Sphynx cats are not for everyone – especially for those who do not know what to do with a hairless cat! You can see their curious and utterly unimpressed expression folded by their wrinkly skin. Does their peculiar appearance make any difference in a regular cat’s destructive behavior? Would your Sphynx cat claw on your plush sofa?
They can be destructive if they are bored and have no other scratching post or engaging physical activity. Sphynx cats are usually very active and want attention from their pet-parents. If they are bored, they will show their boredom by chewing on things and scratching furniture.
Sphynx cats have an agile body as well as agile toes, which makes it different from the rest of the cats. They can pick up things, which tickle their curiosity, with their toes! How do you stop these mischievous cats from destroying your pretty things? Let’s get to it little by little.
Destructive Behavior In Sphynx
Sphynx is not exclusively known for their destructive behavior. Rather, all cats can have destructive behavior. Lazier and non-demanding cats may not be as destructive as active ones.
The active breed of cats, such as your Sphynx, demands mental and physical stimulation. If you do not interact enough with your cat, you can risk pushing them over the edge (or them pushing your china over the edge).
Their destructive behavior includes scratching your furniture and items, chewing and eating things they shouldn’t, excessive grooming, bringing attention to themselves through destruction, or showing destructive behavior in your absence.
These are the main signs you need to look out for.
When you are doing everything right and still find these symptoms in your cat, you should consult with your veterinarian. Sometimes, there can be an underlying medical issue that causes this behavior in your cat.
After checking the routines, materials, and patterns you provide for the comfort and entertainment for your kitty, check if the symptoms persist.
How To Control A Sphynx’s Destructive Behavior
Supervision is almost always necessary, especially when they are very young and trainable. Once they reach adulthood, it gets a little tough to train them. You would need an ample amount of patience to make them behave right.
We do not encourage declawing a cat because it is a cruel act and makes them handicapped. These are the other ways to deter their behavior.
1. Do Not Punish
Under any circumstances, you are not supposed to punish a cat by hitting them or yelling at them. They will start to resent you. You can take away their access to things or keep them away from the common area for a while but do not resort to physical or verbal punishments.
2. Distract Them
You can distract them with something that will definitely catch their attention. It can be done by waving their toys, bribing them with a treat, etc. Just distract them and remove the items they were chewing, biting or destroying.
3. Observe Their Scratching Behavior
Do they like to scratch vertically or horizontally? What type of fabric or materials do they like to scratch? After observing this, you can buy them a scratch post that has the same material and place it the same way they like to scratch.
4. Reward Them For Their Behavior
Whenever your cat chooses the scratch post to claw on, treat them. This will build more positive reinforcement in them about the scratch post. Fix them in the way that they find enjoyable. You can also experiment with a lot of fabric and material options to keep your cat interested.
5. Play With Them Often
Cats certainly seek your attention even though they might act aloof. Play with them and shower them with your attention. Stick to their routine and keenly observe their behavior. A bored cat is a dangerous cat. Keep them entertained and they will be well behaved.
History And Physicality Of A Sphynx Cat
When we say Sphynx cat, we might assume it must be from the land of Egypt. That also explains their furless body – it must be too hot for the cat, right?
But all of our common assumptions tumble down like a house of cards when we get to know the hard facts about them. They are, in fact, Canadian!
A hairless cat named Prune was found in Canada by some rescuers in 1966. It was carefully bred with other cats. The offsprings also got the recessive gene that made them look hairless.
Since the rescuers thought that it looked regal and akin to cat statues found in Egypt, they named this breed Sphynx.
These cats are not really hairless. They have a short fur coat, which is similar to that of suede. You can find Sphynx in many varieties. From white to golden and to patterns tortoiseshell to tickling – you can find different varieties of colors and patterns in a Sphynx.
They often look muscular and have fast metabolism.
However, they are not hypoallergenic even though they are hairless. They still produce Fel d1 protein in their saliva and skin secretions that leave people with allergies with watery nose and eyes. If the allergy is severe, it can be accompanied by redness and itchiness as well.
Their Personality And How They Interact
Sphynx cats are known to be as outgoing and friendly as dogs. They are known as the extrovert breeds of cat. They will often chase you around and show their acrobatic skills for attention.
They are not only active and attention-seekers, but they also crave warmth and human companionship.
Sphynx cats are very friendly to humans and are intelligent. They are curious about their environment and goes on to test every box, every gadget that feels warm, and anything under the sun.
They are also very well behaved when trained. They try to understand your patterns and impress you with their antics.
Since they are hairless, they love warm areas. Human laps, their chests, head, and anywhere that is the best place to get their daily dose of warmth and affection. They are high-maintenance and you would need to clean them at least once a week.
Related Questions
Are Sphynx cats unhealthy? The very first breeds of Sphynx were used to be unhealthy since their hairlessness came from the recessive gene. This gene also brought along other health problems for the next generation of Sphynx. But now, we have healthy Sphynx cats who have overcome their health problems.
Are Sphynx cats high-maintenance? Yes, Sphynx cats are high-maintenance even though they are furless. Being furless doesn’t make them any less prone to getting dirt stuck on them. They need to be bathed and groomed weekly. They are less difficult to groom than a Persian cat but they are still high-maintenance.
Can Sphynx cats get lonely? Yes, since they are very active breeds of cats, they can feel lonely. They love to be around people and entertaining them. Even when they are not doing anything, they would love to be around people they know
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