naked cats are noisy!
Sphynx cats are known for being chatterboxes. They “talk” to their owners using a whole repertoire of chirps, squeaks, and whines, and my girls are no exception. Skinny Mini is definitely the more communicative one. She’s got the vocal range of Mariah Carey and a diva personality to match. If you disturb her while she’s resting, she’ll let out a sound, not unlike an annoyed teenager’s “Whaaat?” And, like a typical teenager, she’ll talk back to you if you tell her “no.”
And when Sphynxes aren’t using their mouths to (constantly) express themselves, they are shoving food in there. Thanks to an enviable metabolism, these cats have hearty appetites. Keeping them healthy and well-fed means putting aside a certain budget for quality cat food, and since I have two, I feel like I’m always buying cat food — and bags of litter. Owning a pair of Sphynxes has turned out to be more costly than I thought, but if it means cutting back on my own personal expenses to make sure my cats have what they need, I don’t hesitate.
3. Hairless cats can get a little… gross
I knew before getting my cats that hairless cats does not mean maintenance-free cats. Any Sphynx cat owner will tell you that these four-legged naked cats need a lot of care. I was lucky because I adopted my girls as adults, and the breeder had already accustomed them to getting washed, having their ears cleaned and their nails trimmed; I simply had to keep up the good habits. I was warned that Sphynx cats can leave an oily residue on clothes and linen (and on their owners) if you don’t bathe them weekly, but it was still quite a surprise the first time I saw it for myself.
Just a few days after getting Skinny Mini, she started sleeping under the covers with me. It was October, and still very warm in the southeast of France, and her sweating coupled with a bit of anxiety at being in a new home meant that she was even grimier than what I now know is normal. I woke up one morning to find a greasy, Skinny Mini-sized mark on the white fitted sheet. “Look!” I said to my husband with a certain degree of intrigue and disgust. “The cat is literally coming off on the bed sheets!”
Sphynx Cats — 5 Things to Know About Living With Hairless Cats
Sphynx cats, AKA naked cats or hairless cats — what's it like to live with them? A Sphynx cat owner spills on everything from chattering to coat care!
I got my two female Sphynx cats — also known as naked cats or hairless cats — within a year of each other from the same responsible and experienced breeder. Skinny Mini is a mischievous five-year-old calico tabby, and dainty three-year-old Fly has seal-tortie-sepia coloring. (Isn’t that an Instagram filter?) I had done my research on cat breeds and was not going into Sphynx cat ownership unprepared — or so I thought.
Since adopting my first Sphynx cat, I’ve come to realize that:
1. Sphynx cats are stunning creatures, but not everyone will agree with me
Sphynx cats allow us to appreciate fascinating feline morphology without all that fur getting in the way. I knew I liked the unique appearance of the Sphynx before getting one, but I didn’t know I’d be so completely captivated by my cats’ big bat ears, runway model cheekbones, and delightful skin folds. I love how Fly’s legs look like she’s wearing sagging pantyhose, and how when Skinny Mini quivers her tail it sends a ripple of wrinkles up her back. I can’t get enough of stroking their soft, warm skin and kissing their adorable pot bellies. Sphynxes often don’t have whiskers or eyelashes, which draws even more attention to their expressive, almond-shaped eyes and chubby whisker pads.
Unfortunately, I also realize now that a lot of people find this breed ugly and unappealing. I don’t know how many times I’ve shown someone a photo of my girls only to be met with a grimace and a comment along the lines of, “Ugh! They are so strange looking! Why would you want a cat like that?” I certainly find this type of remark insulting, and always hope that the same person doesn’t show me a picture of their kid just after.
I understand that sphynx cats are not everyone’s cup of tea, but as my mother used to tell me, “If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all.” (Or, just lie to me and tell me my cats are super cute.)
2. These naked cats are noisy!
Sphynx cats are known for being chatterboxes. They “talk” to their owners using a whole repertoire of chirps, squeaks, and whines, and my girls are no exception. Skinny Mini is definitely the more communicative one. She’s got the vocal range of Mariah Carey and a diva personality to match. If you disturb her while she’s resting, she’ll let out a sound, not unlike an annoyed teenager’s “Whaaat?” And, like a typical teenager, she’ll talk back to you if you tell her “no.”
And when Sphynxes aren’t using their mouths to (constantly) express themselves, they are shoving food in there. Thanks to an enviable metabolism, these cats have hearty appetites. Keeping them healthy and well-fed means putting aside a certain budget for quality cat food, and since I have two, I feel like I’m always buying cat food — and bags of litter. Owning a pair of Sphynxes has turned out to be more costly than I thought, but if it means cutting back on my own personal expenses to make sure my cats have what they need, I don’t hesitate.
3. Hairless cats can get a little… gross
I knew before getting my cats that hairless cats does not mean maintenance-free cats. Any Sphynx cat owner will tell you that these four-legged naked cats need a lot of care. I was lucky because I adopted my girls as adults, and the breeder had already accustomed them to getting washed, having their ears cleaned and their nails trimmed; I simply had to keep up the good habits. I was warned that Sphynx cats can leave an oily residue on clothes and linen (and on their owners) if you don’t bathe them weekly, but it was still quite a surprise the first time I saw it for myself.
Just a few days after getting Skinny Mini, she started sleeping under the covers with me. It was October, and still very warm in the southeast of France, and her sweating coupled with a bit of anxiety at being in a new home meant that she was even grimier than what I now know is normal. I woke up one morning to find a greasy, Skinny Mini-sized mark on the white fitted sheet. “Look!” I said to my husband with a certain degree of intrigue and disgust. “The cat is literally coming off on the bed sheets!”