Sphynx Cat Cleaning – Out! Out! Brown Spot!
Posted in Sphynx Cat News on 25. Jul, 2009
Some Sphynx cats have clean-ish dry skin,
some have oily easily dirtied skin. I have been editing a bonus video that will be added to the Sphynx cat book that will be released shortly. To make things look really “bad” so they stand out in the film, we let Sphynx Cat Luna and Sphynx Kitten Pierre get really dirty.
To demonstrate how dirty, here is a picture of Pierre’s favourite warm spot when one of the computers is on. Yep that is just his oil over a 3 week period, talk about grubby!
Like humans, oily skin and dry skin have their different pros and cons. Pierre’s oily skin means he doesn’t flake or get itchy like Luna’s dry skin does . Luna doesn’t leave such large oil spots around the place (though she does make some!).
Because Luna does have such dry skin and gets so very itchy we use a particular type of wash for her so that she doesn’t scratch herself to a bloody mess. She doesn’t do well with any detergent or soap based product. The video shows what we use on her if you are curious, and of course the book goes into the skin thing in greater detail.
I know you are in Aus, but I found an oil-based body wash made my Eucerin that has been fantastic for my Sphynx girl.
http://www.eucerinus.com/products/hb_calmingwash.html
3 weeks !! Bath your cat, These cats need a bath at least once a week– some a little more often. You should be ashamed to show this– it also reflects on your lack of cleanliness.I wonder what the rest of the houe is like??
HI Katy
As the article said this was not the normal routine.
Congratulations on being the first troll to this blog.
MY MALE SPYNX HAS TO BE BATHED EVERY 2 DAYS I GIVE HIM A BATH AND HE’S DIRTY THE NEXT DAY IT DRIVES ME NUTS THE DIRTY SPOT ON MY BED I PUT AN OLD SHEET ON IT SO HE DOSE’NT GET MY BED WITH THE BIG BROWN SPOT I TALKED TO MY VET HE SAID IT MIGHT BE A SKIN FUNGUS SO WERE TRYING A ANTIFUNGUL SHAMPOO 2 TO 3 TIMES A WEEK KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED IT WORKS THE DIRTY SPOTS FROM THEM CAN’T BE AVOIDED UNLESS YOU LOCK YOUR CAT UP IN A CAGE IF YOU DO THAT WHY BOTHER HAVING A CAT IF YOU HAVE TO DO THAT THEY CAN’T HELP
I am afraid that having oily skin is part of the breed. Sphynx (like all cats) can contract fungal infections but that would be spotted quickly by your vet. Washing more frequently can have the opposite affect and encourage the oil glands in the skin to release more oil, and over washing can make your sphynx become dry, flakey and itchy.
I have to ask did you do any research into the breed before purchasing? This is one of teh areas I cover in my eBook as a warning to prospective owners that without fur, the natural oils have to go somewhere.
Hi All,
I love my two sphynxes and have no regrets about them at all. However, it does seem that even when washed twice a week, there are some dirty places that “never” get truly clean. I’m using a vet-recommended aloe and oatmeal shampoo, but especially where their skin creases it looks like they have permanent dirt stripes…any suggestions?
I have a Sphynx that gets bathed approximately once a week, I use baby shampoo and always have. I had a foster sphynx that I used the same routine and it worked quite well. If your Sphynx gets dirty too fast, try unscented baby wipes and wipe them down every day or two. I keep mine in a baby wipe warmer, seems to make them work better.