What to Buy for a New Sphynx Kitten: The Complete Checklist

Most new-kitten checklists are written for cats with fur. A Sphynx needs the same basics — food, water, a litter tray, somewhere to sleep — but the details change when there is no coat between the kitten and the world. Warmth matters more. Dust matters more. Skin products matter a great deal more. This is the list we would hand a friend a fortnight before collection day, sorted by what genuinely has to be in the house on day one and what can wait.

Before you buy anything: ask your breeder

The single most useful item on any checklist is information. Before you shop, ask your breeder for three things in writing: the exact food the kitten is eating, the litter it is used to, and the shampoo it has been bathed with. A kitten moving house is already coping with new rooms, new people and new smells. Keeping its food, litter and bath routine identical for the first few weeks removes three avoidable sources of stress — and of upset stomachs.

Our kittens go home with a written care handover for exactly this reason. If your breeder cannot tell you what the kitten eats, treat that as information too.

Day-one essentials

Warmth

A Sphynx kitten loses heat faster than a coated kitten and will hunt for warmth all day: your lap, the laptop, the sunny patch on the floor. Give it a reliable option of its own. A covered cave bed holds body heat; a self-warming mat with no cord adds a little more with nothing to chew; an adjustable, low-temperature heating pad is useful in cooler houses, used under a blanket so the kitten can move off it. Our guide to a heated bed for a Sphynx covers safe temperatures and set-up in detail.

Food and water

• The same kitten food the breeder is using, wet and dry, enough for at least the first month.
• Shallow stainless steel or ceramic bowls. Plastic scratches and harbours bacteria, which matters for a breed prone to chin blackheads.
• A water fountain or a second water bowl away from the food. Many cats drink more from moving water.

Sphynx kittens eat a surprising amount for their size, because they burn energy keeping warm. Our Sphynx feeding guide explains portions and meal frequency.

Litter

• At least one tray per cat, plus one, in a quiet spot.
• Low-dust litter. Fine dust settles on bare skin and in skin folds, and a kitten that has just used a dusty tray then climbs onto your pillow. Paper or low-dust clumping litters are worth the slightly higher price.
• A scoop, liners if you like them, and an enzyme cleaner for the inevitable accident.

Skin, ears and nails

• A gentle, unscented shampoo suitable for cats — never human shampoo or dish soap.
• Soft towels kept for the cat, and unscented pet wipes for quick clean-ups between baths.
• A vet-recommended ear cleaner. Sphynx ears produce a lot of wax; see our ear cleaning guide.
• Small cat nail clippers. Oil and debris collect in the nail folds, so nails are part of the weekly routine.

Travel

A sturdy, well-ventilated carrier is non-negotiable for collection day and every vet visit afterwards. Put a fleece or T-shirt that smells of home inside, and in cool weather, a self-warming mat.

The first fortnight

• Clothing. Not every Sphynx wants to wear clothes, but in a cool house a soft cotton top makes a real difference. Start with one or two and see how the kitten takes to them. Do Sphynx cats need clothes? covers fabric and sizing.
• Scratching posts. At least one tall, stable post and one horizontal scratcher. A kitten with somewhere approved to scratch is much less interested in your sofa.
• Toys. Wand toys for interactive play, a tunnel, and a few small balls or crinkle toys. Rotate them so they stay interesting.
• A climbing tree or wall shelves. Sphynx are agile and curious, and height gives a kitten somewhere to retreat.
• Cord protection. Kittens chew. Tidy cords out of reach, especially near heated beds.

Things you can skip

Not everything marketed at new cat owners earns its place. You do not need a full wardrobe before the kitten arrives, scented litters or sprays (bare skin and a sensitive nose are a poor match for fragrance), a collection of shampoos, or an automatic feeder for a kitten that should be eating several small meals a day under supervision. Buy the essentials, then watch your kitten for a few weeks — it will tell you what it actually needs.

Kitten-proofing the house

The cheapest items on this list are often the most important. Before collection day:

• Check windows and balcony doors. Sphynx are indoor cats; screens should be secure.
• Put away toxic plants, especially lilies, which are dangerous to cats.
• Store medications, cleaning products and essential oils out of reach.
• Keep toilet lids down and washing machine and dryer doors closed — warm, enclosed spaces are irresistible to a hairless kitten.
• Choose one smaller room as a base for the first few days, with food, water, litter, a bed and somewhere to hide.

Budget for the ongoing, not just the start-up

The day-one shop is a one-off. Food, litter, shampoo and routine veterinary care are for the next fifteen years or so. If you are still at the stage of weighing that up, our Sphynx cost guide sets out both the purchase price and the ongoing budget, and bringing home a Sphynx kitten covers the planning side — vet registration, routines and what the first weeks are like.

The kit we actually use

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Waiting for the right kitten

If you are shopping ahead of a kitten that has not been born yet, you are in good company — most of our families plan months in advance. See available kittens for who is looking for a home now, or read about First Look, our priority list for households that already know a Sphynx is coming.

Meet the cats behind the advice

Everything here comes out of running a household of Sphynx and Donskoy cats — meet the queens, studs and kittens, or send us an enquiry if you have a question we have not answered.

Frequently asked questions

What do I need to buy before bringing home a Sphynx kitten?

Warmth (a covered bed and a safe, low-temperature heat source), the breeder's current food, steel or ceramic bowls, a litter tray with low-dust unscented litter, a gentle cat shampoo, ear cleaner, nail clippers and a sturdy carrier. Ask the breeder for the exact food, litter and shampoo the kitten is used to.

What litter is best for a Sphynx kitten?

A low-dust, unscented litter such as paper or a low-dust clumping litter. Fine dust and fragrance settle on bare skin, and the kitten should start on the same litter it used at the breeder's, changing gradually later if you wish.

Does a Sphynx kitten need clothes straight away?

Not necessarily. Warm bedding and a warm house matter more. In a cooler home a soft cotton top helps; start with one or two and see whether your kitten is comfortable in them.