Sphynxes may have personality traits that are oftentimes considered “un-cat-like” (i.e., greeting you at the door at the end of the day, not because they are out of food and think they are starving to death, but simply because they have missed you and want your attention and affection), however, they are still cats, and have many of the stereotypical characteristics of the feline creature.
The unavoidable and inescapable magnetism to any cardboard box: [php]global $picID, $picCaption, $picTitle, $picAlign, $picUrl, $picSize, $picMaxW, $picAlt, $picAdj, $picLightBox; $picID=”1241″; $picUrl=”http://kytykittens.com/wp-content/uploads/IMG_20140901_141655.jpg”; $picAlt=”Ooo…what’s this? a box to play in?”; $picCaption=”Ooo…what’s this? a box to play in?”; $picTitle=””; $picAlign=”left”; $picSize=”medium”; $picMaxW=”0″; $picAdj=”0″; $picLightBox=”false”; autoWrapImg();[/php] You can do a quick YouTube search and find videos of all kinds of cats, from barely ambulatory kittens to 600lb tigers, curled up and plopped down in a cardboard box. Ours are no exception. In fact, sometimes we order things online instead of buying them in the store–just to get a new box for them. Shockingly, our kids’ attraction to boxes has extended beyond the run-of-the-mill cardboard variety, and allowed us to discover a very handy trick when a vet appointment needs to be kept. Just place a carrier in the middle of the living room floor, and in less than 2 minutes, they are all vying for who gets to lounge in the newest box in the house. No other enticement is required!
An insatiable and incurable desire to groom those they love: [php]global $picID, $picCaption, $picTitle, $picAlign, $picUrl, $picSize, $picMaxW, $picAlt, $picAdj, $picLightBox; $picID=”1240″; $picUrl=”http://kytykittens.com/wp-content/uploads/cats-lap.jpg”; $picAlt=”Within five minutes of sitting down, you WILL have a lapful of friends.”; $picCaption=”Within five minutes of sitting down, you WILL have a lapful of friends.”; $picTitle=””; $picAlign=”right”; $picSize=”medium”; $picMaxW=”0″; $picAdj=”0″; $picLightBox=”false”; autoWrapImg();[/php] When the family is snuggled up on the couch for movie night, the kids piled up with us and we’re settled in for en epic adventure or light-hearted comedy, the sofa becomes a feline salon, and before long everyone is getting a sandpaper tongue bath–cats, humans, and chihuahuas (poor outnumbered Katinka, lol) alike. This adorable display of affection and care can quickly turn into a very raw and irritated patch of forearm skin, as they tend to get a little….focused on one area. Sometimes it seems the only way to protect your skin from being licked clean off is upset the entire balance, and rearrange everyone. Though even when drastic measures are required, they settle back in pretty quickly as if nothing happened. 😉
Their delightful, yet dangerous, obsession with window ledging: [php]global $picID, $picCaption, $picTitle, $picAlign, $picUrl, $picSize, $picMaxW, $picAlt, $picAdj, $picLightBox; $picID=”1239″; $picUrl=”http://kytykittens.com/wp-content/uploads/agatha-window.jpg”; $picAlt=”Agatha enjoying some window ledge relaxation.”; $picCaption=”Agatha enjoying some window ledge relaxation.”; $picTitle=””; $picAlign=”left”; $picSize=”medium”; $picMaxW=”0″; $picAdj=”0″; $picLightBox=”false”; autoWrapImg();[/php] Cats love windows. I feel quite confident in saying ALL cats love windows. Hairless varieties are no exception, and it is terribly common to find at lease two or three perched on the ledge napping, or just staring out into the yard, at any given moment during daylight hours. No big deal, right? Not exactly. You see the KyTy family home was built in the early 1920s, and many of our windows are original to the house…meaning they are single-paned, lead glass, with no UV coating. This fact leads to higher energy bills, more frequently replaced curtains (fading…it’s a shame), and–if precautions aren’t taken–sunburned sphynxes. We learned the hard way when Hester, the matriarch of KyTy Kittens (and an all around Lazy Daisy) decided not to move out of the sundrenched windowsill for what must have been an entire afternoon. Poor thing…still hates to have sunscreen applied, but it’s for her own good, and so we do it anyway. LOL.
So remember: sphynxes are fantastic additions to a family, and will enrich your life in ways that you can not even imagine…but you must also keep in mind the things that make them special can also require more work and care. But in the end, they are worth every unsightly cardboard box, uncomfortable tongue burn, and unwanted sunscreen application. Why? Because they are family.