Sphynx Breed Information

Sphynx are curious and energetic and love to play - they can even be taught to play fetch. They can be quite vocal and will happily have a conversation with you, following you everywhere. You are likely to find the Sphynx on your lap when you sit down and in bed with you at night. They often like to perch in high places when they aren’t following you around or sitting on your knee.

Breed-related health problems:

Owners are, understandably, upset when their cat develops a health problem linked to its breed. Often they wish they’d known what problems the breed was prone to have. The potential health problems that Sphynx are prone to include:

• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – a condition where the volume of blood that the heart pumps with each contraction is reduced. This can cause fainting, tiredness and other signs of heart disease.
• Urticaria pigmentosa – a skin condition that causes crusty sores on the body.

We’d recommend discussing the medical history of your potential kitten’s parents and grandparents, and think very carefully before taking on a cat with any of the health conditions listed above evident in the family line.

Coat care:

Although the Sphynx has little hair to brush, they require frequent baths to remove body oils which would normally be absorbed by fur. Pay special attention to between the folds of wrinkles, due to the lack of fur they are at high risk of sunburn and have less protection if they get into an altercation with another cat. For these reasons, they may be better kept as indoor cats.

Estimated cost over lifetime:

These costs are based on essential items such as:

• A bed, litter and tray
• Grooming items
• Food and bowl
• Preventive treatment such as flea, worming, vaccinations and neutering
• Toys
• Cat carrier
• Pet insurance

This does not include initial purchase cost, non-essential items (such as holiday care) or potential veterinary treatment of which an excess needs to be paid before your pet may be covered by pet insurance.

Insure your Sphynx Cat with PDSA:

1 in 3 pets need vet treatment each year and vet bills can come to hundreds of pounds. PDSA Pet Insurance can give you peace of mind when your pet is poorly, especially for breeds like Sphynx Cats that are prone to certain conditions. PDSA Pet Insurance offers:

1. Dog and cat insurance policies from 8 weeks of age.
2. 24/7 veterinary advice online or over the phone with Petcall.
3. Manage your policy online with the PDSA Insure Hub.
4. Monthly payment at no extra cost.

By insuring your Sphynx Cat with PDSA Pet Insurance you’ll also be helping to provide vet care to some of the UK’s neediest pets.

For more information on taking care of your cat please visit our kitten and cat section.

Rehoming from a reputable source:

Where you get a cat from can have a big effect on how healthy and happy it is for the rest of its life. Find out where our PDSA vet experts recommend you get your cat from.

Not sure if the Sphynx is the right pet for you?