The first seven days with your Sphynx kitten

The first week is not about teaching tricks. It is about making a small, warm, slightly confused animal feel safe enough to eat, sleep and explore.

Here is the plan we would follow.

Before they arrive

Set up one quiet room before the kitten comes home. Not the whole apartment — one room. This is their safe base while they learn the smells and sounds of your home.

In that room:

• A covered litter box, away from food and water
• Fresh water in a ceramic or steel bowl
• The food they are already eating
• A warm bed and a blanket that smells of their first home
• A scratching post or cardboard scratcher
• A hiding place — a box with a soft blanket is enough
• A window with shade, if possible

Remove cables, toxic plants, small swallowable objects and anything unstable. Sphynx cats climb with confidence and very little planning.

Day one: let them be boring

Open the carrier in the safe room and sit nearby. Do not pull the kitten out, pass it around or introduce the whole family at once. Let it decide when to come out.

Talk softly. Offer food and water. Show them the litter box once, gently. Then give them space.

It is normal for a kitten not to eat much on day one. It is not normal for a kitten to be limp, struggling to breathe or unable to pass urine. Call your vet if something feels wrong.

Days two and three: routine, not excitement

Keep the same food, the same litter and the same room. Sit on the floor and let the kitten come to you. Short handling sessions are better than long cuddles that end in squirming.

Start a simple routine:

• Food at the same times
• Play before meals
• Quiet time after eating
• Litter scooping at least twice a day

Sphynx kittens are social, but they still need to learn that hands are safe and that being picked up does not always mean a trip to the vet.

Day four: start widening the world

If the kitten is eating, using the litter box and comfortable with you, open the door to one more room. Supervise. Put breakables away.

If you have other pets, do not rush introductions. Swap bedding so they can smell each other first. Then try a short, supervised meeting with a barrier — a baby gate or a carrier — and keep it brief. Hissing is normal; chasing, pinning or hiding is not. Slow it down.

Day five to seven: the first vet visit

Book a vet check within the first few days, ideally within 48–72 hours of homecoming. Bring:

• The kitten’s records from the breeder
• The food they are eating
• A stool sample, if your vet asks
• A list of questions

Ask about vaccination timing, microchip registration, deworming, dental care and what to do in an emergency. A good vet will welcome the questions.

Sleep, warmth and skin

Sphynx kittens get cold easily. Give them a warm bed and a blanket, and let them sleep as much as they want. Do not wake a sleeping kitten to play.

Check the skin gently each day. A little oil is normal; redness, sores, a rash or a bad smell is not. Ask your vet before using any shampoo or cream.

What “normal” looks like

• Eating and drinking a little more each day
• Using the litter box regularly
• Playing in short bursts, then collapsing
• Following you, then hiding, then following you again
• Sleeping a lot

When to call the vet

Call if the kitten:

• Stops eating or drinking
• Has diarrhoea or vomiting that does not settle
• Cries when passing urine or cannot pass urine
• Is lethargic, limp or breathing fast
• Has a persistent cough, discharge or a fever
• Has a skin rash, sore or swelling

Trust your instincts. A kitten cannot tell you what is wrong, but a change in behaviour usually means something.

The first week is a foundation

You are not behind if the kitten hides for two days. You are not failing if you sleep on the floor next to the bed. Go slowly, keep the routine boring, and let the relationship start on the kitten’s terms.

For the UAE-specific routine, read Sphynx care in a UAE summer. If you are still choosing a kitten, start with the honest buyer’s guide.