Grooming
One hears the comment so many times at cat shows, “Well, there’s no grooming there!” when
spectators behold a Sphynx for the first time.
Many exhibitors of other breeds have been heard to say this too.
Nothing could be further from the truth!
Sphynx are definitely
not a low maintenance breed.
Firstly, coated cats can hide the dings and scratches that come from everyday activities associated with being a cat, such as play.
Not so with the Sphynx; every scratch or boo-boo cannot be hidden, so it can be very difficult to show a Sphynx completely free of such boo-boo’s unless the cat is confined away from other cats, which Sphynx don’t do very well at.
Also, their ears, like Devon and Cornish Rex ears, seem to attract dust and dirt, since there is no hair inside to filter it out.
Ear grooming is a constant chore, not only so the cat looks clean in the show ring, but for the health of the ears.
Because there is very little or no hair on the feet, the same kind of dirt that accumulates in the ears will also accumulate on and under the cat’s nails.
Most importantly, Sphynx “sweat”, and the normal secretions of oils usually absorbed by the coat will leave the cats not only feeling oily, but ends up making the skin look brown and dirty.
An unbathed Sphynx will leave spots on the furniture.
They should be bathed each morning before a cat show, and even during the course of a day in the benching cage a Sphynx can look very different near the end of the day from when it first came into the show hall in the morning.
A pet Sphynx should be bathed at least weekly.
So while there is more obvious hard work in grooming a Persian, there is also hard work involved in showing and keeping a Sphynx.
