My new Sphynx kitten has Ear Mites!

Well, as some of you may know from experience if you have owned this breed for a while and have had one, two, or three of these wonderful creatures then you may remember when you first took your little cute baby Sphynx kitten home and followed your breeders contract and went to the vet within 48 hours. You may have experienced this….. EAR MITES!

What are ear mites you say? Ear mites are a tiny spider like parasite that infect the ears of dogs and cats. They usually live in the ear canals but can live on other parts of the dog or cat’s body as well. Ear mites are the most common cause of ear infections seen by vets in cats and dogs.

Ear mites thrive in the warm moist area where there isn’t much air flow. They feed on epidermal debris & ear wax. Ear mites burrow into the ear, causing inflammation and irritation which the body responds to by producing more wax.

You say to yourself, “Oh my god! How can these people sell me a Sphynx kitten infested with ear mites!” Well, although this may be the case, it generally is not with the Sphynx breed. Because of the lack of hair inside the ear like most cats they already have lots of dirt and wax build up so when seeing the vet, especially a vet who has never had experience with the Sphynx breed, this is their first diagnosis, “EAR MITES!”

Because of how quickly the build up of wax and debris your Sphynx cat will encounter on a weekly basis, you need to clean your Sphynx cat’s ears, and we recommend to clean them at bath time. Here is a great video on cleaning Sphynx kittens ears. We use Epi-Otic ear cleaning solution which can be purchased through your vet or online.

What are the symptoms? Ear mites are very uncomfortable for your Sphynx cat. Imagine how it would feel having thousands of little spider like creatures running around in one of your most sensitive areas of the body, the ear. Usually the first symptom you notice will be your Sphynx cat scratching his ears or shaking his head like a mad cat.

You may notice that your Sphynx cat’s ears are flattened or laid back like the cat from “Pet Cemetery”. His ears may be painful to touch and he may cry or hiss when you touch them or while he is scratching them. You may also notice a foul odor coming from your cat’s ears.

Cats may cause damage to their ears by scratching them. Often their ears will bleed as a result of this. They may also shake their ears with such intensity that small blood vessels are broken. So you need to see the vet if any of these symptoms persist!

If you have a look inside the ear of an infected Sphynx cat you will see dark reddish brown or black debris throughout the ear canal which has been described as looking like coffee grounds. This debris comprises of ear wax, blood and Ear mites are visible to the naked eye and can be seen as white dots among the dark debris. You may even see them moving around.

Your vet will look in your cat’s ear with an otoscope and may inspect the debris from the ear under a microscope for a definite diagnosis. Ear mite infections can be serious if left untreated resulting in damage to the ear canals.

So if you are a new Sphynx owner and the vet instantly diagnosis your cute little brand new baby Sphynx and his dirty little ears with Ear mites, be sure your vet takes a look under the microscope before phoning your breeder and telling them how filthy their animals are! And how dare they sell a kitten in this condition!

By the way, It does not hurt to treat an animal for ear mites “just in case” either.

Always see your vet when in question!

Sphynx Cat Community

Sphynx Shampoo, is there such a thing?

Absolutely!
Sphynx Suds shampoo for the “naturally naked” is an all natural shampoo blended with natural oils specifically formulated to clean and moisturize your Sphynx cat. Sphynx Suds is an all natural alternative to the “average” pet shampoo that sometimes contain harsh chemicals. Oh yeah, Sphynx Suds works great on all “naturally naked” pets, dogs, cats and even the “furry” pets too! So you don’t have to buy numerous pet products, one for hairless, one for hair, one for dry skin one for oily skin and so on, Sphynx Suds does it all!

If you own a Sphynx already, you know what bath time consist of. If you do not own a Sphynx yet you will soon find that depending on your kitty, it is a time you will not generally look forward to.
Although some Sphynx owners are lucky and get that sweet little Sphynx that sits there and absolutely loves bath time, let me tell you something, Not mine! If you have been a Sphynx owner for a while you have found that either a certain “dish detergent” soap works ok, or perhaps a “gentle” baby shampoo does a little something, I guess? But most of the old timers wise to the oily little critters just oil up the old cat with a bucket of messy, sticky, slippery coconut oil before bath time, and yes it generally works good, the coconut does loosen up the natural oil (sebum )and dirt that the Sphynx naturally accumulates, but it’s not fun to work with as described above, messy, sticky, and slippery, not to mention an “extra” step!

As a Sphynx owner you will soon find most Sphynx require a bath once a week. However we do not recommend bathing your Sphynx more than once a week. If you can go longer than a week without a bath thats great! The reason why we do not recommend more than once a week bathing is that every time you bath your Sphynx, you remove the natural oils (sebum) that protect your pet, it also leaves your pet susceptible to bacteria and possible infection. Sebum is the natural oil that protects your Sphynx skin. These oils are removed during bathing as does the dirt that sticks to the oil, the allergens and dander. So when bathing your Sphynx the removing of the sebum is normal as with any shampoo. Sphynx Suds also extends the time frame between bathing your Sphynx by keeping them cleaner longer!

Sphynx Suds is an all natural shampoo blended with all natural oils that will moisturize and refresh your Sphynx skin. It does not contain the harsh chemicals that “average” pet shampoos or even “human” shampoos put in their ingredients. Humans have a much different skin balance then the Sphynx cat.

Nothing will remove the oils and dirt like Sphynx Suds. Trust us we have tried everything! The work out of applying coconut then shampoo then rinse is great, but in actuality, besides messy and time consuming, the coconut oil will in fact draw more dirt to your Sphynx quicker then just bathing them with just good old shampoo. As far as “dish detergent” we do not recommend it due to its “repeated” use of harsh chemicals that are not safe for weekly use on your precious Sphynx. So when you see an animal being washed on television with “dish soap” remember, that animal is only being washed once then let back into the wild, not every week like you Sphynx.

To sum it up Sphynx Suds pet shampoo is an all natural superior alternative to any pet shampoo on the market that can be used on all of your pets! But you wanna know the best thing about Sphynx Suds? It’s the only Sphynx shampoo in the world that actually does what it’s suppose to. It works miracles on the Sphynx cat!

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Why do I need to clean my Sphynx cat’s ears?

Cleaning Sphynx Cat’s Ears

Sphynx cats have more ear wax than most cats because they have little or no hair in their ears, so dirt, skin oils, and ear wax accumulate more frequently. Sphynx cats ears will need to be cleaned on a weekly basis, usually before bath time.

How do I clean my Sphynx cat’s ears and what do I use?

The method we use to clean our Sphynx cat’s ears is apply the ear cleaner (Epi-otic) to the cotton ball, place the cotton ball in ear, just inside the ear, then message the base of the ear, which loosens the dirt, wax and oil from the ear, then take out the cotton ball, use a fresh cotton ball to wipe out the excess cleaner and dirt from the ear. If you find there is still dirt or wax in the ear gently but carefully with caution use a q-tip to clean the outer crevices of dirt out while not going any where near the inner ear or canal. Here is a great video we made, hope it helps!

Important: As always check with your vet first, and make sure all products are pet safe!
There is a great video on Sphynx ear cleaning on our site click here to visit

Why do I have to bathe my Sphynx cat once a week and why is he so oily and dirty?

Bathing Sphynx Cats
Sphynx cats tend to show dirt and oil for the lack of fur, their skin produces the same oils as a fully furred cat, but the oil is not spread or hidden in the fur. Some sphynx cats will get dirtier then others, so you may have to bathe more then once a week depending on your Sphynx.

How often should I bathe my Sphynx cat?

We recommend bathing your Sphynx kitten or cat at least one a week , depending how oily and dirty your sphynx cat gets.

Where do I bathe my Sphynx cat?

A Sphynx kitten we recommend in the sink, fill the water up to about his chest area and gently wet him or her with your hand 0r a cup, and clean away. If he or she becomes fidgety, place your hand on the back of the cats neck gently, but firm to control their movements. Be careful not to get shampoo or water in the nose, eyes or ears. A larger Sphynx cat can be bathed in your bath tub with the water being up to their chest area and gently wash them in the same manner. Be careful not to get shampoo or water in their nose eyes or ears.

What type of shampoo should I use on my Sphynx Cat?

We recommend Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo. If the shampoo is safe for your human baby then it is safe for your Sphynx cat.

TIP 1: Before and after care.

Coconut oil (organic) is also good for your Sphynx cat’s skin to loosen up dirt before a bath and help keep their skin a little cleaner in between baths. Apply the coconut oil five to ten minutes before bath time and it will help to loosen the dirts and oils up to get them squeaky clean! Coconut oil is also very good if your Sphynx cat has dry skin, apply coconut oil to moisturize the skin.

TIP 2: In between bath care.

Baby wipes are great to use in between baths to clean dirty areas and sometimes to wipe down there little butts when needed.

Important: As always check with your vet first, and make sure all products are pet safe!

How often should I clip my Sphynx cat’s nails and how?

Clipping Sphynx Cat’s nails

We recommend clipping your Sphynx cat’s nails every seven to ten days depending on how much you clip the nail back. We prefer regular human nail clippers. We just clip the very tip so we do it a little bit more often, once a week right before bath time. Your Sphynx cat should be resting comfortably on your lap, the floor, or a table. Hold a paw in one hand and press a toe pad gently to extend the claw. Notice the pink tissue (the quick) on the inside of the claw. Avoid the quick when you trim the claw. Cutting into it will cause pain and bleeding. Remove the sharp tip below the quick (away from the toe), clipping about halfway between the end of the quick and the tip of claw. If your cat becomes impatient, pet them and praise them and continue on, they are like kids, if you give them a break or wait until another day to finish they will become custom to being fussy and not wanting to finish. So be persistent and get the job done! Here is a great video we made, ope it helps!

TIP:
Use baby wipes to clean under the nails and any other part of the Sphynx little toes where all that black dirty stuff hangs out , especially in and around the flappy piece of skin by the nail area.

Important: As always check with your vet first, and make sure all products are pet safe!

Sphynxlair-the Sphynx Cat Community

Can my Sphynx Cat get sunburn?

absolutely they can! You as a Sphynx owner should take action and prevent direct sunlight from entering your home if you own a Sphynx cat, which can become easily sun burned. Since they don’t have any pigmentation or fur they burn very easily. Apply some baby sunscreen on their ears and nose to help prevent burns. Do not apply to areas that your Sphynx cat can lick the sunscreen.

A good way to prevent your Sphynx from receiving a burn in your home is to install sun screens on your windows they usually just snap right in without a struggle and are available at most hardware stores such as Home Depot or Lowe’s. You will rarely find a pet store  that carries them, but I would recommend going to the local  hardware store first and see what they have in stock.

Sphynxlair-the Sphynx Cat Community