If you’re a first-time cat owner, you probably have no idea on the amount of good you should be feeding your Sphynx. You might have been lucky enough to have been given a Sphynx feeding chart by your vet or the breeder (if not there’s one lower down the page). However, if you didn’t get details on how much you should feed a Sphynx kitten, here’s an overview:
A Sphynx kitten should be fed 3 times daily. This feeding routine should be followed from 8 weeks to 6 months old. At the age of 6 months, you can start to reduce the frequency, changing your Sphynx’s feeding schedule times to twice a day.
If you follow that schedule, you won’t go far wrong. But how much food should that be exactly in each feeding session. All is explained further down, with my Sphynx kitten feeding schedule – There’s also a feeding schedule and food amounts for adult Sphynx cats below that.
Sphynx kitten feeding chart
Here’s a Sphynx kitten feeding guide, courtesy of the Purina brand of cat food. Save and print this off for your refrigerator as it has rough guidelines on how to schedule and plan your kitten’s feeds.
How many cups of food should I feed my Sphynx (kitten and adults)?
Before you check out this Sphynx feeding chart, you may just want a quick reference to how many cups of food you need to feed a Sphynx. The common guidelines say you should feed a Sphynx kitten of 8 to 20 weeks different cup sizes depending on their weight and age.
Sphynx kitten feeding tips
Before you even think about feeding your Sphynx kitten a normal cat food diet, you have to be sure she’s been weaned off her mother’s milk. Almost every time, this happens by the age of 3 weeks; and kittens should not leave their mother until at least 8 weeks of age.
This means that by the time you get your new kitten home, they will have already been eating kitten food – if she can’t, it’s a sign she was taken from her mother too early.
Handy Hint: When buying a kitten, always demand to see it with the mother, ask to see paperwork and proof of injections, and don’t take it before 8 weeks of age.
Don’t be shocked by how much your Sphynx kitten will eat. They will be like eating machines at this age because they have so much energy to burn. Feeding your Sphynx kitten 3 times a day might seem like a lot, but it’s really not – it’s just the right amount and frequency.
1. Calories are important, but don’t stress too much
Sphynx cats will need to be fed different amounts with each month they age. It’s all down to how much they weigh, with vet guidance typically saying kittens should be fed between 25 and 30 calories for each pound they weigh.
It’s hard to keep count of calories, so don’t stress about being completely accurate with how many your Sphynx consumes, just keep roughly to the cup amounts shown in the feeding charts.
2. The weight of your Sphynx
If you don’t know how much your Sphynx weighs, most vets will have a set of scales in the waiting room. You could also try to sit your Sphynx down on some scales, but good luck with trying to make them sit still.
Instead you can weigh yourself if you have accurate scales, and then get someone to pass you your Sphynx kitten to see what the difference is.
3. The age of your Sphynx
You might find it hard to get your Sphynx used to commercial dry food at first. This is because some will struggle to get used to not having their mother’s milk after 3 weeks and can take a little while to adjust.
The commercial kitten food should be high enough in calories and nutrients to make up for what they used to get from their mother.
As with anything like this, consult with your vet if you can’t get your Sphynx kitten to eat what’s put in front of her.
In terms of adjusting for their ages, Sphynx kittens of 8 to 12 weeks old can have one and half cups of food each day, split into 3 servings. By keeping your Sphynx’s meals small and regular and you can even keep blood sugar levels in check.
By the ages of 6 to 9 months, Sphynx kitties will be in a regular eating routine where they drop to two meals a day – and this is how it will stay as adults.
4. The dangers of over-feeding
Some Sphynx owners might decide to go to 4 meals a day, but still with the same amount of food. This is because tinier Sphynx cats might find the half a cup 3 times daily, too much of a large meal.
Overfeeding is something to keep a strict eye on. If you feed your Sphynx kitten too much, she could get gastric dilatation-volvulus. This is the medical term for a twisted gut which occasionally happens to cats and can actually be fatal.
Handy Hint: Potty training a Sphynx kitten is one of the hardest things you can do at first, but here’s some help for you.
5. Feeding more senior Sphynx cats
As Sphynx cats get older, they will start to get less active. With reduced levels of energy comes the need for a lower calorie intake. But only if they are reducing their exercise due to age.
With an older Sphynx you might start to see them putting on weight. They aren’t unlike us humans in this respect! If you do see weight gain, start to pull back on the portion sizes.
Sometimes your vet may even recommend you go to a higher frequency of daily meals (albeit smaller portions), almost like they are kittens again. With senior cats this can help with weaker stomachs.
6. Overweight or underweight?
The average Sphynx kitty will weigh between 2 and 4 pounds at 8 weeks. By 6 months old, they should weigh between 7 and 12 pounds, and then as adults anywhere from 13 to 20+ pounds. These are healthy weight ranges.
If you do have a Sphynx kitty who is clearly underweight, start to add a little bit more food to each of the daily meals until they come back into the health weight range. Don’t add too much at once due to the twisted stomach condition I mentioned earlier.
With overweight Sphynx cats you do the exact opposite but mix more exercise into their daily routines as well. Exercise can be used alone if you don’t want to reduce the food, and in fact, can lead to a stronger and healthier Sphynx.
Handy Hint: If your Sphynx is losing or gaining weight and how much food they eat makes no difference, it could be a sign of an underlying health issue.
7. Health problems related to Sphynx feeding
Not all cats are the same, and all the guidance on this page is very generic towards how much you should feed a Sphynx. The bottom line is that your vet will be able to properly tell you how much your Sphynx should eat due to their age and weight.
For example, a condition like feline diabetes could mean your Sphynx kitten’s feeding routine needs to change, with dietary restrictions being put in place.
8. Raw food vs. dry and wet food
There’s a trend at the moment to put cat’s on raw food diets. Personally, I am not a fan, particularly with kittens, as there isn’t’ enough evidence yet to support the benefits. I understand why people feed their cat raw food though; they say commercial food has too many additives plus preservatives, fillers, wheat, corn, and proteins.
Consult with your vet for a professional opinion.
Whilst a raw food diet will undoubtedly be more natural, it won’t always have the right amount of minerals or vitamins in it if you get it wrong. Kittens needs all this for development, so it’s risky in my view, unless you know what you’re doing.
9. Sphynx cats that eat their food far too quickly
You should also monitor how quickly your Sphynx is eating. Kittens are used to having to compete for food, and even when they are home alone with you, they will still have an instinct to gobble their food down. They can also start to learn how to beg for food at this age.
This can cause indigestion and vomiting, so there are a few things you can do to slow their intake down.
- Use a slow feeder bowl
- Use a muffin tin (evenly spread the portions throughout the tin).
10. Recommended Sphynx food for kittens and adults
And lastly, what’s the best food and are there any decent dry cat food brands that are good with Sphynx cats?
There’s a number of things to look at, but mainly avoid any food with lots of fillers, wheat, corn and preservatives in. They aren’t as nutritional as others and can even cause allergies with some skin-sensitive Sphynx cats.
The best dry cat foods should have a high percentage of meats and fish in. Then look for plant-based proteins such as like lentils, peas, sweet potato, chickpeas, and/or dried fruit. Omega-3s are healthy fats, so those will also be a good sign if listed.
Conclusion
I hope you’ve enjoyed this guide on how much you should feed your Sphynx kitten or adult cat. All of the notes and guidance are based on my own personal experience of raising kittens, with exception to the feeding schedule which is from the Purina cat food brand.
However, the feline Sphynx feeding charts you see, are exactly how I have fed my kittens and adult cats.
Once your cat reaches adulthood, the best times to feed your Sphynx will be breakfast and dinner times. If you let them have a couple of treats or snacks in between, stick to 90/10 rule daily – 90% proper diet, 10% treats.
Keep a regular feeding routine, and your Sphynx will stay at healthy as our cats have!
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