The first few days for the owner and the kitten are stressful when it arrives in a new place. Time is not easy and troublesome. But if you are a responsible person, you will do your best for your Sphynx kitten adoption. It means to be patient, and sincerely welcome the new member to your family. As soon as the period of adaptation passes, your life together will become comfortable and very interesting, and your Sphynx kitten will definitely like you.
- Meeting with the new tenant
- Everything is unfamiliar and unknown…
- Getting to know your family
- Getting to know the children
- Getting to know other pets
- As soon as the Sphynx cat has settled into a new home…
- Caution first
- Feeding and education
- New Sphynx Kitten Adoption Checklist
- Why are sphynx cats so expensive?
- At what age can a kitten be spayed?
- Long Distance Sphynx Kitten Adoption
- Adopt Your Own Sphynx Cat
Meeting with the new tenant
It is not recommended to take the Sphynx kitten for adoption unless it’s at least one and a half months old.
- First of all, it is not good to take such a baby from its mother.
- Secondly, it will be very difficult to take care of it (especially to comply with the regime and feeding rules) and to protect it from household hazards.
When going after a Sphynx kitten, be sure to bring a special carrier to make it more convenient for you and safer for the kitten. There was a known case when a nursery breeder changed their mind about selling a kitten to new owners as soon as they saw that they had come for it without a carrier and were going to carry him simply on their bosom. “I can’t trust an animal to such careless people,” she said flatly.
When you bring a Sphynx kitten home, do not pull it out of the carrier by force. Open it and wait for the moment when the baby is interested in something outside of its carrier and let it come out on its own. If the kitten comes out and hides somewhere in the house, do not try to pull it out by force. In the end, the curiosity of the baby will take its toll.
Put the portable cage on the floor and open its door, allowing your new pet to go outside by himself. At first, he must sniff everything before he finds a sleeping place. And only after the kitten has examined every inch and corner of the room, take it in your hands and see if he is tired.
During the first two or three days, try to create a calm, non-stressful environment for your pet. Do not arrange a celebration at home in honor of the “new member of the family,” and don’t call all your neighbors and friends to see him. Also, don’t have loud music or talk with high intonations at home. Remember, the kitten is already scared, confused, and bewildered because he is in an unfamiliar place with strangers. Therefore, there is no need to create excessive noise and fuss, which can scare him even more.
Try to calm him down and convince him that the new house is comfortable and safe. It’s easy to do so. For the first few days, carry the Sphynx kitten in your hands (but not all the time), pet and play with it. After all, he has just been separated from his mother, and he is still very young and still needs her affection, love, and protection.
A reminder that if everyone works in the family, it is suggested that someone from the household take a short vacation or at least take off a couple of days until the Sphynx kitten can adapt to the new apartment.
Everything is unfamiliar and unknown…
Initially, the kitten can sometimes meow (especially at night) or hide (for example, under the bed). It may even refuse to go to the toilet and eat almost nothing. This is normal kitten behavior during the adaptation period. The main thing is that it doesn’t last too long. Usually, after two or three days, the Sphynx kitten becomes used to the new conditions and starts to behave exactly as it did before the move.
If you do not want the Sphynx to sleep with you in bed, teach him to sleep separately from day one. It will get used to jumping into your bed being a kitten, then you won’t be able to reteach it. However, practice shows that with cats, it is more difficult to limit sleep zones than with dogs. In most cases, even the most principled owners in this matter, sooner or later, will give in and allow the cat to sleep with them. In any case, for the first few days, the kitten should sleep alone. It is still quite small, and in your sleep, you can crush him with your weight.
It would be good for the kitten if you grabbed its favorite toy, blanket or any other item from its previous owners that smells of its previous home. Put this item in its tiny house or on the couch, in general, choose the place where the kitten sleeps. The Sphynx kitten will feel more comfortable with its favorite thing that smells like its mom. If you don’t have such a thing, put the Sphynx kitten on a warm blanket or put a soft toy next to it, and this will at least partially replace the mother’s warmth.
The first day or two, it is advisable not to let the kitten roam around the whole apartment but keep it temporarily in only one room, where there is the toilet, bowls with food and water, and where its sleeping place is. By observing how the animal adapts to new conditions, you will be able to determine when it’s time to expand these boundaries. And then everything will fall into place: it will eat in the kitchen and relieve itself where you put the cat’s litter box. By the way, if the litter tray is in the toilet, do not forget to keep the door constantly ajar so that the cat can freely go in and out. Relatives and guests who come to your home, too, will have to be constantly warned that they shouldn’t close the door when leaving the toilet.
Getting to know your family
Once the kitten has rested and settled into its new environment, it’s time to introduce it to other family members. This is a truly exciting moment of the Sphynx kitten adoption, but try to remain calm and ask the same of all the household. Before you introduce your new pet, sit on the floor, and agree with other family members on one single rule: you can touch the kitten only if he comes to them. Ask the children not to argue or fight with each other; otherwise, it might scare the kitten. If your pet tries to hide, huddled in a corner, then try to lure it out with a toy or gently turn to him to calm him down – but in any case, do not force him to come out of hiding.
It is well-known that Sphynxes are extremely friendly, sociable and curious. They perfectly socialize and get along with other pets, so there won’t be problems with their adaptation to the new house.
A great idea would be to use a spray containing synthetic cat pheromones that will help the kitten realize that he is safe and allow him to feel more relaxed and comfortable. If you decide to use sprayers, then one or two bottles will be enough for the whole house.
Synthetic pheromones by smell are almost indistinguishable from natural substances produced by the cat’s body. These pheromones are used by our pets to greet other cats, showing them a friendly attitude, as well as to mark familiar objects throughout the house.
Getting to know the children
Of course, you are really excited about the new pet in your house, but just imagine how the children feel. They might wait the Sphynx kitten adoption stronger, than you! In order for the children and the Sphynx kitten to have a strong friendship from the start, teach the kids when they can and can’t take the kitten in their hands, how to hold it and how to correctly and gently pet it. Children often do not pet but rather squeeze and lightly hit the kitten. Sometimes it can cause serious discomfort and even pain for a tiny pet. In addition, tell the children that it is desirable to pet the cat’s head and back. Although you want to pet its tummy when he plays and tumbles, it is better to refrain from doing that as this is a very sensitive place for the Sphynx kitten, and your pet can feel very uncomfortable. And, of course, remind children that they cannot touch or pull on the cat’s tail.
Although sometimes, it’s so nice to watch a sleeping kitten, do not forget that your pet also needs peace and a little personal space – so leave it alone while it’s eating, going to the toilet and sleeping. And, of course, keep the cat’s toilet away from children – after all, you clearly don’t want them to use it as their toy!
Don’t forget to always wash your hands after communicating and playing with your pet, and even more so, after cleaning the cat’s toilet. And be sure to teach your children to do the same!
Getting to know other pets
The main secret of a successful acquaintance of the Sphynx kitten with other pets is patience. Never put your pet in a situation where it could be scared of other pets living in the house.
Cats and dogs often get used to each other and learn to live in love and peace, or at least know how to get along well with each other. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said about the relationship of cats with other pets: therefore, you should keep rabbits, guinea pigs, mice and hamsters, birds and reptiles as far as possible from cats, because, for our hairless friends, all these animals may seem nothing more than just prey.
As a rule, animals recognize each other by smell. Therefore, when you introduce a Sphynx cat to a dog, at first try to mix their scents together: for example, you can pet first one pet and then the other, or just swap their pillows, bedding, and other sleeping accessories. As a result, your pets will associate the smell of other animals with pleasant, soothing things: calm, serene sleep or pleasure from getting petted.
If you have followed all of these tips, but you still have problems with adapting your cat in the new home, the best option is to talk to a breeder or veterinarian, who, if necessary, will be able to recommend you a qualified specialist in cat behavior.
As soon as the Sphynx cat has settled into a new home…
As soon as your Sphynx kitten feels confident, he will immediately begin to run around the house with great speed. So be careful and watch your step because a small pet can jump out at your feet literally out of nowhere!
Soon, your pet will be able to play all day, but at the same time, he will still need a calm, serene sleep, so give the kitten a quiet place where he could rest without being disturbed. This will help your pet get used to the new environment as soon as possible. All you need to do is just follow the traditional daily routine and not depart from the originally established rules, especially when feeding, petting and playing with your pet.
Caution first
Don’t worry about a kitten freely walking around the house if you have taken care of the safety of the animal in your home in advance. For example, you’ve taken away all the things that could potentially poison it, removed any sharp objects, and closed the windows and doors. Either way, for the first few days, do not leave the Sphynx kitten alone for a long period of time. Perhaps you have not considered something — and he will need your help. After all, the curiosity of the Sphynx kitten knows no limits!
If there are small children or other animals at home, be especially careful, and only allow them to communicate with the kitten under your supervision.
Feeding and education
As you know, an abrupt change in diet and eating habits can have a bad impact on the health of any animal. Therefore, even if you do not want to feed your Sphynx kitten what their former owner fed them, for the first few days, you should stick to the menu to which he’s accustomed. It is necessary to transfer the animal to a new feeding system gradually and very carefully. If you got the kitten from the nursery, it is better to follow the menu recommendations given to you by the breeder. A professional will not advise you something bad. Before feeding your pet, gently call him, saying his name.
Although independent animals, cats are by no means stupid and can show the wonders of obedience with a good upbringing. So you should set rules for the Sphynx kitten from the start. If the pet tries to scratch the furniture, show them that they cannot do so, and every so often, bring the kitten to the scratching post. If it jumped onto the dining table or grabbed your leg, scold (but by no means shout!), hiss at the prankster, sprinkle it lightly with water from a spray bottle or come up with some other type of punishment. Just don’t hit the animal! Each time the pet does something scandalous, repeat the word with the punishment: ”Bad cat. Not allowed.” Very soon, this “scary” word alone will signal to the Sphynx kitten that he has done something bad, and the need for punishment will disappear by itself. Gradually, the Sphynx kitten will understand what can be done in the new house and what cannot be done. You just have to be a little patient.
New Sphynx Kitten Adoption Checklist
To receive the Sphynx kitten into your family, you need to prepare for this important and joyful event. You should have everything you need for the first day to ensure the comfort of the kitten and yourself. So, what does the new Sphynx kitten need?
See the full checklist, which you can use to prepare for the Sphynx kitten adoption:
- Sphynx Cat bed
- Sphynx Cаt soft blanket
- Food and Water Bowls
- Food
- Cat Litter box
- Cat Litter
- Scratching Post
- Toys (1 or 2 for the first time)
- Grooming Tools (Nail clippers, Ear cleaning sticks, Skincare wipes)
- Bathing Tools (Shampoo, Soft Towel, Coconut oil, Sponge, Bathing mat)
This checklist will help you to be fully prepared to welcome your new pet. You will be able to devote all your time and attention to him, rather than finding the necessary things for him. When the Sphynx kitten gets used to the new house, you will understand what else he needs for his comfortable stay, but it’s better to prepare the main things in advance.
Why are sphynx cats so expensive?
You will find that the prices of Sphynx kittens vary a little depending on if you are looking to buy a kitten as a pet or one to show and breed. Often all kittens are spayed or neutered before they leave a breeder. This could be a huge plus for the kittens and a benefit for the new owners too. Young kittens recover from surgery much faster than older cats or even young adults. Young kittens that are spayed or neutered are usually jumping around and playing no later than a day after the surgery. Altered kittens can be placed in their new homes shortly after their surgery. Some breeders usually let the males go within five days after their neuter as there are no stitches to be removed. The females take a little longer because they do have one stitch that needs to be removed 10-14 days after their spay.
At what age can a kitten be spayed?
Many studies have been conducted on the benefits of early spay/neuter. The studies have come to the conclusion that the early spaying and neutering has had no known ill side effects on the kittens.
Often Sphynx kitten or cat comes with a health guarantee. All reputable breeders usually have a contract. This is to protect the Sphynx kitten, Sphynx buyer, and the Sphynx breeder.
Long Distance Sphynx Kitten Adoption
Sphynx Breeders usually always welcome visitors to their cattery to pick out and to visit their new Sphynx kitten. It is always nice when new owners can pick up their kitten in person. However, many breeders realize that this is not always an option. When needed, many kittens travel to their new homes via airlines. Breeders can ship the kittens to any major airports. They are sent to future owners in an airline-approved carrier that is yours to keep. But, of course, it is much better to find a local Sphynx Cat breeder living nearby.
Adopt Your Own Sphynx Cat
The Sphynx Kitten requires and needs a lot of attention and care when growing up and one must be completely dedicated to breeding for health and quality first. Sphynx Cat Breeders also often require that all kittens sold to persons interested in breeding be shown in the CFA or TICA. Showing is an important part of breeding. It helps all dedicated breeders to keep their cats in line with the “Sphynx Breed Standard”. Showing is also very time consuming and expensive. If you are interested in breeding and showing a Sphynx you may contact your Sphynx Cat Breeder for more information.
