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Hairless cats, known by their official breeding name as Sphynx cats, require a whole different kind of skincare altogether. They don’t have fur as the name demonstrates, so you won’t be needing to buy grooming tools for this kind of cat.
But, just because your hairless cat doesn’t have fur doesn’t mean that they don’t need their coat taken care of. In fact. Hairless cats need quite a lot of maintenance for their skin because of the lack of hair. There are quite a few steps owners need to take on a weekly basis.
So when the summertime comes around, and the air is sticky and the sun is high, you might be wondering if you need to change anything about your hairless cat’s skincare routine. And while you don’t have to lock your cat in a dark room for the whole summer, there are some things you should keep in mind to make sure they’re comfortable.
- The basics for Sphynx cat skin
- Should your cat be outside in the summer?
- Buy a skin-safe sunscreen and protection spray
- Buy a UV-ray protection shirt
The basis of Sphynx cat skin
Before getting into the do’s and don’ts of hairless cat care in the summer it's important to establish a consistent routine for the skincare you need to do for your cat on a weekly basis. Sphynx cats have unique needs when it comes to their skin, different from regular breeds.
Bathe them every seven days
Because Sphynx cats are hairless they have naturally oily skin which if not properly cared for can lead to acne and other skin irritations. And so you should be bathing your cat about once every seven days. Make sure to keep to this schedule so that your cat doesn’t develop an aversion to water.
However, also take care not to over-bathe your cat, as it can suck out the natural oils that they make and cause dry flaky skin problems.
Make sure to moisturize them
Hairless cats are going to need some moisturizing in their routine as well, because of how exposed their skin is to the elements. When looking for a proper lotion try your pet store first, and always make sure that the lotion is naturally based with few chemicals.
Should your cat be outside in the summer?
The question you’ve been waiting for, should your cat be allowed outside at all in the summer? Is the sun too high, the weather too hot? Well, the answer isn’t so clean-cut, but there are some basic rules you should be following.
Sphynx cats in general don’t do well outside for long periods of time, and honestly, most of them would probably prefer to stay inside all day than brave the elements. That hairless skin isn’t just for show, they quite literally have no protection against any weather outside.
Remember too that lighter-skinned Sphynx cats get sunburns faster than darker-skinned Sphynx cats.
In the summer it can be very easy for a hairless cat to get a sunburn or some kind of skin irritation from insects if they go outside unprotected. So your best bet is to probably keep them inside.
However, you might have a hairless cat that likes the outside, at least for a small part of the day. Or for some reason you need to bring them out there. If you’re set on this there are a couple of ways to prevent your cat from having discomfort in the summer weather.
Buy a skin-safe sunscreen and protective spray
Sun-screen for hairless cats is a great way to prevent skin irritations and keep your cat as comfortable as they can be when they’re outside, or even inside. You can get a sunburn through a window after all.
When looking for proper sunscreens to use on your cat a good bet would be to ask your veterinarian for suggestions. Cat sunscreen isn’t a common pet-care good and not every store is going to have it, so you might have to do a little digging.
And under no circumstances should you apply human sunscreen to your hairless cat, usually these sunscreens are full of chemicals that are toxic to cats. Pet sunscreens should be more naturally based.
And if your hairless car is spending time outside, having some moisturizing spray like FaunaCare’s protection spray on hand could be useful as well. With hairless cats it's better to be overeager in their skincare than lackluster.
Buy a UV-ray protection shirt
Another solution to this summer dilemma are UV-ray protection shirts which can be found online and in pet stores fairly easily, and as long as your cat doesn’t mind putting on this little get-up they should be okay in the sun for an hour or two.
Of course, when your cat is lounging around outside in their swanky shirt it should be under constant supervision, and having them settled in a shady area too can provide some much-needed respite from the sun.
These shirts too come in all kinds of styles. You can get shirts that go down all the way to the paws for each leg, or you can get shirts that just cover the chest and body of your cat.
Every cat has a different preference, and they’ll be sure to let you know which shirt they prefer. Either way, when you have them outside make sure to keep an eye on them.
Sphynx cat owners are probably some of the most passionate cat owners on the planet, they love their companions more than anybody else, you’d want to keep them happy and comfortable.
Good skincare for a hairless cat is an essential part of their lives, and as their owner, you should be keeping up with it. But of course, if your cat likes lazing about in the sun you’d like for them to enjoy that too.
As long as your cat is supervised and armed with one of the suggestions given above they should be okay when summer comes around.
