Sphynx cats are one of the most expensive cats in the world. It is a medium-sized cat with no hair due to a natural genetic mutation.
Sphynx cat owners have said that these cats are friendly, approachable, easy to play along with. Angular faces, large eyes, and big ears give them a desirable look.
If you have decided to get a sphynx cat, just be aware that the general cost of purchasing it ranges from $1500 to $10000. But why do they cost so much?
Sphynx cats are so expensive because of their rare availability. Sphynx cats are counted as the rarest purebred cats globally. Due to the high demand and limited supply, we are seeing the price of sphynx cats is increasing yearly.
The large sum comes from the fact that it is one of the rarest purebred cats globally, and breeders spend a considerable amount of money on each cat.
The high demand and limited supply increase the price tag. When the breeder adds up the expenses, the cost of buying a Sphynx cat shoots up.
We will address everything one needs to know about the Sphynx cat so that one has an overall idea before getting this cat.
How much does a Sphynx cat cost in general?
The price tag behind a Sphynx cat may seem quite steep. Depending on the breeders’ experience and purity of the cat, the price can vary in the following way –
Why are sphynx cats so expensive?
Sphynx cats are one of the rarest pure breed cats globally, and breeders spent a lot after each kitten. These cats are so expensive as it is a pure breed cat, and breeders’ experience comes into play to maintain this purity.
The expenses in taking care of the kitten and mother also get included in the already high price.
What Are the Factors that Determine the Sphynx Cat Price?
The high price tag of the Sphynx cat depends on several factors. We are going to discuss the three main reasons why Sphynx cats are so expensive. The top three reasons are –
- Breeding expenses
- Cat quality
- Gender
One of the prime reasons why Sphynx cats come at such a price is that the breeder pays for producing a healthy purebred Sphynx kitten. A breeder needs to pay for the following tests –
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM)
- Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD1)
- Progressive Retinal Atrophy (PRA)
- Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)
- Congenital Myasthenic Syndrome (CMS)
- Feline leukemia virus (FeLV)
- Feline Upper Respiratory Disease (URD)
- Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD)
These tests, maintenance, screenings, supplies, and initial veterinary consultations for the first month cost Sphynx breeders a lot of money.
Above that, HCM and PCD tests are expensive as specialists do it. Breeders also neuter or spay the kittens before selling them to the owners.
Sphynx cats also need special registration paperwork from a respected governing body. Breeders also include the cost of nurturing the mother cat and vaccination of the kittens in the overall breeding cost.
Another factor that affects the price of the Sphynx cat is the quality of the cat. There are two types of Sphynx cats – pet quality and show quality.
Show quality sphynx cats are bred in such a way so that they have a perfect temperament, color, size, body proportions, and many more.
So, they are the more expensive kind of sphynx cats. Pet quality Sphynx cats have one or more deficiencies in terms of the qualities mentioned previously.
One shouldn’t think that there is something wrong with the cat. They only lack perfection in terms of aesthetics and temperament.
The gender of the Sphynx cat comes into consideration if the female is not a spayed cat. Non-spayed Sphynx cats cost more because of their ability to reproduce.
However, breeders spay the cats as per the contract. Spayed male and female Sphynx cats do not have any price difference.
Things you need to know before owning a Sphynx Cat?
Now, you know why the Sphynx cat costs so much. But one should realize that the maintenance cost of Sphynx cats is also very high. The following costs add up to a higher yearly sum –
- Keeping the cat warm
- Annual health checkup
- High-quality cat food
- Special skincare regime
- Keeping cats indoors
Keeping the cat warm:
Sphynx cats lack the warmth of a cozy and fur coat. Maintaining a temperature between 68ºF to 77ºF (20ºC to 25ºC) is very important for the cat as it cannot keep itself warm.
If one stays in a cold climate region, it is crucial to keep the heater on for the entire time. One can only imagine the electricity bill if the heater is on 24×7.
If the room temperature is below 68ºF for a long time, it will make the cat behave in an irritated manner and eventually fall sick.
While it is crucial to keep the temperature above the lower limit, one should also make sure that the warmth does not go above 77ºF.
So, Sphynx cat owners should always be careful of the season and temperature variations to keep the cat happy.
There are two cheaper alternatives to this. Firstly, one can buy a self-heating cat bed for the cat to keep it warm. Secondly, there are several cat clothes available online for sphynx cats.
A cat sweater can cost around $12. But Sphynx cats don’t like to keep clothes on all the time. So, be sure to check whether the cat is comfortable with clothes before buying one for it.
Annual Health Checkup:
Sphynx cats are susceptible to a heart condition called feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or HCM. It is a genetic disorder, and it can happen at any point in life.
It is advisable to have yearly HCM checks to detect the condition in the early stages. However, this disease has no cure.
It is possible to prolong the life of the sphynx cat if it is detected early. HCM tests cost in the range from $150-$500, depending on the location and availability of HCM clinics in the area. One should consider this cost too while getting an estimate of the annual expenditure.
High-quality cat food:
Maintaining a healthy diet for the Sphynx cat is very important for healthy skin. Sphynx cats have a high metabolism rate, and it needs more frequent feeding compared to other cats.
They are also prone to develop conditions like IBD, goopy eyes, and skin infections. So, it is necessary to use high-quality food supplements for the cat.
Another concerning side effect of an unsupervised diet is the disbalance in oil concentration. If the cat has too much oil in the food, it develops oily patches on the skin.
One can detect this abnormal skin disorder by checking the sleeping place of the cat.
It should have oil marks on the bed, and it will be hard to clean these spots. So, it is crucial to have a high-quality food diet and schedule for a healthy Sphynx cat.
Good quality root food or canned food should be enough for the cat. So, be prepared to pay between $600 to $1200 annually to feed the Sphynx cat.
Special skincare regime:
Ensuring a healthy diet will help in maintaining the oil concentration. However, oil and dust still accumulate on the furless skin.
If one does not clean the cat regularly, it will become smelly and oily. The cat will leave its smell and oil all over the house, and it will be a bad experience.
So, it is crucial to clean the cat biweekly with a good shampoo. Stocking up good shampoos should be a must for keeping a healthy Sphynx cat.
One can check gentle shampoos on Amazon. A shampoo can cost between $6-$20. Sphynx cats are also more sensitive in comparison to other felines.
So, it is crucial to avoid problems such as Keeping the skin moist by using a cat-friendly moisturizer such as ViVa Organic Fractionated Coconut Oil.
Sphynx cats also need proper grooming in the pet parlor. Sphynx cat owners spend a considerable amount in a salon to cut the nails and clean ears. A single visit to the salon can cost around $12. [ See a full list of care products here ]
Keeping a cat indoors:
Sphynx cats are sensitive to changing climate. They cannot handle the harsh weather. Leaving a Sphynx cat outside in sunny, rainy, or cold weather makes the sphynx cat susceptible to various health problems. Therefore, it is advisable to keep a Sphynx cat inside the home always.
Having a cat indoors means that one needs to take special care in litter boxes, heaters, or coolers.
The oily skin of the Sphynx cat requires better quality litter. That adds up to a large sum annually. Reports also suggest that the poop of a Sphynx cat is quite smelly.
So, having a quality litter and a covered litter box is very important to keep the household free from the stench.
While selecting litter, one needs to make sure that it is dust-free, odorless, and does not stick to the Sphynx cat’s oily skin. One can find a well-covered litter box here.
Ask yourself – Can you afford it now?
As you have clearly understood, buying and maintaining a Sphynx cat is expensive. Be sure to calculate the amount of money one will spend considering the cat’s lifespan to be 14 years.
Affluent cat owners often love this cat due to the tenderness, sweetness, and rarity. But for a regular cat owner, it can be quite hectic to buy a Sphynx cat, let alone maintain it. So, we are providing some less expensive cat breeds which one can afford and maintain –
- Scottish Fold costs around $3000
- Russian Blue costs around $3000
- American Curl cost around $1200
- American Wirehair costs around $1200
- British Shorthair costs between $800 to $1000
If one is considering buying a purebred cat, there is no other option as good as Sphynx cats. Sphynx cat owners throughout the world have concluded that these cats are the most fun to spend time.
The name of the cat doesn’t do justice to the appealing nature of the cat. Although it shares the name with the Egyptian Sphinx of Giza, it is very playful and lively.
It is common to believe that the Sphynx cat breed is one of the most affectionate cat breeds in the world. Sphynx cats are rare, and it is one of the prime reasons why they are so expensive.
Low supply and breeders’ expenses make the price too steep for regular cat owners. Once one owns the cat, the expenditure keeps on increasing.
However, the loving nature and appealing personality of Sphynx cats have made a lot of owners say that they are worth every penny.
Why Are Sphynx Cats High Maintenance?
When it comes to the hairless Sphynx cat, it might seem that these cats need less maintenance because they have no hair. However, it is not even close to the truth.
Hair serves an important role in the healthy lifestyle of a cat.
As these cats are not getting the benefits of having hair on their bodies, the owners have to do it themselves.
There are a series of responsibilities as a hairless cat owner, and we will look at them to justify why Sphynx cats are so high maintenance.
Bathing:
Sphynx cats fall into the category of not liking.
Apart from some of the cat breeds, cats do not like water. So, if you have adopted an adult Sphynx cat, the new cat wouldn’t like to take a bath by any means. Hence, taking your cat for a bath needs to start from the very beginning.
If you are not keeping your Sphynx cat clean, there will be deposition of oil on their skin.
You must get rid of the oil as soon as possible. Not only does it make the cat vulnerable to many skin rashes, but the excess oil is also often transferred to anywhere the cat sits.
You also need to invest in some high-quality cat shampoos for your Sphynx cats.
While there is an abundant variety of shampoos available for the cats, you should talk to the vet for recommendations.
Skin Care:
If you think that going through the cumbersome process of bathing them with perfect skin, that’s not true at all.
There is much more to the skincare of Sphynx cats than just bathing them.
Are you surprised? Well, you must address them properly.
Ask for your veterinarian’s advice regarding the choice of soap you need while cleaning those areas. Acne is also quite common to these cats. If you leave them untreated, it can cause inflammation of their follicles. The oily skin is also susceptible to blackheads.
Cleaning Ears:
As the oil on their body makes them susceptible to all the dust, their hairless ears cannot protect against the dust as well.
They are especially vulnerable to ear infections because of their inability to stop dust from entering. You have to add cleaning their ears to the list of things you need to do for your Sphynx Cats.
Clothes:
Maine Coons cats survive extremely cold temperatures due to their thick multi-layered coat.
So, you can understand the importance of having a coat on a cat. As Sphynx cats have none, they are vulnerable to cold also.
You have to invest in some cat clothes straight away. It not only keeps them warm, but it is also just cute to clothe your cat into various vibrant colors.
So, it feels like extremely high maintenance, right? It is because they are. When you are adopting a Sphynx cat, you are accepting a lot more responsibilities. However, they are every bit of work and money you put. Extremely sweet behavior is their charm.
Sphynx Cat Price Dependence:
Sphynx cats might be one of the most popular cat breeds globally, but they are extremely rare as well.
The primary reason behind the steep price of these cats is the rarity. A purebred Sphynx cat is very hard to find, and you have to pay a substantial amount to adopt one.
The price of the cat also changes concerning the geographical location. For example, in the United States, a pedigree Sphynx cat would cost you in the range of $1500-$3000.
These cats are not 100% purebred. If you are going for a show-quality Sphynx cat, be ready to spend as much as $6000.
However, if you are going to a Sphynx cattery which is not very popular, the same cat can cost you around $3500. Hence, the value of the cat depends on the place you are going for adoption.
In major cities like New York or Los Angeles, the price of these cats is even higher.
However, if you move to a country like Australia, where the number of cats per household is much higher, you will find them at a much lower price.
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Hi There, AJ Oren here. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. I am also the content manager of this blog. I have experience in pet training and behavior, sheltering, and currently working for a veterinary clinic.