Sphynx Cat Blog is Back

Wondering why there’s been no Sphynx cat blog news lately? There’s been a MAJOR issue with my webhost that caused an issue with posting AND with posts being seen on the web….Hopefully that is all fixed now and we are able to get going again. There’s a heap of Sphynx cat questions to answer in the email and pictures to put up.

Chat soon!

Sphynx Cat Q&A Series

Over the next few weeks the Sphynx Cat blog will be answering questions that you may have about Hairless Cats or Sphynx Kittens. I have added a question box over on the side for you to pop in any question you may have about the breed. Don’t be shy ask away !

Sphynx Cat Shampoo Recommendation

I have been looking for YEARS for a good Sphynx cat shampoo that would work for Sphynx cat Luna who has dry skin and also work for Sphynx kitten Lucy who has oily skin. 3 months ago I was watching a TV show on the benefits of Emu oil and how it is good for the skin and for arthritis and other ailments and then they started talking about how good it is for pet skin as well. Naturally my ears perked up and I decided to try some out.

One of the big problems with supposedly “Sphynx shampoos” out there is they are made with harsh chemicals (and in far off places like China where you can never be sure what they REALLY put in it). It’s scary to think what it is actually doing to your Sphynx’s skin. Using human shampoo is just as bad as that is designed for PH levels different to our Sphynx’s skin. This shampoo is made here in Australia where we have stringent consumer laws about ingredients and also the best Emu oil in the world.

Emu Oil Pet Shampoo has the wonderful property of being able to clean oily skin as well as soothing and moisturising dry skin. Luna is a new cat, with soft supple skin, and Lucy’s brown oiliness disappears in a flash in the bath and I swear she stays cleaner, longer.

The shampoo isn’t mixed with scents (which you and your animals can be allergic too, and they upset animal skin) so it doesn’t smell like human shampoo, but it has no lingering smell either. It is very natural, and soothing. Also the shampoo goes a looooong way, I am still on my first bottle from 3 months ago, you really only need a smidgen, so the value cannot be beat.

Both Luna and Lucy have given Emu Oil Pet Shampoo their stamp of approval. To buy some just click this link

Sphynx Cat Blog Email Account Issue

There is the long story, and the short story…but all stories end up with the plain truth that I have not been receiving emails from lovely readers since December last year. I am so sorry!  You all must think I am a snooty non-email person and that cannot be further from the truth.  I love getting emails with pictures and stories about your Sphynx cats and kittens and I love featuring them in the Sphynx Cat Blog Facebook Page and Twitter account.

So to all who have sent emails and not had a response I sincerely apologise.

To everyone else if you want to send an email then feel free to drop me a line at allison at SphynxCatBlog.com (use the @ symbol and remove spaces).

Sphynx Cats – The Controversy

I just approved some comments from a Janelle who has pointed out her distaste for the breed. She argues that because Sphynxes have no hair and therefore cannot live outside they should not continue as a breed, and that breeders are only breeding them for greed and money.

I have let the comments through even though I usually nuke troll-like comments with extreme prejudice because I can see why she is arguing this, but I do disagree.

Firstly the assumption that Sphynx cats are completely hairless* does seem to add to the confusion here. Canadian and Don Sphynx cats are not completely hairless**, in fact their closest analogue I think, are humans. Humans too were once heavily furred (see chimps and gorillas for examples of what we looked like a long time ago) and now have very short hair, the same as Sphynxes have very short hair. Both humans and Sphynxes have the same amount of hair follicles as their relatives…just much, much shorter hair where they have it. I am not saying the same evolutionary forces are involved that converted humans from shaggy pelts to smooth skin but should a Sphynx be born in a warm equitorial region there is no reason why it cannot survive outside. Just like humans did in the same sort of climate (who went for a million years naked*** before figuring out how to make clothing).

Then we have the fact that this “short haired” cat mutation pops up very regularly in nature. That is, they appear without any special breeding to ensure they are have short hair. While breeders do breed to makes sure the best chance for short-hairiness (it doesn’t always happen), if they stopped breeding today there would still be hairless cats popping up every now and then around the world from otherwise normal looking cats.  If hairlessness was great for survival of the feline species then all cats would be hairless, but nature keeps trying in case conditions make it so (think global warming…maybe all cats will be hairless one day!)

Lastly I do agree that breeding animals willy nilly so that physical issues appear is wrong. Unfortunately breeders that breed for MONEY and not the love of the breed do this. All of those people that want a $100 Sphynx are contributing to that issue. If no one wanted a cheap Sphynx, unscrupulous breeders would be breeding something else to make their dirty money. Caring breeders who breed to the standard are trying to avoid physical deformities through careful selection of the parents, and out-crossing with experimental licenses to strengthen the breed.

So in conclusion, thanks for the comments Janelle and I hope that this will somewhat change your opinion of the breed and of reputable breeders. Feel free to continue your crusade against any kitten-mill type Sphynx breeder you find. We need more angry people pointing them out so less knowledgeable buyers are saved from making a terrible mistake.

* Hairlessness in this post actually mean’s “extremely short haired”…but that’s too much to type over and over so it will be intermingled with mentions of short haired

**The exception here is the REAL hairless cat the Kohana that has no hair follicles at all and does have other genetic issues because of this

***  Dr. Mark Stoneking of the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig, Germany