A small Sphynx cat looking into the camera

Sphynx cat standing on the arm of the sofa

Sphynx Cat Insurance, Care and Health Advice

Exotic, alluring and full of personality, the Sphynx Cat is proof that you don&rsquo;t have to be fluffy to have the wow factor.&nbsp;But beyond the striking appearance, there are lots of other things that make this a very special feline. Here&#39;s everything you need to know about caring for a Sphynx Cat.

Domestic

Type

8 - 14 years

Lifespan

Medium

Size

3 - 5 kg

Weight

20 - 25 cm

Height

Intelligent, curious, sociable

Temperament

30 mins per day

Exercise

High maintenance

Grooming

Sphynx cats are relatively healthy, but owners should be aware of the health issues that can affect the breed. Sphynx kittens are susceptible to respiratory issues and the breed is prone to conditions such as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy, Hereditary Myopathy and Sunburn!

No! Lacking fur doesn&rsquo;t mean that these cats are hypoallergenic. The protein Fel d1 that causes allergies is still produced in their saliva and the dander that contains dead skin cells and saliva will still be on their skin. However, it has been reported that some allergy sufferers can tolerate these cats better than other cats with fur.

If you&rsquo;re wondering what&rsquo;s it like to pet a hairless cat, then it just feels like touching a warm peach or chamois leather. Sphynx Cats aren&rsquo;t actually completely hairless but have a downy covering. Their skin can appear wrinkled and somewhat greasy (as the oil their skin produces accumulates on their skin).

What is the average Sphynx cat’s lifespan?

The average Sphynx cat's lifespan is typically between 8 to 14 years, though with proper care, some can live even longer. Regular veterinary checkups, a healthy diet, and maintaining their unique skin care needs contribute to their longevity.

What is the Sphynx cat’s personality like?

Sphynx cats are friendly, social, and affectionate. They love attention, enjoy playtime, and often seek close companionship with their owners.

That’s All You Need to Know About the Sphynx

Inquisitive, affectionate and never afraid to speak their mind, a Sphynx could be the purr-fect new member of your family.

Sphynx Cats have big personalities, they love attention and will want to be your constant companion. They&rsquo;re suited to being in families with children and other pets. If everyone is out at work or school during the day, they&rsquo;ll enjoy having another pet as a companion as they don&rsquo;t like being left alone for too long. Some people may be a bit wary of their unusual, hairless look but don&rsquo;t worry, they&rsquo;ll soon win you over.

Sphynx Cats have big personalities, they love attention and will want to be your constant companion. They&rsquo;re suited to being in families with children and other pets. If everyone is out at work or school during the day, they&rsquo;ll enjoy having another pet as a companion as they don&rsquo;t like being left alone for too long. Some people may be a bit wary of this <a href="/cat-insurance/cat-breed-guides" title="Link to Everypaw's Cat Breed Guides">cat breed&#39;s</a> unusual, hairless look but don&rsquo;t worry, they&rsquo;ll soon win you over.

<ul>
	<li>Vetstream Ltd (online) Sphynx. In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/freeform/sphynx" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Sphynx Cat page">https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/freeform/sphynx</a></li>
	<li>Serena Brownlie, Phil Fox, Philip K Nicholls, Penny Watson, Liz Bode (online) Heart: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/heart-hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) page">https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/heart-hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy</a></li>
	<li>Laurent Garosi, Leslie A Lyons, Prof Richard Malik (online) Devon Rex myopathy. In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/devon-rex-myopathy" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Devon Rex Myopathy page">https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/devon-rex-myopathy</a></li>
	<li>Rosanna Marsella, Ian Mason, David Scarff (online) Dermatitis: solar. In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/dermatitis-solar" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's Dermatitis Solar page">https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/dermatitis-solar</a></li>
	<li>Severine Tasker &amp; Albert Lloret (online) Viral-induced upper respiratory tract disease. In: Vetlexicon Felis. Vetstream Ltd, UK. Website: <a href="https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/viral-induced-upper-respiratory-tract-disease" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's viral-induced upper respiratory tract disease page">https://www.vetstream.com/treat/felis/diseases/viral-induced-upper-respiratory-tract-disease</a></li>
</ul>

Content provided from&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vetlexicon.com/felis%C2%A0" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="Link to Vetstream's cat information">Vetstream&#39;s Vetlexicon Felis</a>.

Vetlexicon is the world&rsquo;s largest peer-reviewed online clinical reference source. All our content is written and peer-reviewed by over 1,000 of the world&rsquo;s leading veterinarians, ensuring relevance, accuracy and quality.

First off, if you or someone in your home is constantly turning the heating controls down, then this probably isn&rsquo;t the cat for you. For obvious reasons, the Sphynx appreciates a warm home; ideally around 21&deg;C.

There&rsquo;s no getting away from it; a cat without a coat is always going to grab people&rsquo;s attention, but the Sphynx is perfect for anyone looking for a loyal, affectionate little housemate.

If you like the idea of being followed from room to room - and are happy to have someone occupying your lap all evening, then you and your Sphynx will be a perfect match.

First off, if you or someone in your home is constantly turning the heating controls down, then this probably isn&rsquo;t the cat for you. For obvious reasons, the Sphynx appreciates a warm home; ideally around 21&deg;C.

The Sphynx is perfect for anyone looking for a loyal, affectionate little housemate. If you like the idea of being followed from room to room - and are happy to have someone occupying your lap all evening, then you and your Sphynx will be a perfect match.

Sphynx kittens should quickly settle into their new home if they have been well-socialised before re-homing. Most are rehomed when they are around 14 weeks old. If rehomed earlier, the <a href="/kitten-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Kitten Insurance">kittens</a> may be more susceptible to respiratory infections if there is a change in temperature and humidity to the home they have been used to. &nbsp;So, keep them warm, gently get them used to having regular baths, give them lots of <a href="/all-things-pet/cat-games-for-cats" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to games you can play with cats">playtime</a> and you&rsquo;ll be rewarded with a happy, affectionate, confident cat.

Sphynx cat looking warm and snuggly in a blanket

One of the best things about the Sphynx is their vocal side. Whether they&rsquo;re playing, annoyed, hungry or just in the mood for a chat, they&rsquo;ll let you know about it through a <a href="/all-things-pet/understanding-cat-language" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to understanding cat language">series of miaows</a>!

Their playful side means that a Sphynx can make a great addition to the household where there are children around; although, especially with smaller children, it&rsquo;s important to <a href="/all-things-pet/how-children-should-act-around-pets" title="Link to Everypaw's guide on how kids should act around pets">teach kids to respect the cat&rsquo;s private space</a>.

And while Sphynx Cats love to live in the lap of, well your lap, that bond can come with a downside. Sphynx <a href="/all-things-pet/stress-in-cats/" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to spotting the signs of stress in cats">can get distressed</a> (and sometimes destructive) when left alone for long periods. They&rsquo;re ideally suited for homes where there&rsquo;s usually someone around - or when there&rsquo;s another cat present.

Sphnyx Cats can have sensitive tummies. Ask your breeder which cat food they used and continue to use this brand. If you want to change their diet, do so gradually to avoid any tummy upsets. Being an energetic breed with a high metabolism, the Sphynx might need a bit more food than the average cat. To keep any hunger pangs at bay, provide a high calorie food. If unsure what to buy, ask your vet to recommend a cat food that will fit their nutritional requirements.

Like most other cats, a Sphynx will <a href="/all-things-pet/cat-overgrooming" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to cat overgrooming">spend a lot of time self-grooming</a>. The trouble is a lack of fur means there isn&rsquo;t anything to absorb all of that oil from their saliva. So, a Sphynx usually <a href="/all-things-pet/bad-fur-day-read-our-cat-grooming-101" title="Link to Everypaw's cat grooming guide">needs a bath once a week</a>. They don&rsquo;t always like this idea - but positive reinforcement from kittenhood can help make bathing less stressful.

Between baths, you should check the folds and wrinkles in their skin every couple of days. Clean away any build-up of dirt or grease with a slightly damp cloth to prevent infection.

The Sphynx has little or no hair in those big pointy ears. The ear canals can sometimes be a magnet for debris, so they need to be inspected and cleaned once a week (very carefully, to prevent pushing dirt in further). Nails should be inspected regularly, too; the best time to trim them is generally straight after a bath.

Sphynx <a href="/all-things-pet/letting-your-cat-outside" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to the concerns of letting cats outside">Cats and the great outdoors do not mix</a>. They can easily get sunburned and also suffer the effects of cold a lot quicker than other breeds - so this is definitely an indoors cat.

But these are clever, curious cats - and they like to be kept busy in their indoor homes. This means lots of puzzle and fetch games and plenty of one-on-one interaction.

Link to get an Everypaw Cat Insurance quote

Making sure your Sphynx is well cared for is part and parcel of cat ownership, and with that comes thinking about Sphynx cat insurance. Cat insurance can help keep kitty happy and healthy and your pocket free of expensive vet bills.

With <a href="/Home/cat-insurance.html">Everypaw&rsquo;s Cat Insurance</a> there&rsquo;s a range of Lifetime cover to choose from ranging up to &pound;10,000. And our top two levels of Lifetime Insurance are 5 Star Defaqto Rated. All our policies also come with additional features like 24/7 access to a vet team and policy management via our <a href="/pet-portal-info" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Portal information page">Pet Portal</a>.

Making sure your Sphynx is well cared for is part and parcel of cat ownership, and with that comes thinking about Sphynx cat insurance. Cat insurance can help keep kitty happy and healthy and your pocket free of expensive vet bills.

With&nbsp;<a href="https://www.everypaw.com/cat-insurance">Everypaw&rsquo;s Cat Insurance</a>&nbsp;there&rsquo;s a range of Lifetime cover to choose from ranging up to &pound;10,000. And our top two levels of <a href="/lifetime-pet-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Lifetime Pet Insurance">Lifetime Insurance</a> are 5 Star Defaqto Rated. All our policies also come with additional features like 24/7 access to a vet team and policy management via our <a href="/pet-portal-info" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Portal Information page">Pet Portal</a>.

<a href="/all-things-pet/hypertrophic-cardiomyopathy-hcm-in-cats" title="Link to Everypaw's article about HCM in cats">Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM) in cats</a> is a serious heart disease that causes thickening (hypertrophy) of the heart muscle. The condition is inherited in many cat breeds and the Sphynx breed has a high risk of HCM. In those affected, heart failure, thromboembolism or sudden death can result, even in cats that don&rsquo;t show any outward signs of disease. Echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart) is used to diagnose the condition. Breeding cats should be screened for the condition.

Hereditary Myopathy is an inherited condition, also known as Congenital Myotonia Syndrome (CMS) or spasticity, is similar to the muscle disease that affects the <a href="/cat-insurance/cat-breed-guides/devon-rex-cat-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Devon Rex cat breed guide">Devon Rex breed</a>. Affected Sphynx cats will have generalised muscle weakness and may be unable to raise their head.

They can have problems swallowing food which can lead to choking. As it is caused by a gene mutation, there is no cure, but a genetic test is available to determine which cats carry the gene (and so should not be bred from).

Sphynx Cats, like all hairless cats, are prone to sun damage AKA Solar Dermatitis, so it&rsquo;s best to keep these cats out of the sun. Too much sun <a href="/all-things-pet/cat-skin-cancer." title="Link to Everypaw's guide to skin cancer in cats">can lead to skin cancer</a> over time. If your cat likes being outdoors, limit their time outside and avoid the sunniest time of the day. A pet-safe suntan cream can be used but make sure it is non-toxic as cats usually like to lick the cream off.

Sphynx Kittens may be more vulnerable to respiratory issues due to their lack of hair. Spotting snuffles or breathing problems early and getting any necessary treatment will help prevent any respiratory issues from becoming worse.

Common Sphynx Cat Health Problems by Vetstream

While generally healthy and robust, there are a few breed-specific health problems that Sphynx Cats can be susceptible to. Veterinary experts Vetstream have put together the following <a href="/all-things-pet/10-common-cat-illnesses-and-symptoms" title="Link to Everypaw's guide to the most common cat illnesses">list of common conditions</a> Sphynx Cats are known to suffer from.

Sphynx Cat Insurance and Health Advice | Everypaw

Sphynx

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The benefit values featured in the table may vary across the different levels of cover and will depend on the cover you choose. Please check your cover before purchasing. Be aware, for some breeds of dogs we do not provide our &pound;8k and &pound;10k Lifetime cover. 
 
All policies and features are subject to special conditions and exclusions of the insurers, please click the link to read about&nbsp;<a href="/Home/pet-insurance-policy-exclusions.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Pet Insurance Exclusions page">our policy exclusions.</a> 
 
Excess is applicable to all vet fees claims. When your pet reaches a certain age, the excess payable may change. The excess will be your set excess plus a percentage of your claim amount.

Getting your furry friend covered shouldn&#39;t just come down to cost. There&#39;s a lot more to it than that, so take the time to do a pet insurance comparison. Think about their breed, the level of cover they might need, and what would be important to you. After all, insurance is there for both of you.

One of the best ways to do that is to compare cover levels. This will give you an idea of how much your pet insurance will cost, how much you can claim against vet bills, as well as the policy benefits. It&#39;s all about finding the Lifetime Pet Insurance that works best for you and your pet.

*Based on Everypaw claims data from February 2024 to March 2025

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As our furry companions age, they&#39;re more likely to suffer from ailments and illnesses here and there. And we want you to be able to look after your pet well into retirement. That&#39;s why we don&#39;t have age limits on our policies. Our <a href="/Home/pet-insurance-for-older-pets.html">pet insurance for older pets</a> can help you do the most important thing &ndash; looking after your pet.

What about younger pets? We also offer <a href="/cat-insurance/kitten-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Kitten Insurance page">kitten</a> and <a href="/dog-insurance/puppy-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Puppy Insurance page">puppy insurance</a>, covered by our cat and dog insurance. No matter how old or young your purr-fect pet is, our pet insurance can give you all-important peace of mind.&nbsp;

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Whether you are looking for a playmate for your pet or if your house is more like a <a href="/dog-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Dog Insurance page">dog</a>, <a href="/cat-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Cat Insurance page">cat</a> and <a href="/rabbit-insurance" title="Link to Everypaw's Rabbit Insurance page">rabbit</a> smallholding, you need multi-pet insurance that works for you. Everypaw&#39;s policies are just that and give you a discount on every pet too. No matter how many pets you have, from glorious <a href="/dog-insurance/dog-breed-guides/golden-retriever-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Golden Retriever Dog Breed Guide page">Golden Retrievers</a> and majestic <a href="/cat-insurance/cat-breed-guides/maine-coon-cat-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Maine Coon Cat Breed Guide page">Maine Coons</a> to lovely <a href="/rabbit-insurance/rabbit-breed-guides/lionhead-rabbit-insurance-care-and-health-advice" title="Link to Everypaw's Lionhead Rabbit Breed Guide page">Lionheads</a>, it&#39;s there for every single paw.

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Our pet insurance quote form takes just 3 minutes to fill out. Here&#39;s how it works:

<ul>
	<li>Select which type of pet you&#39;re looking to insure and enter their age, breed and sex</li>
	<li>Enter basic personal details about yourself including your email and home addresses</li>
	<li>Select your vet fees limit</li>
	<li>We&#39;ll give you a pet insurance price! And we&#39;ll show you what the cost is for the year, plus what your monthly instalments will look like if you choose to pay that way</li>
</ul>

Will my pet insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

Ever found the urge to discover what the best dog breeds to train are or maybe you want to get to the bottom of your pet&#39;s worm problem.&nbsp;<a href="/Home/all-things-pet.html" title="Link to Everypaw's All Things Pet blog">Everypaw&#39;s All Things Pet blog</a>&nbsp;has the content to keep you informed.

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For that extra peace of mind when your pets get up to mischief, there&#39;s Everypaw. Our pet insurance is for cats, dogs and rabbits, and every policy comes with unlimited 24/7 access to vet nurses and vets. So, if you ever feel a bit &#39;for pet&#39;s sake&#39;, know Everypaw is here for you and your pet when you need us most!

Why Choose Everypaw for Pet Insurance in the UK?

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Choosing the right pet health insurance isn&#39;t always easy. We know that. And we also know that a key part of deciding is knowing what&#39;s not covered. That way, at least there are no nasty surprises in terms of coughing up for bills that you thought were going to be taken care of by your policy.

So, here are a few of the main exclusions on our pet insurances:

<ul>
	<li>Treatment for any pre-existing conditions</li>
	<li>Treatment for poisoning or any accidental injury that occurs in the first 3 days of your policy*</li>
	<li>Treatment for any illness that occurs in the first 14 days of your policy*</li>
	<li>Treatment related to vaccine-preventable conditions</li>
	<li>Treatment related to breeding, pregnancy or birthing</li>
	<li>Treatment on baby teeth if your pet is over 16 weeks when your policy starts</li>
</ul>

*Switching to Everypaw Pet Insurance? If you can prove your previous insurance runs up to the policy start date, we can waive this for you.

Please see our <a href="/Home/pet-insurance-policy-exclusions.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Policy Exclusions page">exclusions page</a>&nbsp;for further details.

Fingers crossed, you never have to! We want to reassure you that claiming on your pet health insurance is as hassle-free as possible. That&rsquo;s why we have Vet Pawtal. A direct platform for vets so they can submit claims and leave you to care for your pet.

Vet Pawtal is the fastest and most efficient way to claim. There&rsquo;s no more paperwork for you, and we&rsquo;ll keep you updated every step of the way.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

If your vet can&rsquo;t submit the claim, don&rsquo;t worry; you can still submit it in the <a href="https://petportal.everypaw.com/register#login" target="_blank" title="Link to the Everypaw Pet Portal">Everypaw Pet Portal</a>. It&rsquo;s straightforward; just log in and follow the instructions. Alternatively,&nbsp;you can <a href="https://www.everypaw.com/downloads-2020/everypaw-claim-form.pdf" target="_blank" title="Link to download an Everypaw claim form">download a claim form</a>, but this can take longer.

Please refer to the guidance in your policy documents for Third Party Liability claims.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

For more information, head to our <a href="/Home/claims.html">Pet Insurance Claims information page</a>.

We know pets are just as much a part of your family as any human. So, we know how important it is to you that they&#39;re protected. Choose Everypaw for pet insurance in the UK and give yourself that priceless peace of mind.

We know things can be tough right now, with many people facing money worries. If you have such concerns, please get in touch with us, as we may be able to offer some options to help, which could include reducing your cover or increasing your excess.

If you wish to find out more and your eligibility for any options, please call <a href="tel:03445431009" title="Call Everypaw Customer Services and Claims">0344 543 1009</a>.

Two levels of our Lifetime Pet Insurance cover have been rated 5 Stars by independent financial business, Defaqto, for 8 years in a row.

Deciding which pet insurance your furry bundle of fun needs can be tricky, especially if you&#39;re a new fur-parent. That&#39;s why here at Everypaw.com, we&#39;re trying to keep things simple, we&#39;re all about&nbsp;<a href="/Home/lifetime-pet-insurance.html" title="Link to Everypaw's Lifetime Pet Insurance page">Lifetime Pet Insurance</a>.

Our Lifetime cover is available for your cats, dogs and rabbits. And if you&#39;re looking to cover your cat or dog, there&#39;s a range of cover levels to choose from. Lifetime covers your pet up to a set vet fee limit, and the limits reset for every year of cover.

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Sphynx Cat Insurance, Care and Health Advice

Sphynx Cat Facts

Is a Sphynx Cat Right for Me?

What Are Sphynx Kittens Like?

Life with a Sphynx

Caring for Your Sphynx

Dinner time

Grooming time

Training & exercise