Feeding hairless cats, Don or Canadian Sphynx

They say that only people with a subtle sense of taste can fall in love with a Sphynx, and the number of people who want to acquire these unusual “suede” cats is growing day by day. Despite the fact that the Sphynx, regardless of its breed, is still a cat, it requires special attention. And one of the important points that future owners should take into account is the Sphynx’s diet

. Because The diet of the Don Sphynx is practically no different from the Canadian Sphynx; later in the article we will talk about Sphynxes in general, meaning both.

PS There is still the only difference in feeding: Don Sphynxes can (unlike Canadian ones) sometimes be fed with low-fat boiled sea fish. The fact is that the Don Sphynxes have stronger digestion and immunity than the Canadian Sphynxes, so they can sometimes be pampered with fish.

The main principles of proper feeding

To feed Sphinxes, you can use both dry and wet food. But regardless of the type chosen, you must remember the following rules:

1. The cat should receive a strictly dosed portion. This breed is prone to overeating.
2. When choosing a diet, age must be taken into account. Kittens, adult pets, pregnant females and older cats have their own feeding habits.
3. Compliance with the regime. The Sphinx must receive food at the same time. In this case, you don’t have to worry about the digestion process, since these cats often suffer from stomach pain.

Thanks to their accelerated metabolism, Sphinxes have an excellent appetite and sometimes eat completely non-cat foods.

Holistic dry food

Industrial feed

The requirements for feeding pets with prepared food - dry or wet - are standard. This:

1. Strict adherence to the daily norm. Manufacturers always indicate the serving size on the packaging.
2. When choosing food, you need to take into account the age of the Sphinx. For kittens, adult pets, pregnant, spayed/sterilized and elderly cats, we offer our own food that takes into account their age needs.
3. Free access to clean water when dry feeding. If the cat drinks little, then forced supplementation or transfer to another type of food is necessary.

It is strictly forbidden for Sphynx cats to be given food below the premium level. In cheap formulations, the source of protein is soy, wheat and corn, but plant proteins are practically not absorbed by the cat’s body. The share of meat components is minimal and of poor quality. As a rule, fat, feathers and offal are used in production.

Natural products

When choosing the option of feeding “natural”, you need to ensure that the nutrition is completely balanced. The cat's menu should include the following products:

• beef and veal;
• chicken offal – neck, heart, gizzards, liver;
• seafood, turkey, chicken - raw;
• steamed fish (cod, salmon);
• boiled egg yolk;
• fermented milk products – cottage cheese, yogurt and others;
• cereals;
• cereals – buckwheat, rice;
• vegetables fruits.

Advice! You need to remove all the bones from the fish and grind the meat in a meat grinder.

Recommendations for creating a menu for the week:

• well-frozen and scalded raw beef/veal – daily;
• boiled chicken – up to 4 times;
• boiled/frozen offal - no more than three times;
• porridge (from rice, buckwheat, oatmeal and wheat) - up to three times;
• vegetables, fruits (fresh, boiled) - up to three times;
• sour milk, cheeses – 1 time;
• heat-treated sea fish fillet, egg yolk.

It is recommended to season ready-made dishes with a small amount of vegetable oil, but adding salt or sweetening food is prohibited. In addition, food should be at room temperature.

Vitamin and mineral supplements

If industrially produced food is used to feed the Sphinx, then no additives need to be introduced.

When feeding “natural” food, you must add:

• brewer's yeast - they are suppliers of B vitamins;
• ready-made mineral supplements, for example, Kizim.

The dosage of yeast should be calculated by a veterinarian based on the weight of the cat.

Graceful kitty

Are additional beneficial supplements required?

By feeding the Sphynx with high-quality complete food, the owner does not have to worry about any additional feeding - the animal gets everything it needs without it. For cats that eat natural food, vitamin and mineral supplements are required - their composition and dosage should be recommended by a veterinarian, taking into account the characteristics of a particular animal and its diet.

Sphynxes are not only famous gluttons, but also sophisticated gourmets. Many of these breeds of cats love leafy greens, which are rich in vitamins and minerals. You should not deny your pet this healthy treat, even if you think that his diet is completely balanced and full of everything he needs.

Many bald cats generally have a weakness for fresh greenery - even for ordinary lawn grass, which is usually recommended for breeds with long and thick hair, in order to clear the cat’s stomach of its stray clumps. But don’t forget that your Sphynx could also use this cleansing and vitamin natural supplement.

Let him nibble the grass rather than eat your indoor plants - especially since among them there may be specimens that are dangerous to the cat.

Video: unusual gastronomic preferences of the Sphinx

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.

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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.

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

And the Canadian Sphynx, and the Don, and the Dwelf, and the Cohons, and the Minskin, and the Bambino, and the Ukrainian Levkoy, and the Elf have a sensitive stomach, so all uneaten food should be thrown away immediately so that it does not become a source for the growth of bacteria and the 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.

Sample menu by age

Kittens begin to be fed at about 1 month. Until this moment, they eat only mother's milk. It is very nutritious, contains many useful substances and antibodies that are necessary for the formation of the immune system.

After arriving from the nursery, you need to feed the Sphynx kitten in the same way as the breeder did. Usually at 2 months babies are given:

Gradually, vegetables, herbs, rice and buckwheat porridges are introduced into the diet. At 3-4 months, the baby’s teeth begin to change. During this period, the kitten especially needs vitamins and calcium. It is advisable to switch your pet to dry food after six months, when its intestinal microflora has formed.

Approximate menu of sphinxes by age.

Age Food intake per day (g) Industrial feed Natural products

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.

Dry food - complete food

Essential vitamins

The Sphynx cat should be fed food containing a set of all necessary vitamins.

1. Meat products, especially liver, contain vitamin A.
2. To maintain all body functions of cats, food must contain large amounts of B vitamins, which are found in cereals.
3. Greens are the main source of vitamin C.
4. Sphynx cats love to lie in the sun, producing vitamin D on their own. This vitamin is also found in fish, milk, butter and is responsible for strong bones. Calcium is also needed for the same.
5. Chicken eggs, vegetable oil, and offal contain vitamin E, which promotes the proper functioning of reproductive function, the muscular system, the breakdown of fat and prevents the spread of infection.

Cats need vitamins to live a healthy, long, and happy life.

Examples of recommended industrial feeds

Industrially produced food includes components necessary for the full development of a cat. They guarantee a balanced diet, which is what attracts Sphinx owners. Manufacturers offer both dry and wet food.

Dry granulated

The following varieties can be used to feed hairless cats:

1. Royal Canin. Designed for pets of all age groups. The manufacturer offers different flavors, as well as specialized foods, for example, for kittens and pregnant/lactating females.
2. Hill's Science Plan Adult Lamb. The granules contain the proteins, Omega-3 fatty acids, antioxidants and other components necessary for the cat to strengthen the immune defense, as well as maintain a stable weight.
3. Purina Pro Plan Delicate. For its production, only high quality natural products are used.
4. Orijen Cat & Kitten. Designed for feeding kittens and adult cats. Contains only natural ingredients. The line offers meat and fish food.
5. ACANA Grasslands for Cats. Hypoallergenic, easy to digest, made from natural products. It has a completely balanced composition.

When purchasing, you must track the production date and permissible storage duration.

Wet bagged or canned

To feed Sphinxes, it is recommended to choose the following manufacturers of wet food:

1. Leonardo. It has a completely natural composition with a high meat content. Contains complexes of vitamins and minerals.
2. Applaws. Made from quality products. The line offers food in different flavors.
3. 1st Choice. Hypoallergenic, fully balanced composition. Contains probiotics to improve digestion.
4. Almo Nature. Made from high-quality meat or fish, and also includes the necessary components for cat health.
5. Grandorf. The food is made from high-quality dietary meat. Hypoallergenic, fully balanced.

The Sphinx has an excellent appetite

What is prohibited and why you can’t eat from the table

Sphynx cats are not picky about food and eat almost everything they can get their hands on with great pleasure. But due to a weak stomach, their diet must be strictly controlled and not spoil the cat with food from your table.

Pets of this breed are prohibited from adding additives such as salt, preservatives, spices and sugar. For this reason, they should absolutely not be given sausages, sausages, canned meat and fish, or fried foods.

Main list of prohibited products:

• cutlets;
• pork in any form;
• chicken bones;
• smoked meats;
• sweets and baked goods;
• meat stew;
• canned fish;
• fresh whole milk, as Sphynx cats often suffer from lactase intolerance.

Eating “human” food causes severe diarrhea in these cats, causes other digestive disorders and provokes dysbiosis.

Dietary features of sphinxes

In Sphynxes (Canadian, Donskoy, Peterbald), like other hairless cats, due to the lack of fur, energy exchange processes occur at a high speed in order to maintain body temperature. Therefore, they need increased nutrition. At the same time, any cat will envy the appetite of sphinxes. They are not picky, they eat everything and can even eat inedible things as a “supplement”. It is difficult for them to resist a piece of chocolate or grapes; they will happily eat what is left on the plate after the owner’s dinner. In reviews, owners say that Sphynx cats like foods that ordinary cats won’t eat.

However, if other breeds begin to eat from the master's table and this does not affect their well-being, then the Canadian Sphynx will suffer from diarrhea. This also applies to changing your diet. If for other cats it takes a week to switch to a new food, for sphinxes it takes at least a month.

Improper nutrition is the cause of dysbiosis. The problem is common among Sphynxes and is easier to prevent. Many breeders believe that high-quality dry cat food is better for health and guarantees a long life.

Is it possible to only wet food or only canned food?

The choice of type of cat food depends on the wishes and capabilities of the owners, so the pet can be fed either only wet food or only canned food.

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The only requirement is that you must choose products of at least premium class. In this case, both canned food and wet food contain all the substances necessary for the proper development of the pet.

Is it possible to have different types at the same time?

When choosing food for a cat of this breed, you need to give preference to one type of food: either dry, wet, or natural. It is extremely undesirable to practice feeding two different species at the same time, since the Sphinx’s digestive system is not adapted to rapid adjustment.

Warning! If, nevertheless, the decision on a mixed diet is made, then “drying” is offered in the morning, and natural food in the evening. The order can be changed.

Also, you cannot mix “drying” from different manufacturers. Each manufacturer uses their own proportions and ingredients, and also gives specific recommendations on standards. When mixing granules of different compositions, there is no question of a balanced diet.

Stainless steel bowl

What can't you feed?

A pet of this breed should not be allowed to eat pork.
Don Sphynxes should not eat the following foods:

• Bird and fish bones.
• Meat: pork;
• duck;
• mutton;
• goose meat

Choosing a bowl

The bowl should be comfortable, safe and practical. Ceramics fully meets these requirements. Such bowls are easy to clean and do not slide on the floor when the cat eats.

But ceramics is a rather fragile material. An alternative option is stainless steel cookware. But since metal bowls can slide on the floor, they need to be placed on a special stand.

Better yet, purchase an automatic cat feeder. In this case, you will always be sure that your pet is not only fed correctly, but also on time, even in your absence.

It wouldn’t hurt to add a special automatic waterer to the kit so that the cat is constantly provided with fresh water, filtered from contaminants.

Expert advice

In order for your pet to grow up healthy, playful and remain so until old age, you must follow the recommendations of professional breeders. Here they are:

1. The cat must eat. Otherwise, due to lack of energy, it will freeze even in a very warm room.
2. One drop of vitamin D should be added to the food every day. It is necessary to strengthen bones, as well as maintain normal functioning of the nervous system.
3. To remove tartar, sphinxes need not only to brush their teeth, but also to give boiled chicken necks once a month.
4. If constipation occurs, fermented milk products are introduced into the pet's menu. To prevent the appearance of hard stools, a little vegetable oil - flaxseed or olive - is added to food.
5. Fish is allowed, but not often. It contains a large amount of protein, which can cause the development of urolithiasis. River fish is completely prohibited.
6. Seafood can be offered no more than twice a week, having previously selected all the bones from it.
7. Both Don Sphynxes and Canadian Sphynxes should not be given whole milk, since the cats’ intestines do not digest lactose.
8. It is highly undesirable to practice a mixed diet. To digest dry food granules and natural food, the stomach produces digestive juices of different composition. The food simply will not have time to be digested, and the cat will begin to have problems with stool.

Description of the breed

It is difficult to name another breed that would cause such an ambivalent attitude. Some people consider the Don Sphynx to be an unusually beautiful animal, while others would never dare to have one in their home.

A strong, muscular body with no fur is one of the main characteristics of the Don Sphynx. The skin throughout the body is collected in numerous folds. This feature is clearly expressed even in a newborn kitten. The small head is wedge-shaped and has distinct cheekbones. The ears are quite large in size with rounded ends. Almond-shaped eyes are located at a slight angle. The paws of this cat are also unusual - thanks to the special structure of the long fingers, the animals easily hold toys and open doors.

Males are somewhat different from females in appearance - they have a wider chest, a powerful neck and weigh about 5 kg. The weight of a cat usually does not exceed 3 kg. The life expectancy of the Don Sphynx can be 12 years or more if the pet is provided with the necessary conditions and proper feeding.