Are We Hypoallergenic?

When people stumble upon the Sphynx cat and contact me, they are usually one of two persuasions.

Either they are the cat fancier that just adores cats and loves the unique look of the Sphynx or they are a cat fancier from afar- yes, those people who suffer from cat allergies oftentimes email me inquiring about whether Sphynxes are hypoallergenic or not.

Here is what I tell them...

No, they are not hypoallergenic- no dog or cat is truly hypoallergenic; there are simply some breeds that are less likely to cause an allergic reaction to flare up and Sphynxes are one of those rare breeds within the feline family.

If you have allergies and you would like to own a Sphynx, here are my suggestions... First, if you have severe reactions to cats- I'd suggest continue loving them from afar- there is no reason to live in misery just to be a cat owner; however, if you are the typical individual with cat allergies- there are steps you can take to live with and enjoy a Sphynx...

1. NEVER ALLOW your Sphynx to sleep on your bed/pillows. Yes, it's hard to do. Yes, it's not something people want to hear- yet, it's imperative not to soil your bedding with any cat dander- even the Sphynxes may produce dander, just not as much as your typical cat.

2. WIPE your Sphynx down with the hypoallergenic wipes pet stores sell- this will help decrease any chance of dander being sent into the air.

3. Ensure you continue to bathe your Sphynx weekly with an appropriate shampoo.

4. Feed your cat high quality cat food; remember, whatever you put into your animal also comes out of it- one way or another.

5. IF YOU MUST ADD to you cat family, I cannot stress this enough- add another Sphynx, BUT at the maximum, I'd stress you only have a 2 cat family. TOO MANY CATS, including too many Sphynxes, will send you allergies into a tailspin.

Good luck with your decision to add a Sphynx into your family and feel free to contact me with any more questions about this topic!