The MAINTENANCE and KEEPING

Sphinxes are simple enough in the maintenance and leaving. Opinion of people that especial, "hothouse" conditions of the maintenance are necessary to the sphinx is incorrect. However, there are some features which at the maintenance of a sphinx are necessary to consider.

Feeding
Sphinxes have an excellent appetite accomplished by the absence of whims and fastidiousness. It is caused by the accelerated metabolism because of the raised body temperature and absence of coat. Sphinxes eat (like dogs in advertising "Pedigri"), sufficing slices of food and swallowing it, almost not chewing. But, despite of their pantophagy, it is necessary to observe the balanced diet.
There is no necessity to feed a sphinx only with natural or tinned fodder, the reasonable combination of both kinds is better for them, and, certainly, the highest quality of the dry, tinned and natural fodder is necessary. In the nursery I maintain the certain diet:

Meat (a crude beef), boiled chicken, a crude liver or boiled beef - 60 % of general diet.
Dry fodder (such firms as Hills, Jams, Eagle Pack) - 20 % of general diet.
Dairy products (fermented baked milk, T-milk, cottage cheese, semolina) - 15 %.
A boiled egg or a crude egg yolk once a week.
Delicacies (depending on preferences of a cat) - 1 %.

Sphinxes are addicted to unusual to cats peculiar products, for example to cucumbers or chocolate. Sometimes it is possible to spoil a cat but only if it will not be harmful for health.

Skin
The second feature of sphinxes is that they sweat and soil themselves, allocating the brownish substance forming a strike. Possibly, it is protection for their skin deprived of coat. But too plentiful allocation of this substance can show that the animal eats incorrectly (for example, too much of fat food) or does not feel itself fine. It is necessary to find out the reason and eliminate it. If the secretion is moderate it is enough to wipe in process of pollution a cat by a wet sponge or children's clearing napkins. If it would be desirable, it is possible to wash an animal, with a soft shampoo which has a level of acidity pH = 5,5. It is necessary to remember, that everything, that is harmful to the child, is also harmful to a cat, and it is necessary to maintain this principle using human cosmetics and medical products. After bathing it is necessary to wipe an animal and be sure that it is not overcooled.

Ears
The Third feature is cleaning ears. The black-brown secret accumulates in ears quickly enough. It does not stir to a cat at all, and cleaning is necessary just in cosmetic purposes. Ears are cleaned by a wadded tampon in process of pollution, and also before an exhibition or shooting.
By the way, sphinxes are a dream of the photographer. They pose perfectly; look directly in an objective and so nice that it is pleasant to photograph them constantly. When I go to the country with cats I take the camera necessarily, being afraid to miss some picturesque, charming staff.

Health
Solar baths are useful in reasonable quantities to Sphinxes, as well as for people. Sphinxes sunbathe, and to the end of summer their coat becomes bright and contrast, but it is necessary to remember, that the sphinx can burn down on the sun. Therefore it is necessary to accustom gradually an animal to the sun and not to walk them on the sun at midday. It is better for them an absent-minded shadow. And in general, the animal is necessary for tempering; it should not grow under a glass cap, as mimosa. A diet walks on fresh air in a warm season, physical activities are necessary. There is no necessity to muffle up a sphinx, it is necessary to be afraid only of drafts and sharp overcooling. Sphinxes do not have necessity for the raised temperature of the maintenance when they are active (i.e. when they eat, play, etc.), but they prefer to sleep in heat, especially under theirs owner blanket, having nestled all body and loudly humming. And as it is pleasant to sleep with them, they are almost created for this purpose. Certainly, sphinxes possess salutary abilities. They feel painful points on our body and at once keep within there hot little body. Especially ridiculously it is looked, when my four-kilogram cat tries to be arranged at me on a head when it hurts.
Adult sphinxes are ill very seldom. In case of an infection they recover quickly enough, keeping immunity to illness for all life. It is caused by the raised body temperature. Kittens and young animals are more subjected to diseases especially respiratory infections. Therefore at the maintenance of sphinxes their vaccination is obligatory. For kittens it is better to use inactivated vaccine, at least, in the first stages of vaccination as the alive vaccine can sometimes cause complications - kittens start to be ill with the same virus, though changed and weakened, but alive which is present at a vaccine. Adult animals transfer an inoculation easily and, as a rule, without complications.

Kittens
Puberty of sphinxes appears at the same time, when other breeds of cats have it, i.e. about one year. Final formation of an animal occurs at one year and a half. The first heat of cats happen at 5-12 months, depending on heredity. Cats reach their sexual maturity approximately by a year. Amount of kittens is various, from 2 to 5, but more often 3-4 kittens. Sphinxes birth normally, the propensities to pathology is not observed. Cats are mums very "dairy", milk is plenty enough, that's why feeding cats sometimes have propensity to mastitis's. Kittens are born bald, all in wrinkles and look like unfeathered nestlings. Fewer coats a kitten has, balder it will be in future. They open eyes very early, on the 3-4 day. Ears of kittens are hung, as puppies have approximately by 3-rd week and the bigger ears sphinx has, the more strongly they hang down and later all they raise. Kittens are very active and clever; intellectually they develop earlier, than physically. As well as for all breeds, the period of transition to an independent feed is complex. It is necessary to watch at kittens all the time and at first symptoms of a diarrhea take urgent measures, because little sphinxes suffer metabolism very much. Also it is necessary to look at infections. The kind of small sphinxes is simply unique, it is necessary to fall in love with them. They are similar with dinosaurs. They are bald, eared, wrinkled, have eyes and tails, and they rush in a room, loudly stamping, as herd of hedgehogs, having pressed ears to their backs and if they fall they fall loudly as though it is have thrown a leather purse on the table. Their character and behavior is similar to naughty kids. Certainly, they do not consider themselves cats. They are clever, easily trained, adhered to the person, well get along with all breeds of cats and dogs, and with other living creatures.

It would be desirable to note that one of the important advantages of this breed is that people, suffering allergy on wool (it would be desirable to emphasize that exactly on a wool, but not on a cat) can have these cats at their homes and also people who have no opportunities to look after a long coat as, for example, Persians have.

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HISTORY The STANDARD and the STATUS of BREED The MAINTENANCE and KEEPING Photo Gallery For Sail Contacts Links FAQ	The MAINTENANCE and KEEPING Sphinxes are simple enough in the maintenance and leaving. Opinion of people that especial, "hothouse" conditions of the maintenance are necessary to the sphinx is incorrect. However, there are some features which at the maintenance of a sphinx are necessary to consider. *Feeding* Sphinxes have an excellent appetite accomplished by the absence of whims and fastidiousness. It is caused by the accelerated metabolism because of the raised body temperature and absence of coat. Sphinxes eat (like dogs in advertising "Pedigri"), sufficing slices of food and swallowing it, almost not chewing. But, despite of their pantophagy, it is necessary to observe the balanced diet. There is no necessity to feed a sphinx only with natural or tinned fodder, the reasonable combination of both kinds is better for them, and, certainly, the highest quality of the dry, tinned and natural fodder is necessary. In the nursery I maintain the certain diet: Meat (a crude beef), boiled chicken, a crude liver or boiled beef - 60 % of general diet. Dry fodder (such firms as Hills, Jams, Eagle Pack) - 20 % of general diet. Dairy products (fermented baked milk, T-milk, cottage cheese, semolina) - 15 %. A boiled egg or a crude egg yolk once a week. Delicacies (depending on preferences of a cat) - 1 %. Sphinxes are addicted to unusual to cats peculiar products, for example to cucumbers or chocolate. Sometimes it is possible to spoil a cat but only if it will not be harmful for health. Skin The second feature of sphinxes is that they sweat and soil themselves, allocating the brownish substance forming a strike. Possibly, it is protection for their skin deprived of coat. But too plentiful allocation of this substance can show that the animal eats incorrectly (for example, too much of fat food) or does not feel itself fine. It is necessary to find out the reason and eliminate it. If the secretion is moderate it is enough to wipe in process of pollution a cat by a wet sponge or children's clearing napkins. If it would be desirable, it is possible to wash an animal, with a soft shampoo which has a level of acidity pH = 5,5. It is necessary to remember, that everything, that is harmful to the child, is also harmful to a cat, and it is necessary to maintain this principle using human cosmetics and medical products. After bathing it is necessary to wipe an animal and be sure that it is not overcooled. Ears The Third feature is cleaning ears. The black-brown secret accumulates in ears quickly enough. It does not stir to a cat at all, and cleaning is necessary just in cosmetic purposes. Ears are cleaned by a wadded tampon in process of pollution, and also before an exhibition or shooting. By the way, sphinxes are a dream of the photographer. They pose perfectly; look directly in an objective and so nice that it is pleasant to photograph them constantly. When I go to the country with cats I take the camera necessarily, being afraid to miss some picturesque, charming staff. Health Solar baths are useful in reasonable quantities to Sphinxes, as well as for people. Sphinxes sunbathe, and to the end of summer their coat becomes bright and contrast, but it is necessary to remember, that the sphinx can burn down on the sun. Therefore it is necessary to accustom gradually an animal to the sun and not to walk them on the sun at midday. It is better for them an absent-minded shadow. And in general, the animal is necessary for tempering; it should not grow under a glass cap, as mimosa. A diet walks on fresh air in a warm season, physical activities are necessary. There is no necessity to muffle up a sphinx, it is necessary to be afraid only of drafts and sharp overcooling. Sphinxes do not have necessity for the raised temperature of the maintenance when they are active (i.e. when they eat, play, etc.), but they prefer to sleep in heat, especially under theirs owner blanket, having nestled all body and loudly humming. And as it is pleasant to sleep with them, they are almost created for this purpose. Certainly, sphinxes possess salutary abilities. They feel painful points on our body and at once keep within there hot little body. Especially ridiculously it is looked, when my four-kilogram cat tries to be arranged at me on a head when it hurts. Adult sphinxes are ill very seldom. In case of an infection they recover quickly enough, keeping immunity to illness for all life. It is caused by the raised body temperature. Kittens and young animals are more subjected to diseases especially respiratory infections. Therefore at the maintenance of sphinxes their vaccination is obligatory. For kittens it is better to use inactivated vaccine, at least, in the first stages of vaccination as the alive vaccine can sometimes cause complications - kittens start to be ill with the same virus, though changed and weakened, but alive which is present at a vaccine. Adult animals transfer an inoculation easily and, as a rule, without complications. Kittens Puberty of sphinxes appears at the same time, when other breeds of cats have it, i.e. about one year. Final formation of an animal occurs at one year and a half. The first heat of cats happen at 5-12 months, depending on heredity. Cats reach their sexual maturity approximately by a year. Amount of kittens is various, from 2 to 5, but more often 3-4 kittens. Sphinxes birth normally, the propensities to pathology is not observed. Cats are mums very "dairy", milk is plenty enough, that's why feeding cats sometimes have propensity to mastitis's. Kittens are born bald, all in wrinkles and look like unfeathered nestlings. Fewer coats a kitten has, balder it will be in future. They open eyes very early, on the 3-4 day. Ears of kittens are hung, as puppies have approximately by 3-rd week and the bigger ears sphinx has, the more strongly they hang down and later all they raise. Kittens are very active and clever; intellectually they develop earlier, than physically. As well as for all breeds, the period of transition to an independent feed is complex. It is necessary to watch at kittens all the time and at first symptoms of a diarrhea take urgent measures, because little sphinxes suffer metabolism very much. Also it is necessary to look at infections. The kind of small sphinxes is simply unique, it is necessary to fall in love with them. They are similar with dinosaurs. They are bald, eared, wrinkled, have eyes and tails, and they rush in a room, loudly stamping, as herd of hedgehogs, having pressed ears to their backs and if they fall they fall loudly as though it is have thrown a leather purse on the table. Their character and behavior is similar to naughty kids. Certainly, they do not consider themselves cats. They are clever, easily trained, adhered to the person, well get along with all breeds of cats and dogs, and with other living creatures. It would be desirable to note that one of the important advantages of this breed is that people, suffering allergy on wool (it would be desirable to emphasize that exactly on a wool, but not on a cat) can have these cats at their homes and also people who have no opportunities to look after a long coat as, for example, Persians have.