Four Reasons the Sphynx Might Not be the Cat for You

Source: © Shutterstock

Anyone familiar with the Sphynx cat knows it is the one with no hair. It is the hairless cat, and it’s one that a lot of people find questionable. After all, who wants a cat with no hair? Well, some people do. In fact, many people do. These cats, while not as cute or cuddly looking as other kittens and cats, are very lovable, affectionate and sweet, and they make wonderful pets. However, some people choose to get these cats for the wrong reasons. They might want them because they’re hairless and therefore different. They might want them because they assume this is a cat they can have some fun with based on its looks. They might even want this cat because they think that it’s just like any other cat, but that it will require less attention and need because it has no hair. Finally, some people might want this cat because they love cats but fear their allergies to the animals.

There are so many wrong reasons to get a cat, especially a Sphynx. Before you buy one – especially because they are expensive – make sure that you’re not getting one for the wrong reasons. Here are a few of the wrong reasons people buy these cats, and what you can actually expect from them. Take the time to go over this list before you pick up your new cat.

You Want an Allergy-Free Cat

This cat might look hairless, but it’s not. In fact, it has very fine hair that you can barely see, but you can definitely feed. And it’s not going to cure your cat allergies. This is not a cat you can live with if you do have cat allergies. Many people believe that it is, but these cats and end up getting rid of them because their allergies are still persistent. It’s not a hairless cat; it’s a cat without visible hair. You’re allergic to cats, you’re allergic to this one, too. The only thing you might notice with this particular breed is that you aren’t quite as allergic. Being that the hair on the sphinx is much shorter and much less dense than a regular house cat, you won’t notice as much shedding and your allergies will not be as severe. But they’re not going away just because this is the cat you chose.

You Want a Self-Sufficient Cat

Sure, cats are pretty self-reliant and tolerant of caring for themselves. This cat is no different in general, but it’s not completely self-sufficient. I want you to imagine running around all winter with no clothes on, and staying warm while you do it. These cats can’t cover themselves or care for themselves when the air is cool, and they have no fur for protection. They do not do well in the cold. They really just do not do well in the cold. This is a cat that will do much better if you take the time to cover it up, dress it and care for it during the winter. This means you’ll need to dress the cat and provide warm places for the cat. This makes it just a little bit needier than other animals.

You Are Looking for a Well-Mannered Cat

Most cats are pretty good about ignoring you and staying out of your way when you have guests or when you’re just at home doing nothing in particular. Not this cat; this cat wants attention all the time, but worst of all, it’s not the most well-mannered cat. It’s not going to insult your guests or use the wrong fork with dinner, but sphynx owners are very open about the fact that these cats are the kind that have very few bathroom manners. While cats are good about covering up their feces with litter when they are finished, the sphynx is not that kind of cat. Most cats of this breed don’t bother with that, instead opting to leave their feces out in plain view – where it also smells much worse. What’s even worse about this ugly habit is that these cats will not hesitate to walk through their feces and all over the house. They just don’t realize it – or care, we don’t really know. So many sphynx owners can tell you at least one story about the time they spent forever cleaning up cat feces footprints from all over their house when their cat did this. Now imagine your cat coming to cuddle with you with feces feet – sounds great, doesn’t it?

You Want a Low-Maintenance Cat

Most cats are pretty low-maintenance. You don’t have to bathe them, clean them or really bother with them. They come to you when they’re looking for love, and depart your lap soon after because they’re bored with you. They sleep a lot. They just need to eat and drink and rest, and that’s all they really want from you, or will even tolerate from you. The sphynx, however, is not a low-maintenance cat. This is one that needs a weekly brush, a weekly bathe and a lot of ear cleaning. These cats have no fur, so dirt can cause issues that are not common in other cats.

They’re also free of hair in their ear canals, which means that these are cats that need to have them cleaned regularly. Hair prevents bacteria and other germs from entering the ear canals, and it’s kind of ugly. These cats produce more ear wax than others, and that means it’s not uncommon for your cat to have very dark, very foul smelling wax spilling from its ears on a regular basis. You will need to use a q-tip to remove this once or twice a week. If it gets out of the ear and onto your furniture or floors, it can stain. It doesn’t smell good, either, so it’s a good idea to get it under control before it becomes a problem. If you can’t stand the thought of cleaning your cat’s ears, this might not be the cat for you to have.

Photo by Michael Nagle/Getty Images