Sphynxes and other hairless cats adjust to their environments, just like other animals, but their ability to adapt is limited. What ambient temperature do Sphynx cats need to be comfortable and do they need clothes to stay warm on cool days?
Sphynxes and other bald cats get cold easily if the temperature drops below about 15°C (60°F ). Hairless cats do not have a coat to insulate them and some factors, such as very young or old age, or health problems, put them at a higher risk. Your Sphynx could benefit from clothes or a heating blanket if your home gets cool regularly.
How Cold Is Too Cold For Hairless Cats?
The ideal temperature for Sphynxes and other bald cats is around 20°C (68°F) or slightly above that. The optimal range varies depending on what the cat is used to.
Most hairless cats are significantly uncomfortable if they live in a place where the ambient temperature is below 15°C (60 °F). If your home is usually cool, consider putting clothes on your bald kitty or providing a space heater or a warm blanket so that the cat can retreat to a warm spot for sleep.
Despite not having the benefit of a warm coat, Sphynxes and other bald cats have some unique adaptations that help them maintain their body temperature.
HOW DO BALD CATS MAINTAIN THEIR BODY TEMPERATURE?
High Metabolism
Sphynxes and other bald kitties may seem to have voracious appetites in comparison to furry cats. They do have a fast metabolism, meaning that they digest their food quickly and the physiological processes in their bodies are fast.
As a result, they have higher resting heart rates, they may sweat more. Naturally, that also leads to a higher demand for nutrients and a slightly higher baseline body temperature. It helps with staying warmer but may not be sufficient, depending on the animal and how cool the environment is.
Bald cats still have a lower ability to conserve warmth because there is nothing, other than their skin, to insulate them from the surrounding environment. If a cat is not moving, while sleeping, for example, it could develop mind hypothermia.
Acclimation
Acclimation, or adapting to the typical environment, is an important factor but it is not always reliable and is very individual. It is also not specific to bald animals.
Cats do adapt, to an extent, to their immediate environment. So, your pet could get used to a slightly cooler or warmer than optimal temperature. However, it is important to pay attention to your pet’s behaviors and needs and any additional risk factors that could impact the cat’s ability to acclimate.
AGE AND HEALTH STATUS AS FACTORS FOR TEMPERATURE INSTABILITY
A healthy adult cat is likely to tolerate a cool day much better than a kitten or an elderly, more fragile, animal.
An animal that has one or several health problems is more vulnerable to temperature instability, both hypothermia and hyperthermia.
Heart problems, in particular, affect perfusion to the tissues and make hypothermia more likely. A variety of other chronic or acute health conditions will make the cat more vulnerable too, including hypoactive thyroid, common for older cats.
HOW TO TELL IF YOUR CAT IS COLD
A cat’s normal body temperature ranges from 101°F (38°C) to 102.5°F (39.2°C). Hairless cats may run warmer but the difference is not very significant.
If the cat’s temperature drops to 90°F (32°C) – 95°F (35°C), the animal is mildly hypothermic. Anything below 84°F (28C°) is severe hypothermia but that is unlikely if your cat is an indoor pet as most bald cats are.
Some of the common signs of mild and moderate hypothermia include the following:
- Behavioral changes, for example, nervousness and pacing; curling up and sleeping more than usual is even more common
- Cold paws and ears
- Vocalizing in a way that communicates distress
- The pallor of the mucous membranes of the mouth
- Shivering
- Some cats groom excessively
Some of the signs of progressing hypothermia include weakness and lethargy, stiffness of paws and possibly the torso, slow or labored breathing, and low heart rate. Again, those are unlikely, unless your house is really cold or if your pet escapes outside in cold weather.
HOW TO KEEP YOUR HAIRLESS CAT WARM
Increased Nutrition During The Cold Season
Bald cats usually eat a little more than most cats but their diets should still be balanced. Excessive weight gain is a concern for any animal.
That said, if your home is cooler than ideal during the cold season, your hairless pet might benefit from extra calories to support its effort to stay warm during winter.
Does Your Hairless Cat Need Clothes?
Well, most cats do not need clothes but being bald is not entirely natural for cats. These animals did, after all, emerge as a breed thanks to a mutation.
The majority of hairless felines still do just fine without clothes but it is an option to consider. Your bald pet could benefit from wearing a sweater or a vest of some sort if you notice that the cat gets cold often or if your home is cooler than you think is ideal for the cat. Your pet might need time to get used to wearing clothes.
In summer, a hairless cat that goes outside could benefit from a cotton shirt for protection from direct sunlight.
Other Ways To Keep Your Sphynx Warm
Your home could just have warm spots for your pet to sleep comfortably and retreat to as needed.
If you have a fireplace or radiators, you could place the kitty bed next to them. The cat will probably gravitate toward those warm spots even without a kitty bed.
Alternatively, you could purchase a heating pad or a blanket for your pet. Those are quite affordable and provide a good, at least partial, solution for a pet that is prone to getting cold.
CAN HAIRLESS CATS GO OUTSIDE?
Sphynxes and other hairless cats can spend some time outdoors but it is best to let them venture out when it is moderately warm outside.
It is important to avoid the hours when the sunlight is direct during the hot season. It may seem counterintuitive but having no fur contributes to the fact that bold cats are sensitive to hot weather.
It is certainly important to keep your bald cat at home when it is much colder than 15 °C (60 °F) or if it is raining. Brief outings are okay, especially if your pet goes outside regularly.
Related Question:
Can Sphynxes Live Outside?
Bald cats have all the instincts of other cats so they can adapt to surviving outside. However, all the typical issues of hairless cats will still need to be addressed. Those include the lack of insulation and the high risk for heatstroke and sunburn, or hypothermia, depending on the climate.
