Furrdinand, Christchurch’s furless resident

It’s not every day we see animals of the hairless variety come through our doors – but our Christchurch Centre was recently home to one particularly smooth resident!

Furrdinand, a three year old sphynx cat, made his way to us unwell and in need of a new home. His striking appearance, matched with a chatty and adorable personality, made him an instant favourite among our team; “Furrdinand was a lovely, smoochy boy who enjoyed people and loved attention,” Animal Attendant Lizz tells us. “He was very talkative and loved to chat to you.”

Lizz knew she had someone special on her hands. Once Furrdinand had spent some time in our Centre recovering from cat flu and giardia, she and her team were tasked with finding a foster and a forever home that could handle his specific needs.

Enter Nicky, Furrdinand’s foster mum! A huge fan of sphynx cats, she’d asked our Christchurch Centre team to keep her in mind if any came in needing a temporary home, and was happy to step up to the plate when Furrdinand – or Furrdy, as he was quickly nicknamed – was in need.

“Furrdinand came to stay with us after recovering from cat flu and giardia. He’s such a tough cookie, though – you would have never known he’d been sick with his energetic and friendly attitude,” Nicky says. “Over the past month with us we’ve spent time getting his teeth healthier, treating his chin acne, and helping him recover from being ill.

“As he is a sphynx cat he requires a bit more specialised care than the short-haired cats I usually foster, including weekly bathing and regulating his temperature. Watching him get healthier has been such an amazing journey. He’s such a character – we’ve fostered nearly 40 cats and kittens, and none of them are quite like Furrdinand.”

As Nicky mentioned, Sphynx cats like Furrdinand have a particular set of care needs that are crucial to helping them live healthy, comfortable lives. The term ‘hairless’ is a bit of a misnomer – sphynx have a fine, downy ‘peach fuzz’ coat of hair, nearly invisible to the eye or touch – but unlike their furry counterparts, they don’t have a full coat. For most cats, fur draws oils away from the skin, and regular grooming by the cats themselves keeps them clean.

Without fur, the oils on sphynx cats’ skin have nowhere to go, and pick up dirt that sticks easily to the cats’ skin. As sphynx are a wrinkly species, oil and dirt can settle into crevices around their necks, arms, faces, and feet, and can cause great discomfort for them if left uncleaned. And without fur to act as a barrier, their eyes and ears are extra vulnerable to dirt and debris. This can lead to conditions like acne, urticaria pigmentosa (small, itchy red bumps on the skin), and eye/ear infections. As a result, regular bathing is needed for sphynx cats, often as frequently as once a week.

Like most cats, sphynx aren’t generally fans of water, so it’s important to begin their experience with baths early and positively. All sphynx cats should begin having baths as kittens, to get them used to the process and reduce stress.

Furrdinand, despite his breed, did not grow up having regular baths. “Baths are very new for him, so he’s still scared of them,” Nicky tells us. They bring him more stress than they should – something that Nicky worked hard to combat.

Use a washcloth, warm water, and gentle pet-safe soap to wash your sphynx’s body, making sure you’re targeting the areas between their skin folds. Check between their toes, and around their claws, for buildup and debris. Use the washcloth and warm water to gently clean their face, being sure to check their eyes and ears for buildup and grime.

Every sphynx is different. While some may need weekly baths, others may be able to go longer between them. Pay attention to your sphynx’s wellbeing and skin condition, adjusting your routine as needed. And regardless of their bathing schedule, it’s recommended that you clean their eyes, ears, toes, and claws at least once a week.

Unsure about what products to use, or if your routine could be better? Talk to your local veterinarian to make sure you’re taking the best care possible of your sphynx.

As with their recommended bathing routine, there are other care factors to keep in mind when adopting a hairless cat.

Sphynx cats should be strictly indoor cats, especially in New Zealand. Their lack of fur means they’re particularly susceptible to the sun’s harsh rays and are at much higher risk of sunburn and skin cancer than the average cat.

They also have a harder time regulating their body temperature than most cats, so it's important to provide them with the extra warmth they need. In general, home environments between 22 and 25 degrees Celsius suit them well. And in colder months, make sure they have access to blankets they can cozy up under – you may also consider getting them a jumper or two.

Sphynx cats are at higher risk of certain health conditions, like feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or HCM. This condition thickens the muscular walls of a cat's heart and decreases its efficiency, potentially leading to arrythmias, blood clots, and congestive heart failure. It’s important to have your veterinarian assess your sphynx cat regularly for HCM during their annual check-ups.

After his much-needed time in foster care, Furrdinand went on to find a forever home with new mum Jessica and her cats and dogs, settling quickly into his new life.

"From the day he came home, he’s been an absolute sweetheart. The first thing he did was sit on my shoulder demanding kisses!” Jessica says. “His foster family did such an amazing job with him, and made him who he is today. And I’m so blessed that he’s now part of my family!”

Jessica and Furrdinand have quickly bonded, and Furrdinand's charm is on full display. “He’s amazing with kids and loves every animal and human he meets. He loves play time – his favourite toy is his mouse, which he brings with him everywhere. He also loves his fluffy lion king blanket and sleeping with the dogs underneath it, and my two other cats; they bathe one another and cuddle together. He’s my little shadow – he follows me everywhere and is the ruler of the house. Everyone who comes in and out needs to be approved by him, and if they don’t give him pats, he’ll jump on them to correct that mistake!”

Jessica has also taken on Furrdinand’s required care routine happily, making accommodations for the fear he still has of water. “Bath time is a two-person job – if he’s wet, you’re going to be too!”

“Even though he’s only been with us a short time, it’s like he’s been in our family for years. He just fits in. He’s more than just a cat to us, he’s family. He makes every day better, from the snuggles in the morning to the good night kisses he gives. He’s a beautiful young boy who now has a permanent loving home, and we couldn’t have asked for a better cat.”

We’re so glad Jessica found Furrdinand, and can’t thank her enough for taking a chance on him. We’re sure they’re going to have a wonderful life together!

Foster care is a crucial step in many of our cats’ journeys, providing a place for them to rest, recover, and get back to feeling their best. Furrdy’s foster mum Nicky tells us that “Fostering high needs cats, or any that need extra TLC, is extremely rewarding. You're provided with all the resources and support you need. And with each new foster, there are so many learnings that you can take and use for the next!”

If you’d consider providing a temporary home for our animals to heal, we’d love to hear from you. Read more about the fostering process and apply on our site.

And if you’re considering adopting a companion animal of your own, it's important to understand the implications of breeding animals like Furrdinand, and how choosing to support unethical purebreeding operations contributes to a larger problem. Demand for specific breeds leads directly to a market where health and welfare concerns are ignored in favour of achieving an aesthetic “look”. It encourages irresponsible breeders to pursue harmful breeding practices, producing animals with underlying health issues or extreme features that often lead to significant welfare implications.

SPCA always recommends adopting an animal from a reputable rescue organisation. But if you do choose to buy a purebred animal, it's crucial to do your due diligence to ensure you’re supporting an ethical, safe breeder that values the health of its animals.

• Do your research before you view the animal you’re interested in buying. Ask the breeder for references from their vet, and from owners of animals from previous litters.
• Visit their facilities to see where the animals are raised.
• A reputable breeder should be aware of and screen for any known inherited conditions or physical problems specific to the breed; you can ask to see the results of relevant veterinary health checks or screening tests.

Ultimately, it’s important not to buy or breed animals with features that compromise their health and welfare. If you do have a purebred animal, it’s important to consult your vet to understand any potential health issues, and to manage any symptoms they may develop. Purebred animals like Furrdinand can live long, happy, healthy lives with the right care – and it’s up to their owners to ensure that care is given.