Sphynxs are carnivores. Keep that in mind while contemplating what food your Sphynx should eat. If you deviate from his intended diet, your Sphynx may become a picky eater. You can have trouble getting your new Sphynx to eat if you’re giving him non-meat based foods like fruits, vegetables, dairy, nuts, seeds, etc.
What do Sphynxs eat?
Keep in mind Sphynxs share recent ancestry with the biggest of cats — pumas, lions and tigers — so take that to heart while feeding the Sphynx. Never will you witness a mature jaguar on Animal Planet drinking milk, chewing grass, or eating an apple in his natural habitat. You also would never observe a young cheetah cub in nature drinking milk from a cow, or any other animal that wasn’t the mother. As preposterous as these examples seem, that’s exactly how many owners feed their Sphynxs. So you should not expect your Sphynx at home to be excited when that’s what you try to give her. Sphynxs don’t eat the same way humans and dogs do. As it relates to nutrition, they are very strict, and you must always keep this in mind. Sphynxs eat almost entirely proteins and fats as opposed to omnivores like humans who also eat vegetables and fruits. If we ate like Sphynxs, we’d develop serious health issues at a young age. Although they’re a part of the family, does not mean they should eat what you or the dogs eat. It’s not uncommon for people to feed their Sphynxs like they treat their dogs, who can eat a variety of foods and stay healthy. Given that dog food is so full of carbs, a dog’s diet can actually be fatal to your Sphynx if fed for a long period of time. Sphynxs are not meant to eat carbs because they can’t process them well. Often, when you see an extremely heavy domestic Sphynx it’s because she was given a diet high in carbohydrates. This also puts them at risk of diabetes. The Sphynx’s system is not designed for carbs. They are to be avoided.
how to care for the Sphynx
Delighting Your Sphynx’s Palate
Be certain any food you buy for the Sphynx meets the requirements defined by the American Association of Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). That ensures that the food satisfies at least the minimum dietary needs of your Sphynx. You can ignore marketing terms such as “premium”, ” gourmet”, ” natural”, and “super-premium” which have no set definition. You can always ask your veterinarian which food she recommends. Once you have picked the best food, it’s time to let your Sphynx make the final say so. If the Sphynx enjoys the food and does not have any gastrointestinal upsets (such as stomach pain) afterward, you’ve got a keeper. However, if your Sphynx doesn’t like the food, you need to be prepared to provide other choices. Sphynxs will sometimes prefer to go on hunger strikes instead of eat some food they don’t enjoy, and such strikes are truly dangerous. If she decides to a hunger strike, your Sphynx runs a high risk of liver failure and death. If you do need to switch from one food to another, introduce a different type of food little by little, in small quantities over about a week. This makes it easier for your Sphynx to accept and reduces the chances of somach discomfort.
Sphynx Portion Size, Feeding Time, and Snacks
How much food does the Sphynx need? That depends on some aspects you might not expect. For instance, is the Sphynx a house cat or a yard cat or hybrid? Has the Sphynx been neutered or spayed? Both of these answers are important in determining your Sphynx’s nutritional requirements. Your best bet is to consult your vet, who will set your Sphynxs ideal weight and daily nutritional requirements. Once you learn how much food your Sphynx needs, stick to the plan. Although it seems like it’s not enough, your Sphynx will get used to it and stay at her healthy weight. For Sphynxs, it’s hard to get the weight off once they get overweight. Once you’ve gotten this info from his veterinarian, it’s time to schedule the Sphynx’s meals. Sphynxs like to eat small meals during the day, so expect to leave bowls out so she can eat whenever hunger strikes. You can put out half in the am before leaving for work and the other half in the evening. Keep snacks to a minimum. The more snacks they eat, the less room they’ll have for their core nutritional requirements.
Don’t forget to check out these other articles about Sphynxs
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