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A pink hairless Sphynx cat lowers her head toward a tortoise on a sunny patch of green lawn. 11 / 33

A Sphynx and a Tortoise Said Hello With Just Inches Between Them

AI imagesphynxtortoisefirst meeting

The grass is bright green and the sun is warm. A pink Sphynx cat with enormous ears and pale blue-green eyes is lying low, her nose inching toward a tortoise. Moss has lifted his head and stretched his neck out, meeting her gaze. Their noses are only inches apart, and neither one has made a move. A wooden fence and some leafy plants stand behind them.

First introductions between a cat and a reptile should be slow and carefully supervised. Let each animal get used to the other's smell and presence from a distance, and keep the cat from batting or pawing at the tortoise. A tortoise's shell is hard, but his neck and legs are vulnerable, and he can be stressed by a pushy pet. Sphynx cats are social and curious, so they tend to be very interested in new companions. Offer treats to the cat for calm behavior, and end the meeting before either animal gets stressed.

At this moment, the greeting is quiet and polite. The cat is curious, the tortoise is calm, and the lawn is warm. It looks like the start of a long and gentle friendship. Whatever happens next, this first look has gone beautifully, with curiosity on one side and calm on the other and plenty of sunshine over both. It is the kind of careful, curious hello that makes a lawn feel like the most important place in the world.

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