28.04.2022

Solve the riddle of Sphynx cat food

Originally known as the Canadian Hairless cat, the Sphynx has a reputation as one of the most exotic-looking feline breeds.

Personality-wise, the Sphynx has a temperament to match the appearance. Sphynxes are outgoing, playful, and friendly cats that may bombard you with conversation, purrs, and greetings.

With the exotic looks and adventurous nature come certain dietary needs that you should be aware of if you want your Sphynx to be as healthy as possible.

While the Sphynx’s nutritional needs are fundamentally the same as any other cat’s, the breed’s physical anomalies mean you need the highest-quality nutrition available.

Untamed has the advice you need to choose the perfect Sphynx cat food and enjoy years of happiness with your Bastet.

“I know. I’m beautiful.”

Source: Pixabay

What is the best diet for a Sphynx?

Choosing the best possible food for your Sphynx is paramount if you want to ensure they have a long and happy life.

Cat nutrition doesn’t have to be complicated as long as the food you choose—whether wet, semi-moist, dry, or raw—is based on similar ingredients to what cats eat in the wild.

Cats need four fundamental nutrient groups in their food, as follows:

1. Animal protein
2. Animal fat
3. Vitamins
4. Minerals

Animal protein

Protein is made up of amino acids, such as taurine, that your cat metabolises and uses to:

• Build muscles
• Maintain healthy skin
• Repair organs and keep them functioning

As obligate carnivores, cats have evolved to be able to process animal protein more efficiently than vegetable sources.

The quality of protein for cats is measured by its biological value (BV), which refers to the percentage to which cats can metabolise different sources. The BV’s of animal versus vegetable proteins are as follows:

If the food you choose is rich in animal protein, you should notice:

• Your feline needs less food
• Common cat issues, such as urinary tract diseases (cystitis or bladder stones), occur less frequently
• Energy remains at an optimum level
• Skin problems become less of an issue
• Digestion remains stable

Animal fat

Besides being a good secondary source of energy, fat delivers essential amino acids, such as:

• Linoleic acid
• Arachidonic acid
• Omega-3 and omega-6

The last two play an important role in regulating a cat’s inflammatory response, so animal fat can have a beneficial effect on the health of your Sphynx’s skin.

Besides the essential fatty acids delivered, the taste of animal fat drives cats wild. Your Sphynx will get no benefit from even the best food if it’s not palatable.

A healthy proportion of animal fat (up to 20%) in the product you choose can mean your kitty gets all the nutrition needed and doesn’t have to rely on snacks or complementary food.

Vitamins

Cats need vitamins A, B complex, D, and E in their diet to maintain cell structure and support the correct reactions in the body. The best sources for these are:

• Liver (Vitamin A, D, and E)
• Fish and fish oil (Vitamin A and D)
• Meat (Vitamin B complex)
• Kidney (Vitamin D)
• Wheat germ oil (Vitamin E)

Minerals

Meat contains most of the minerals your cat needs for:

• Bone development and density
• Water balance
• Chemical reactions

Of all the minerals, your Sphynx’s diet needs to contain adequate amounts of:

• Potassium
• Phosphorous
• Calcium
• Magnesium
• Manganese
• Zinc

Good quality cat food should provide all the minerals needed without you having to resort to supplements.

Sphynxes need good, meat-based, grain-free, and balanced nutrition to cover their breed-specific needs for:

• Extra energy
• Digestive health
• Skin health

Untamed goodness is exactly what your Sphynx needs!

Image (c) Untamed

Untamed has the answer!

Untamed cat food has everything your Sphynx needs!

With more than twice the amount of exclusively animal protein that you would find in many commercial cat foods, Untamed provides the protein and energy your Sphynx’s special requirements demand.

On top of the highest quality, tasty recipes (like Chocka Chicken, Tuck-In Tuna, or Full-On Fishy), and appetising presentation in jelly or gravy, all Untamed products are:

1. Vet-formulated
2. Made with human-grade ingredients
3. Ethically manufactured

Vet-formulated

Having started out as homemade recipes, Untamed diets have been honed and developed by vets to offer the best of the best for your Sphynx.

All our diets are free from known allergens and contain no:

• Artificial additives
• Colourants
• Flavour enhancers

Made with human-grade ingredients

If it’s in a tin of Untamed, it’s sure to be the best you can get.

All our ingredients go through stringent quality-control procedures, and we are committed to making sure your Sphynx only gets the highest quality.

Ethically manufactured

Untamed wants both your cat and the planet to be as healthy as possible. To this end, we:

• Source our meat and fish from cruelty-free suppliers and sustainable, dolphin-friendly fisheries
• Ensure our packaging is 100% recyclable
• Operate on a carbon-neutral basis

To offer the best possible nutrition to your Sphynx cat, try Untamed and get exactly what your feline needs!

Getting Untamed for your Sphynx

Getting the optimal nutrition for your Sphynx is quick and easy.

Order our trial cat food pack online to start your Untamed journey—all you need to do is:

1. Tell us all about your beautiful Sphynx
2. Pick the meals you’d like to get
3. Order your initial trial pack

Your trial pack of tailor-made meals should arrive on your doorstep in a day, and your kitty can start exploring which taste sensations meet their standards.

Our scheduled monthly cat food deliveries will save you the trouble of shopping for meal supplies again and again. We will keep your pet pantry stocked up and make sure your Sphynx has enough food to satisfy even a voracious appetite.

With the quality of Untamed cat food, you should start to see:

A deity in feline form!

Source: Pixabay

Any further tips on Untamed for your Sphynx?

Untamed is the optimal food for your Sphynx, and you can make a painless transition from lower-quality food with a bit of planning.

With their sensitive digestive systems, Sphynxes may react adversely to a sudden change to high-protein, meat-based food. While they are not usually fussy cats and will happily try wet or dry food, your best course of action is to:

• Transition gradually, over a few days
• Mix Untamed in with the old food
• Watch your Sphynx for signs of nausea or unwillingness to eat
• Feed small amounts of Untamed more often
• Monitor the litter tray

Once you have successfully made the change to Untamed, you will start to see the difference in no time. Your Sphynx will thank you, and you will have earned the blessings of Anubis.

Why is proper nutrition so important when caring about a Sphynx cat?

As the first hairless cat breed to have become popular, the Sphynx needs special care that long-haired cats like the Persian, Maine Coon, or Ragdoll don’t require.

The most important physiological traits you should be aware of are:

1. Elevated body temperature
2. Quick metabolism
3. Frequent digestive issues
4. Common skin problems

Thankfully, you can address all of these issues with the right choice of nutrition.

Elevated body temperature

To keep warm without the benefit of a fur coat, a Sphynx’s skin temperature is around 4° Celsius higher than that of other breeds.

This means your feline will seek out warmer places and tend to cuddle more, which is never a bad thing. It also means that your Sphynx needs to generate more heat, so the food you offer needs to deliver enough calories to sustain the higher temperature.

The upside of being hairless is that your Sphynx will not suffer from shedding, hairballs, or matted fur.

Higher rate of metabolism

The need for self-generated warmth means your Sphynx’s metabolism works quicker than in most other cat breeds. The elevated metabolic rate needs food, and many Sphynx parents report that their feline is constantly hungry.

Sphynxes are playful and energetic by nature.

Source: Pixabay

Frequent digestive issues

Many Sphynx’s have sensitive stomachs and are prone to gastrointestinal issues such as:

• Diarrhoea
• Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
• Nausea and vomiting (particularly older cats)
• Constipation

While this may occur as a result of a Sphynx accidentally eating something that disagrees with them, it’s more often linked to the breed’s higher energy level needs, coupled with our habit of feeding twice a day.

In the wild, cats hunt and eat small amounts up to twenty times a day, with a natural diet consisting of:

• Small birds
• Mice and rodents
• Reptiles, snails, slugs and even grass and plants to fulfil a need for folic acid or aid digestion

Large meals consumed less frequently can aggravate a sensitive cat’s digestive system, so you may want to serve less but more often.

Common skin problems

With no protective layer of fur, Sphynxes are prone to more frequent skin problems than their hairy cousins.

Sphynxes are normally covered in a fine down, similar to the feel of a peach, but this offers little protection against tick bites, scratches, skin irritations, or allergic skin reactions. Some Sphynx kittens are even born completely hairless, with leather-like skin that can easily dry out.

The result is that you may notice frequent areas of dryness, red blotches, or irritated areas around your Sphynx’s body. These can be made worse if your Sphynx’s diet isn’t top-quality. 

Not many nutrients your Sphynx needs can cause your feline to overcompensate by producing too much sebum. Similar to the dandruff issues in humans, overactive sebaceous glands in Sphynxes can lead to skin blemishes and itchiness.