What food to feed a sterilized Sphynx cat

Food selection

A comparative table of natural and ready-made food will allow you to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of each type of feeding (on a mobile device you can scroll the table horizontally with your finger):

Natural nutrition - pros and cons

Before buying a kitten, you need to find out what the owner-breeders fed it. This is very important, because the baby may persistently refuse unfamiliar food. This behavior often leads to exhaustion. Kittens are real conservatives when it comes to feeding.

If the breeders have accustomed the pet to natural products, it is advisable to continue their endeavor. There are positives and negatives to a natural diet that should be carefully considered.

Natural food should be close to the natural food of cats living in nature. Basically, the diet of wild animals consists of mother's milk, meat (mice, poultry), bird eggs, fish, and grass. Cereals, vegetables, and fruits enter the body by accident; cats occasionally try them out of hunger or curiosity.

At home, you should stick to a natural diet:

1. Meat dishes - prepared from chicken, turkey, veal/beef. Under natural conditions, cats eat raw meat products, but there is a high risk of infection with helminthiasis. Therefore, it is recommended to feed your pets with pre-boiled meat. As a last resort, the meat is frozen and doused with boiling water before serving.
2. Eggs are rarely present in the diet. It is enough to feed the cat 1-2 times every 7 days with quail eggs. From chicken, animals are given only the yolk, but it is better to exclude the protein, as it can cause allergies.
3. Fermented milk products help normalize the digestive process, so veterinarians advise including them in the diet. Cottage cheese, kefir, and yogurt are given separately from other dishes. You can offer these products to kittens who constantly want to eat.
4. Almost all raw fish To prevent the baby from being injured by sharp bones, the fish is cleaned of the spine. To get rid of small bones, boiled fish is passed through a meat grinder.
5. Kittens are allowed to give boiled liver, heart, and kidneys in small portions . In large quantities, these foods cause stomach upset, so they should be limited.
6. You can’t feed them with porridge alone, but you can add chopped boiled cereals to the meat . It is necessary to take into account that meat should make up at least 70% of the total food.
7. Meat pate can be prepared with boiled chopped vegetables . Vegetable supplements improve the digestive process and improve bowel movements.
8. If a cat goes outside for a walk, he can find grass on his own and chew it.. For pets who do not go outside at all, grass can be grown at home. You can buy seedlings at a pet store.

   

It is prohibited to feed sphinxes natural dishes from the human table. Salt, sugar, preservatives, and spices are added to foods consumed by people. Cats do not need such supplements, so it is harmful for them to eat sausage, sausages, canned meat and fish. Fried foods are also harmful. The main list of prohibited products includes the following:

• fried cutlets;
• pork in any form. Raw is fraught with helminthiasis, and boiled is too fatty and heavy for the stomach;
• sausages, sausages, sausages;
• chicken bones;
• smoked meat products;
• buns, candies, cookies, sweets;
• stewed meat, canned fish. They contain too much salt and spices that are harmful to your pet’s health;
• fresh milk. Many adult pets develop lactose intolerance, so it is better to avoid milk. It is replaced with fermented milk products, which have no less health value.

What not to feed the Sphynx

The following foods are prohibited for Sphynx cats:

• fatty foods;
• sausages, sausages and smoked products;
• bones (injure the esophagus);
• River fish;
• fried foods;
• sweets, baked goods, flour;
• mushrooms;
• citrus fruits, all types of grapes, avocados, since they cause severe allergies;
• onion and garlic.

Sphinxes are strictly prohibited from drinking alcoholic beverages, coffee and other drinks containing stimulants.

Animal food must be stored in a designated place and be fresh. In the worst case, spoiled food will lead to negative consequences.

Feeding scheme

The number of feedings depends on the age of the pet. The younger the baby, the more often he needs to be fed. For example, a baby at the age of two months is fed at least 6-8 times a day - this is normal, because he would feed on mother’s milk just as often.

From 3 months, the frequency of feedings is reduced to 5-6 times, from 6 months – to 3 times. Pets over 9 months old eat well with two feedings.

Because of their hairless skin, Sphynx cats require increased nutrition. They usually eat whatever is put in their bowl, so the owner must regulate the amount of food. Excessive passion for food results in problems with excess weight. Sphynx cats should not be overfed to avoid obesity.

Which food to choose for your Sphynx

When choosing a menu for animals, it is easier to highlight what sphinxes do not eat. These unpretentious animals can eat:

1. Dry food that meets nutritional standards in quality.
2. Canned food that contains the necessary substances for the cat's body.
3. Human food. Here it is worth highlighting the food that sphinxes cannot be fed:

• raw fish from the river;
• fatty meat;
• any bones;
• salty, spicy, smoked foods.

Feeding according to financial and physical capabilities

Creating a natural menu on your own is quite a complicated matter. Therefore, it is recommended to contact a veterinarian who can calculate the amount of necessary products for each cat. Before making a choice in favor of natural products or industrial feeds, you need to evaluate your own strengths:

1. For meat, fish, eggs, you need to often go to the store, and it is enough to purchase ready-made food 1-2 months in advance. If you have time to visit grocery stores and markets, you can safely introduce your baby to natural dishes.
2. The lifestyle of animal owners plays an important role in the choice of diet. For example, if the owners are often away from home (business trips, courses, studies, travel), will neighbors or relatives boil meat for the cat, pick bones from fish, or prepare a healthy pate from liver and vegetables? Of course not, so it is better to accustom the kitten to ready-made food. What if you take your pet with you to the resort? On the road, the pet will find itself without food, and when it arrives at the seaside, the owners are unlikely to want to cook and bake meat and fish. Accordingly, the conclusion suggests itself: industrial feed in this situation is the best option.
3. If you make a choice in favor of natural nutrition, you must remember that to saturate the body with vitamin and mineral components, it is raw foods that are required. In nature, cats do not boil mice, and they eat freshly caught fish. If you cook meat, some of the essential vitamins and minerals will evaporate, so how will your pet replenish its reserves? When choosing between raw and boiled food, you need to understand what is more important: vitamins and minerals or the risk of infection with worms. Using dry or canned food from a pet store may not be as beneficial for the body as natural food, but it allows you to calculate the amount of incoming microelements, and is also safe in terms of helminth infection.

   

What food should not be given

There is a list of foods that are not acceptable for feeding Sphynx cats. Before you create a diet for your beloved friend, be sure to study these recommendations, which will allow you to avoid dangerous consequences for the life and health of your pet.

So, what should you not feed your Sphynx:

• fatty meats and raw products that have not been frozen or heat-treated before serving;
• fish and chicken bones;
• legume products;
• potatoes;
• sausages and smoked meats;
• small river fish with bones;
• Whole milk is contraindicated for adult cats;
• Spicy and salty foods should also be excluded;
• spices, salt;
• sugar and various sweets;
• fried foods;
• I eat from my table;
• cheap industrial feed.

Cats should not be fed vitamins and other medications intended for humans.

Allergy to dry and wet food

If, after feeding the prepared food, your Sphynx cat exhibits characteristic allergy symptoms, immediately eliminate this product from the diet!

To avoid worsening your animal's condition, contact your veterinarian. An experienced specialist will select therapeutic therapy to eliminate painful symptoms and recommend healthy nutrition with a hypoallergenic composition.

A similar recommendation applies to animals with chronic body diseases. Such pets need to select an individual menu, taking into account the characteristics of their physiological state. Qualified veterinarians are always ready to help you in this matter!

Recipes for natural delicacies

You can pamper your pet sphinx by preparing the following “yummy”:

1. Lightly boil chicken meat (1 kg) so that the top is cooked and the inside remains raw. Pass the meat together with cartilage, but without bones, through a meat grinder.
2. You need to boil 2 chicken eggs. Remove the white and chop the yolk. Mix with minced meat. For the resulting amount of meat you will need to add: 25 ml of vitamin E, 50 ml of a mixture of B vitamins, 20 ml of taurine and fish oil. Mix these ingredients in 150 ml of water and pour into the minced meat. Divide the resulting mixture into single portions and store in the freezer. Before feeding, warm up to a comfortable temperature in the microwave.

A small amount of additives is mixed into the minced meat (no more than 25-30%). Chopped and boiled cereals (15%) - buckwheat, rice, egg, oatmeal - are suitable for this purpose. For variety, boiled or fresh vegetables, crushed to a puree, are added to the meat (10-15%):

• carrots rich in carotene;
• zucchini , which saturate the body with elements such as potassium, magnesium and manganese;
• fresh cucumbers . Some felines love them very much because they are very watery and allow you to get drunk on a hot summer day;
• pumpkin is useful both raw and boiled. Cats love to eat it even without meat. The dish is useful because it has an anthelmintic effect;
• broccoli – it contains antioxidants that slow down the aging process;
• asparagus is a vitamin plant that improves digestion due to its high fiber content;
• green beans - especially green beans contain a large supply of fiber. Cats eat it fresh with pleasure;
• celery – rich in vitamins and minerals important for a complete diet;
• melon – many sphinxes adore its taste and aroma. It is given in small portions, peeled and seeds removed.

  

It is rare, but it is allowed to pamper your pet with fish delicacies. For example, chopped and boned salmon is mixed with steamed rice in a ratio of 9:1 (90 g of fish will take 10 g of porridge). The mixture is diluted with boiled water to the consistency of a thick soup.

You can make oatmeal with tuna. To do this, the fish is boiled, cleaned and passed through a meat grinder. Oatmeal is added in small quantities to minced fish. All ingredients are thoroughly mixed. If you prepare for future use, you can place portions into individual containers and freeze the dish. Be sure to reheat before serving.

Making a diet for the Sphinx

It is very important to create a complete and balanced menu for a Sphynx cat. Each product is prepared according to the recommended recipe. For example, meat is served raw and frozen, always chopped, which is especially important when feeding kittens.

You can prepare minced meat to feed your exotic cat, but only from natural meat! Under no circumstances should you buy a ready-made store-bought product for your pet, which does not always contain exclusively natural ingredients.

Cereal porridges, fruits and vegetables are successfully used as fortified lunches. Cats of this breed can be given seaweed and carrots. Fermented milk products with low fat content will also bring undeniable benefits to the body.

For feeding, choose dietary meat and boneless fish, mainly sea fish. Never feed your cat raw, unprocessed food, which can cause worm infestation.

Be sure to measure each serving and avoid overfeeding, even if your exotic friend urgently requires supplements.

How to accustom a cat to vegetables

Sphynxes do not really like experimenting with food, so they are gradually accustomed to new additives. New vegetables are added to meat or fish one at a time and in minimal quantities. Vegetable supplements are administered no more than once a day. After this, the cat’s reaction is noted: did he eat the entire portion with pleasure, did he have an upset stomach or vomiting after the new delicacy.

If the pet refuses the innovation, it is not recommended to insist. The next day you can try a new ingredient as a supplement. Some cats are happy to eat houseplants, but are reluctant to try vegetables. For such pets, it is recommended to purchase grass seedlings from a pet store and place them in an accessible place for germination. The cat will be happy to feast on tender greens.

In nature, animals eat grass to cleanse their stomach. Pets also need this. And although sphinxes have practically no hair, they manage to lick their shaggy friend (if the family has several pets of different breeds). Such friendly licking promotes the accumulation of fur in the stomach. Fresh grass helps clear the intestines of hairballs.

Natural menu

Any cat is a carnivore, and protein should form the basis of its diet. If you are a supporter of a natural diet, then it will need to be built around meat and fish - these products will occupy at least 70 percent of the total volume.

But even the freshest and highest quality meat cannot be the only component of the Sphinx’s diet - the pet’s daily diet can be built from the following products:

• frozen beef or turkey meat - 40 g daily;
• boiled chicken breast without skin or boiled fish without bones - 3-4 times a week;
• boiled or frozen chicken offal (except liver), raw or boiled vegetables, fruits, herbs - 2-3 times a week;
• pharmaceutical brewer's yeast - 3-4 times a week;
• steamed oatmeal, buckwheat or rice - 2-3 times a week;
• chicken yolk, cheese - once a week;
• chicken neck or crackers - once a week (to cleanse teeth);
• vegetable oil (add a little to prepared food).

Be careful with red fruits - they can cause allergies in your Sphynx

The danger of cheap feed

It is not recommended to purchase food in bulk at the grocery store. Usually, this is how they sell cheap feed mixtures that will not bring any health benefits. Chemicals and dyes found in cheap pet food cause serious illnesses, including esophageal cancer. Manufacturers indicate the presence of chemical preservatives on the labels, so before purchasing the mixture you should carefully study the composition.

Manufacturers use the term “offal” to hide waste from the meat processing industry. At best, it will be skins and cartilage, and at worst, crushed bones. If the manufacturer indicates that the food consists of by-products, it is better to refuse to purchase it. This dish does not provide any nutritional value.

Pets may happily consume such food, but this does not mean that they understand its composition. Cats are well versed in natural meat and fish, but they do not understand anything about the chemical additives that manufacturers specifically include in low-grade products. Due to odor and taste enhancers, the dish attracts animals. They are deceived by the delicate aroma of chicken or turkey, and in return they receive a mixture that is far from meat in origin.

Therefore, if you decide to feed your pet a commercially produced formula, you need to carefully study the composition. It should contain meat or fish, but not offal.

Vitamins and supplements

Special vitamins for Don Sphynxes are necessary if the animal feeds on human food. Industrially produced feed already contains vitamins and necessary additives, and the use of food additives can lead to hypervitaminosis.

The following can be considered as a storehouse of vitamins, minerals and essential substances:

• Brewer's yeast;
• animal fat;
• phosphate rock.

It is advisable to take vitamins several times a year. What is the purpose of taking vitamins and how much to take, it is better to find out from your veterinarian.

You can also take a vitamin complex that is aimed at solving specific problems:

• increasing immunity;
• improvement of the skin;
• prevention of diseases with joints, etc.

Premium food

Manufacturers of high-quality food produce special mixtures for feeding sphinxes. Let's look at the most popular of them.

Orijen Cat & Kitten

The product for cats is produced in Canada. If you carefully study the label, you will find out that the food is designed not only for adult cats, but also for pregnant cats, as well as kittens.

The food has a high protein content (42%), which is necessary for purebred representatives. The cost of heating the body is compensated by the increased consumption of protein foods. Fats in the feed are present in normal quantities (20%). On mobile, you can scroll the table horizontally with your finger:

Additionally, the production diet includes fruit, vegetable and plant ingredients:

• apples;
• blueberry;
• pumpkin;
• turnip;
• carrot;
• green peas;
• spinach;
• chicory root;
• mint.

  

In addition, the food contains the daily requirement of vitamins, macro- and microelements.

Purina Pro Plan Delicate

Suitable for adult pets who are too picky about food. The composition of the feed, except for the meat part, is presented:

• rice;
• animal and fish oil;
• yeast;
• egg powder;
• green peas and corn.

The ready-made diet is rich in antioxidants, omega fatty acids and a complex of vitamins. Large dry granules help cleanse teeth and gums of plaque and tartar. Thanks to its unique composition, the food helps normalize digestion.

Elderly cats

Older Sphinxes play little and prefer to sleep most of the day. And if you don’t limit your daily caloric intake, your cat will begin to actively gain weight. For this reason, the volume of the usual portion is reduced by about 1/3, but this must be done gradually.

The cat's meals should be frequent and in small portions. The menu remains the same.

Elderly Sphynx cats need the following supplements to strengthen their immune defenses:

• vitamin C;
• fish oil – it contains Omega-3 fatty acids;
• vitamins of group A, B, E.

If a cat receives dry or commercial wet food, then it does not need to receive supplements.

Sphynx cats are prone to overeating

Special diet for kittens

Bald babies require the introduction of complementary foods at the age of 1 month. They begin to feed them semolina porridge, then gradually add ground boiled meat (beef, chicken), and egg yolk. At two months, the diet is supplemented with fermented milk products (cottage cheese, kefir).

After reaching 3 months of age, the kitten’s diet can be significantly expanded. The meat should no longer be boiled and chopped; you can offer it frozen and cut into slices. The menu is supplemented with plants, vegetables and fruits.

If there is not enough time to prepare food, the kitten is transferred to ready-made mixtures (holistic, premium and super-premium categories). This could be special canned food or dry food. Before buying food, you need to carefully study the label - check the composition, date of manufacture and expiration date, as well as information about whether the food is suitable for babies. Popular brands of food for Sphynx kittens:

• Purina Pro Plan Junior Chicken;
• Royal Canin Babycat Instinctive for the little ones (up to 4 months);
• Royal Canin Kitten – for older pets (4-12 months);
• GO! Sensitivity + Shine Duck Cat Recipe Limited Ingredient Diet, Grain Free – for pets with sensitive stomachs and digestive problems.

Pregnancy and proper nutrition

Kittens need adequate nutrition while still in the womb of their mother cat. Therefore, special attention is paid to the diet of the expectant mother. It is best if the pregnant woman is breastfed. The number of daily feedings is increased to 4 times a day. The food supply is also being increased. This will prevent the kittens from going hungry.

It is necessary to take into account that an adult Sphynx pet with an average body weight of 4 kg will need at least 320 kcal. A pregnant cat needs an increased portion. During pregnancy, the norm is 1000 kcal.

The daily menu should contain raw beef (at least 50% of the diet). Supplements in the form of vegetables and grains will help protect your pet from constipation. Giving fish is not recommended. Bone meal is used as a mineral addition to dishes. It is poured into minced meat 0.5 tsp each.

Fermented milk dishes are offered separately from the main meal. For example, cottage cheese for an afternoon snack, and kefir before bed.

Hairless Canadian or Don kitten at 2 months

Sphynx kittens are adopted at approximately 2 months of age. Until this time, they are breastfed and receive their first complementary foods.

The owner needs to decide on the type of feeding - choose natural or wet food or dry food. If preference is given to the latter option, then special premium and higher class food is purchased, intended specifically for kittens. Before giving, the granules must be softened in advance with water.

Many premium manufacturers offer wet food. The feeding rate is indicated on the packaging.

But for the first days after the move, the kitten continues to be fed what it received at the breeder’s house. A change of place of residence and the absence of a mother is extremely stressful for a pet, and a change in its usual diet will only increase it. New nutrition is introduced gradually. The intestines will be completely rebuilt within a week, and will absorb food that is unusual for it in full.

If the new owner does not know what the kitten was fed by the breeder, then you can follow the standard recommendations. The menu should include:

• ground veal – boiled or well frozen and scalded;
• cottage cheese;
• egg yolk;
• a mixture of meat and vegetables in the form of a pate.

At 2 months of age, a kitten should eat up to 6-8 times a day, in small portions. Therefore, you will have to feed him at night, if necessary. This regimen must be maintained until 4 months of age.

Ragdoll cat breed, description of colors and photos, as well as their character, standards and sizes

The average volume of one serving for a 2-month-old Sphinx is 25 g. It can be increased or decreased. The owner makes adjustments independently, focusing on the physical condition and activity of the kitten.

At the age of 2 - 3 months, calcined cottage cheese, vegetables, spinach, unsalted cheese and sour milk are gradually added to the menu.

It is advisable to give fermented milk as an independent dish, for example, during an afternoon snack.

Both Canadian Sphynxes and Don Sphynx cats have sensitive stomachs, so all uneaten food should be thrown away immediately so that it does not become a source of bacterial growth and a cause of food poisoning.

Clean water, which must be renewed at least once a day, should always be freely available. Otherwise, the kitten may experience constipation and develop dehydration.

Feed replacement

Even the most expensive and elite food can cause digestive upset in a pet. Problems with bowel movements, diarrhea, constipation, and general deterioration in health indicate that the body does not accept the food offered.

The kitten becomes restless, refuses to play with the owner, and eats reluctantly. It is necessary to contact a veterinarian and have the animal examined. If no objective reasons have been identified, then the deterioration of the condition is caused by poor nutrition. In this case, it is necessary to change the food.

The change in diet is approached gradually. Choose another feed manufacturer. Add some new ones to the old granules and offer them to the kitten. Sphynxes are very sensitive to substitution and at first they can sort out their food, choosing the usual one.

The replacement process is lengthy; if the cat categorically refuses to eat the new food, it is necessary to purchase another one. This is how the trial method is used to achieve a complete replacement of nutrition. You need to be patient, because the health of the pet is in the hands of the owner.

Important Tips

A kitten requires care and attention, especially the Sphynx. The peculiarities of its appearance (lack of fur) lead to the fact that the kitten is cold even in summer. To maintain normal body temperature, he requires increased food intake.

The following recommendations must be followed:

1. Uneaten food is removed from the bowl. Some pets are prone to gluttony, so they may eat extra food for the whole day.
2. The bowl of water should be full at all times. Sphinxes are somewhat squeamish, so the water needs to be changed and the dishes washed.
3. The plate should also be washed after feeding. Leftover food in a warm room can turn sour and cause an eating disorder.
4. Feeding rules must be followed by all family members. It is unacceptable for children to treat their pets with chips or smoked sausage. Guests should also be warned that the cat is a member of the family with special needs and should not be thrown bones from the table.

   

The future health of the Sphynx depends on how correctly the diet is balanced. If the owner does not know how to properly feed such a special pet, you should consult with a veterinarian or breeder.