Tuesday, December 05, 2006

Cats on Tuesday

Cats on TuesdayGattina is hosting a new meme for those of us who are owned by cats, called Cats on Tuesday. Visit her blog and join in the fun.

So, as I promised last week, I'm going to answer some questions about Sphynx this week. My husband and I are owned by and adorable four-and-a-half month old, black and white Sphynx kitten called Dragonheart (or Drake for short). Drake's breeder names her litters after themes, and the theme for Dragonheart's litter was "fantasy", so he's Dragonheart and his brother's name is Merlin.

Are they High Strung Cats?
  • They aren't high-strung, per se, but they are friendly, extremely inquisitive and love to be the center of attention.
Do they get cold?
  • Sphynx get cold only if it is cold enough for a human to also be cold. If a human needs a sweater, chances are a Sphynx need one too, although they are also happy to find a warm human to curl up with (or another cat or even a dog if they are around).
  • Sphynx also have a very high natural metabolism, higher than that of other cats. This higher metabolism helps them to stay warm.
  • It's been very warm in Munich this fall, so Drake hasn't needed his sweater yet. We only put it on him to make sure it fit. There have only been a couple of nights where it dipped below freezing, and it's always been above freezing during the day. At night, Drake curls up next to us in bed, where it's nice and warm.
Can people with allergies live with Sphynx?
  • Some people who suffer from cat allergies can tolerate living with Sphynx cats. However, depending on the type and severity of the individual's allergic reactions, there are still people who cannot live with this breed.
  • My husband is allergic to cats, but fortunately he can tolerate Sphynx. Dragonheart doesn't bother his allergies at all.
Does he enjoy stroking the same way hairy cats do?
  • Sphynx love being pet. They love human attention, and enjoy being stroked. Dragonheart loves curling up in my lap and having me pet him. He feels like a warm chamois to pet.
Do they clean themselves, like other cats?
  • Sphynx do clean themselves with their tongues, like other cats do. However, because of the lack of hair that would normally absorb body oils, Sphynx need to be bathed periodically. Their self-bathing isn't sufficient to remove all the oil. Drake needs to be bathed about once a week to keep him healthy.
To learn more about Sphynx, you can check out Dragonheart's blog. If you have a cat with his or her own blog, have them stop by!

8 comments:

Gattina said...

Very nice explanation ! This will help a lot of cat owners to understand that sphynx have only another look and need some special treatments but are behaving like all cats. And it's very true, they feel like a peau de chamois very soft. They are also very intelligent and very affectionated. I am quite happy so far with the success of Cats on tuesday !

TopChamp said...

I hadn't thought about the cold aspect of not having hair.

Lots of interesting facts - think you've covered anything I'd wondered about!!

And 'hello' to Dragonheart - nice jumper.

Anonymous said...

Such an interesting cat! I am not sure how I would take to a hairless cat but it sure would make keeping the carpet clean easier! He looks so cute in his sweater!

Irish Church Lady :) said...

Whoa, how does he like his bath?

You've got to make a video of that and share it with us on YouTube!

Thanks for visiting my Cats on Tuesday, Caylynn!

srp said...

What does it feel like to stroke him. Is there any hair at all?
I would imagine that the allergies wouldn't be too much different for people since it really isn't the hair that people are allergic to but rather a protein in cat saliva.
He does look adorable in that sweater.
I was trying to think of what mine would do with a sweater..... flop down and not move. ;)

Meow (aka Connie) said...

Drake looks like an interesting kitty. We have had a couple of Sphynx kitties at the cat boarding facility where I sometimes work, and it takes a bit of getting used to feeling a "naked" cat. They are very affectionate kitties, though. Drake's jumper looks very handsome !!
Take care, Meow

Mo and The Purries said...

Hi!
I've learned so much about Sphynx kitties from your & Dragonheart's blogs!

I do have one question -- Dragonheart's blog template -- I love it -- okay, I envy it.
If you could tell me where you got it, please e-mail me at
Morgen1967@aol.com

Thanks!
And thanks for sharing all these great things about Dragonheart and Sphynx kitties!
Morgen

(known as Not The Mama @ Purrchance To Dream

Heart of Rachel said...

It's nice to learn new things about Dragonheart. It's evident how much you love him. It's endearing that you treat him as part your family. He's blessed to have nurturing people like you to take care of him.

Rach