From a sphynx owner and I also work in animal medicine; he is a healthy weight! But co silt with your veterinarian about health question for your pet. Reddit is full of opinions and not exactly facts.
Sphynx cats need to eat more because they have faster metabolisms due to their baldness. I’d expect to see a bigger primordial pouch/fupa on your skinfant.
If the recommended portions and percentages aren’t specifically for sphynx cats, I’d feed them more. Obviously talk to your vet about it, but with my experience they only yell for food when they’re hungry and stop after they’re full.
Oh he has been always yelling even when he was a grazer on kibble. He would vacuum the daily amount up, sometimes barf or have a diarrhea about the quick eating ( hence the eventual diet change) then continued to yell.
I am concerned because he yells more nowadays than usual. And the environment did not change.
When I was dealing with my young chonker to be, i used to play with her a bit before dinner time so she would get the accomplishment of getting dinner and she would settle down afterwards.
Vocalization in my experience changed based on her mood. She's 11 yo now and still very moody with talking and could go without talking for days or not shutting up at all. (And my other cat never shuts up if she sees my face but doesn't talk to other people as much)
My boy is the opposite. He won’t shut up if I go out of the room (unless I am going for work and leave the house then he naps) and if I am in the room but he doesn’t get my whole attention.
We play a lot and since he does this I tried to give him some activity toys that have dried meat snacks in it. He loves that but him being him and too smart of his own good, solves them in seconds and then it starts again…
Have you tried puzzle feeders and feeding him 3-4 times a day? The same amount plus a little extra since he is to skinny, just broken up into smaller meals he has to work a big for?
This cat is a healthy weight. And cats will absolutely eat themselves into obesity, I’ve got a friend whose cat is obese and he cries for food all the time. We’re just very used to seeing bigger animals now that sometimes healthy looks wrong. But even in that photo where he is stretched out you can’t see his ribs or spine.
https://images.app.goo.gl/fk8iJYnnTncEqH4q8
A lot of domestic animals are overweight, so don't look right to us when they're a good healthy weight. Speaking to your vet is the easiest way to know, but I was also told their body should be similarly sized to their head, not way bigger, and you would be able to feel a little bit of ribs if you press gently while petting but I can't remember the source from that. So definitely talk to a vet if you're super worried. He looks healthy to me. A little bit of extra weight isn't bad but it gets out of hand quick
4kg is a healthy weight for a Sphynx.
My little old Ludwig was 4kg, ate loads and ran around like crazy. His brother from the same litter, eats less but is lazy af - 6kg (he’s on a diet and has lost weight since dw).
Sphynx do need more food than normal cats because of their metabolism which I’m sure you already know and you’ve factored that into his diet.
Constantly screaming for food is a very valid cause for concern and I’m glad that he’s got a fantastic, loving parent like yourself 💖💖💖💖
Hope the appointment and blood tests go well 💖
Please update us x
Our 5-year-old neutered boy is the same weight, roughly, as yours. He is raw fed and gets approximately 200g of food per day. I describe him as a limp spaghetti. He's long and lanky and some might say he's skinny. He's got a primordial pouch, but it's smaller than the other two cats who weigh 12 and 14-ish pounds. But his vertebrae don't stick out. He was at the veterinarian a few months ago and by all accounts he is a healthy cat, properly padded.
I should mention that the 12 lb cat gets the same amount of food (200g/day) as our skinny boy and our 14 lb cat gets 160g of food per day. The 12 pounder is a wiry girl while the 14 pounder is a big boned soft padded chonk. He would probably be considered a bit overweight, but there's no way I'm going to give him less food to make him skinny. That's as a result of his thrifty gene being turned on as a starving kitten. (Bad reaction to dewormer)
I guess when I'm trying to say is that if your cat says he's hungry you can go ahead and feed him more and keep an eye on his body for any changes in shape. If he's exercising a good deal he might get more muscle, but he might be like my noodle boy who is very active yet not muscled in appearance.
[our 5-yo lanky boy](https://www.reddit.com/r/sphynx/s/SKv9EhVFDX)
No, he does not need more food. I’d maybe check and see about “filler” calories though. Things that will help him feel fuller without adding a bunch of weight to him.
Your cat is a healthy size.
There’s a possibility the yelling is for other reasons as well. Definitely still ask your vet all your questions but also start exploring other reasons for the crying. Like, one of my cats yells whenever she wants me to fix her boredom for her. Another cries when she’s “hunting” hair ties. Another screams about daily because how dare I block her access to the bathroom and how dare I shower without her present. He could be hungry, but he also could be telling you something else. Meowing is how cats communicate with humans and it doesn’t necessarily mean hunger.
He is not eating fillers, cause that is a non-raw food feature (kibbles and cans usually have veggies or grains as fillers, but that is not the best choice for an animal who is an obligate carnivore I think). And before raw he would have diarrhea from every food be it grain free or otherwise)
He gets snacks occasionally too, maibly by intelligence toys
I put filler in quotations for a reason. I meant find something low calorie for him to munch on that will help him feel full. Not that you should start feeding him garbage.
You’re doing excellent with his diet and obviously he is very healthy. I don’t have the knowledge on raw to suggest healthy low-calorie food but perhaps you can find some for him.
Talk to your vet for sure, but he does look healthy. Some Sphynx are naturally thin, lean, SLONKY. Even if they're altered, they don't always have large pouches.
😻😻 I have a cat that I miss dearly and would love to have a drawing of her. I would happily buy you a coffee ☕️ or a beer 🍺 😉 😜
When you are ready I can send you her picture.
Aww that’s sweet. Go ahead and send the pic! You might also want to check out /r/redditgetsdrawnbadly /r/drawme /r/redditgets drawn… places like that! I’m sure you’ll get a ton of fun responses:)
Looks same as mine and I was told yesterday he’s a healthy weight 🤷♀️ it also always seems to be hungry but only for specific things, like the food on my plate and not for his own food.
I’m only saying this because I lost my boy to IMHA and HCM recently but perhaps getting a blood test that looks at his RBC is a good idea just to be safe. One of the early signs that I didn’t think too much of was that he lost some weight about a half pound and then 9 months later I realized he’d lost like 3 more, and he wasn’t a big cat to begin with. So grain of salt, but that’s my 2 cents.
I was told my cat was HCM free as well, but since that time there has been a shift I've seen from a lot of breeders to say that it can happen to any sphynx cat can get it at any time because its endemic to the breed. Unless you have a clear genelogy your cat is at risk.
Supposedly I have the papers for it but idk if that means something. I became kinda wary of the breeder after my boy was having a constant diarrhea and they claimed he must have eaten something he shouldn’t have (And I gave him the same thing she gave to me when I took him home). And it turned out the solution was the diet. But not the way she implied.
He looks healthy to me. I have a boy (not a sphynx) that eats a lot, but is a lean boy. He’s been to the vet and he’s fine. He’s 5 years old and still acts like a kitten. He has the zoomies all the time, and he loves to play fetch.
We too play a lot of fetch. I made an entire playground for them from shelves. He loves when I throw his mouse on the top shelf and he even plays “football” from there, meaning he catches it and kicks it to me and I throw it back and repeat
Yeah but I cannot give as many food for him as much he asks for food. I would be feeding him 10kg meat a day then. Now he gets 10dkg more than the recommended daily amount. And still wants to eat constantly.
I'm not a trained professional but he looks fine?
You have to look from the top while he's walking..
[check this chart](https://vcahospitals.com/-/media/vca/images/lifelearn-images/catbodyscoringchart201802scaler.jpg?la=en&hash=765FD35A189D07BDC024146D482EE05F)
Edit: i just saw the text under the pictures 🤦🏽be careful not to over feed him as well.. I had kept my chonker in healthy weight range for 5 years of her continuously begging for food or out right going on food strikes if I don't feed her what she wants (yes she would skip a meal to get more/different food). till i got a medical condition and had to free feed her for a while. Now she's a chonker and if she gets any less food she starts destroying my stuff. :')
Edit edit: forgot to mention she was on raw meat diet for 5 years before getting addicted to dry food :'x
Just keep an eye out for him hiding away, chewing at stuff he shouldn't be chewing, and if he's shying away from touch.. and if you did end up doing blood tests then you'd know for sure.
But if everything is ok, he's just not liking your slacking with meeting his demands and thought maybe some strong words could convince you.
Oh sorry about that story. I think he does this since we had to spend a few days at a different house where other cats, kept separately from him, ate kibble. Of course he would ran for that shit if I let him, but I did not. In those days he started to be agitated and meowy when (even if he already ate) the others rooms apart got kibble.
I just did not think it would persist here. But your story got me thinking…
As long as he's alert, playful, vet checked his vitals, and eats all his food then he's fine. And he does seem to be in normal weight range then I'd say he is a smart kitty trying to convince you to give him more food lol. He is young and trying new ways to see what works best with convincing you to give him food.
My chonker found out that giving me kisses works so now she comes and gives me kisses while I'm playing to let me know she's hungry then sits patiently waiting for me to feed her.. :')
I should somehow teach him that 😂 it would be much better than screaming and biting. (I try not to give him food when he does that actually, only when he sits somewhere after that and remains silent.)
I used to kiss her forehead and give her a treat when she was a kitten. I think she associated kisses with food early on then just decided to try her luck.
It's great that you're monitoring your cat's diet and seeking veterinary advice. Vocalization can sometimes indicate other needs or habits, so continue to observe and consult your vet for the best care."
Cats want to eat when they are bored too. Sometimes mine will meow next to his food bowl but the instant I start playing with him he forgets what he wanted 😂
Yeah that was my first instinct but we play till he lies down and then in 30 mins he shouts again. We got a bloodtest today, just to be sure.
Vet said that otherwise he looks healthy.
My boy looks just like yours with the same stats! I worry about the same thing. But I feed mine constantly and he is so active he just won’t put on a single pound lol
Update:
His bloodtest results were perfect, vet told me he only has very minor changes to normal nothing to worry about. She also told me he is perfect weight and if he seems to be hungry I can give him some more food or snacks but don’t overdo it.
In the meanwhile I think summer finally kicked in my cats “oh god can’t eat” reflex so in the past two days he wasn’t screaming for food and left some instead.
I think he looks a bit slim but I'm not an expert. I can see that primordial pouch on his belly, but he isn't round at all. for a neutered male I'd say he could gain some weight, just enough for his belly to be round from a top view.
From a sphynx owner and I also work in animal medicine; he is a healthy weight! But co silt with your veterinarian about health question for your pet. Reddit is full of opinions and not exactly facts.
the cat wrote this post😂
Omg yeah I can see him do this, probably he telepathically controls me
Sphynx cats need to eat more because they have faster metabolisms due to their baldness. I’d expect to see a bigger primordial pouch/fupa on your skinfant. If the recommended portions and percentages aren’t specifically for sphynx cats, I’d feed them more. Obviously talk to your vet about it, but with my experience they only yell for food when they’re hungry and stop after they’re full.
Oh he has been always yelling even when he was a grazer on kibble. He would vacuum the daily amount up, sometimes barf or have a diarrhea about the quick eating ( hence the eventual diet change) then continued to yell. I am concerned because he yells more nowadays than usual. And the environment did not change.
When I was dealing with my young chonker to be, i used to play with her a bit before dinner time so she would get the accomplishment of getting dinner and she would settle down afterwards. Vocalization in my experience changed based on her mood. She's 11 yo now and still very moody with talking and could go without talking for days or not shutting up at all. (And my other cat never shuts up if she sees my face but doesn't talk to other people as much)
My boy is the opposite. He won’t shut up if I go out of the room (unless I am going for work and leave the house then he naps) and if I am in the room but he doesn’t get my whole attention. We play a lot and since he does this I tried to give him some activity toys that have dried meat snacks in it. He loves that but him being him and too smart of his own good, solves them in seconds and then it starts again…
Have you tried puzzle feeders and feeding him 3-4 times a day? The same amount plus a little extra since he is to skinny, just broken up into smaller meals he has to work a big for?
Yeah he solves them really quickly and then gets bored of it quickly. Are there any more difficult ones?
Yes and there are ones where it lets you change up the patterns.
Do you have some recommendations?
I’d consider a slow feeder for kibble!
I am not feeding him kibble
This cat is a healthy weight. And cats will absolutely eat themselves into obesity, I’ve got a friend whose cat is obese and he cries for food all the time. We’re just very used to seeing bigger animals now that sometimes healthy looks wrong. But even in that photo where he is stretched out you can’t see his ribs or spine. https://images.app.goo.gl/fk8iJYnnTncEqH4q8
That’s why I said obviously talk to your vet about it.
mine was his size until somewhere in her third year, then she developed the paunch. he still has time to get chubby lol
Haha lucky sphynx cats, they can get more treats than an average cat!
First of all honey it’s called fashion. How else will he land vogue if he cannot fit a sample size 💅🏼💅🏼💅🏼 He’s fine lol just a lean boi
A lot of domestic animals are overweight, so don't look right to us when they're a good healthy weight. Speaking to your vet is the easiest way to know, but I was also told their body should be similarly sized to their head, not way bigger, and you would be able to feel a little bit of ribs if you press gently while petting but I can't remember the source from that. So definitely talk to a vet if you're super worried. He looks healthy to me. A little bit of extra weight isn't bad but it gets out of hand quick
4kg is a healthy weight for a Sphynx. My little old Ludwig was 4kg, ate loads and ran around like crazy. His brother from the same litter, eats less but is lazy af - 6kg (he’s on a diet and has lost weight since dw). Sphynx do need more food than normal cats because of their metabolism which I’m sure you already know and you’ve factored that into his diet. Constantly screaming for food is a very valid cause for concern and I’m glad that he’s got a fantastic, loving parent like yourself 💖💖💖💖 Hope the appointment and blood tests go well 💖 Please update us x
He’s lean but not skinny. I’ll bet your vet says he’s perfect!!
Our 5-year-old neutered boy is the same weight, roughly, as yours. He is raw fed and gets approximately 200g of food per day. I describe him as a limp spaghetti. He's long and lanky and some might say he's skinny. He's got a primordial pouch, but it's smaller than the other two cats who weigh 12 and 14-ish pounds. But his vertebrae don't stick out. He was at the veterinarian a few months ago and by all accounts he is a healthy cat, properly padded. I should mention that the 12 lb cat gets the same amount of food (200g/day) as our skinny boy and our 14 lb cat gets 160g of food per day. The 12 pounder is a wiry girl while the 14 pounder is a big boned soft padded chonk. He would probably be considered a bit overweight, but there's no way I'm going to give him less food to make him skinny. That's as a result of his thrifty gene being turned on as a starving kitten. (Bad reaction to dewormer) I guess when I'm trying to say is that if your cat says he's hungry you can go ahead and feed him more and keep an eye on his body for any changes in shape. If he's exercising a good deal he might get more muscle, but he might be like my noodle boy who is very active yet not muscled in appearance. [our 5-yo lanky boy](https://www.reddit.com/r/sphynx/s/SKv9EhVFDX)
No, he does not need more food. I’d maybe check and see about “filler” calories though. Things that will help him feel fuller without adding a bunch of weight to him. Your cat is a healthy size. There’s a possibility the yelling is for other reasons as well. Definitely still ask your vet all your questions but also start exploring other reasons for the crying. Like, one of my cats yells whenever she wants me to fix her boredom for her. Another cries when she’s “hunting” hair ties. Another screams about daily because how dare I block her access to the bathroom and how dare I shower without her present. He could be hungry, but he also could be telling you something else. Meowing is how cats communicate with humans and it doesn’t necessarily mean hunger.
He is not eating fillers, cause that is a non-raw food feature (kibbles and cans usually have veggies or grains as fillers, but that is not the best choice for an animal who is an obligate carnivore I think). And before raw he would have diarrhea from every food be it grain free or otherwise) He gets snacks occasionally too, maibly by intelligence toys
I put filler in quotations for a reason. I meant find something low calorie for him to munch on that will help him feel full. Not that you should start feeding him garbage. You’re doing excellent with his diet and obviously he is very healthy. I don’t have the knowledge on raw to suggest healthy low-calorie food but perhaps you can find some for him.
Yeah, probably some snacks made of skins (like fish skin, or bunny ears)
No he’s perfect. Most other cats are just fat
Talk to your vet for sure, but he does look healthy. Some Sphynx are naturally thin, lean, SLONKY. Even if they're altered, they don't always have large pouches.
Yeah and he has muscles like a body builder 😂
So does my black girl (13 months) and her "twin" brother! They both look a lot like your boy.
Omg that last picture! I’m totally gonna draw that.
Feel free, just please give me a link if you do I wanna see 😍♥️
I definitely will!
Me too! I want to see the final drawing of that young, fit Man Kitty! Also may be interested in you drawing something for me. 😁
Whatcha wanna draw? I’ve got a few things on my plate right now, but could get to drawings for fun next week!
😻😻 I have a cat that I miss dearly and would love to have a drawing of her. I would happily buy you a coffee ☕️ or a beer 🍺 😉 😜 When you are ready I can send you her picture.
Aww that’s sweet. Go ahead and send the pic! You might also want to check out /r/redditgetsdrawnbadly /r/drawme /r/redditgets drawn… places like that! I’m sure you’ll get a ton of fun responses:)
Cool! I will check it out thanks! Picture coming your way in 3... 2... 1... 😻😹
He looks fine. Same size as my guy and I keep food out 24/7. Both him and my Siamese are both a regular weight.
Looks same as mine and I was told yesterday he’s a healthy weight 🤷♀️ it also always seems to be hungry but only for specific things, like the food on my plate and not for his own food.
hehehe I'm sorry but describing a neutered cat as sterile is funny to me lol
That is what’s on the non raw food packages 😂 it is gender neutral too
I’m only saying this because I lost my boy to IMHA and HCM recently but perhaps getting a blood test that looks at his RBC is a good idea just to be safe. One of the early signs that I didn’t think too much of was that he lost some weight about a half pound and then 9 months later I realized he’d lost like 3 more, and he wasn’t a big cat to begin with. So grain of salt, but that’s my 2 cents.
I am sorry for your loss. His parents were HCM free, breeder told me it is a hereditary condition but I didn’t look into it much.
I was told my cat was HCM free as well, but since that time there has been a shift I've seen from a lot of breeders to say that it can happen to any sphynx cat can get it at any time because its endemic to the breed. Unless you have a clear genelogy your cat is at risk.
Supposedly I have the papers for it but idk if that means something. I became kinda wary of the breeder after my boy was having a constant diarrhea and they claimed he must have eaten something he shouldn’t have (And I gave him the same thing she gave to me when I took him home). And it turned out the solution was the diet. But not the way she implied.
Looks just like mine and same size and age. 100% fine
He looks healthy to me. I have a boy (not a sphynx) that eats a lot, but is a lean boy. He’s been to the vet and he’s fine. He’s 5 years old and still acts like a kitten. He has the zoomies all the time, and he loves to play fetch.
We too play a lot of fetch. I made an entire playground for them from shelves. He loves when I throw his mouse on the top shelf and he even plays “football” from there, meaning he catches it and kicks it to me and I throw it back and repeat
This cat looks perfectly fine, cats are unfortunately exceptionally good at manipulation LMAO. If you’re concerned I’d say speak with your vet
He's perfect!
Give him more food
Yeah but I cannot give as many food for him as much he asks for food. I would be feeding him 10kg meat a day then. Now he gets 10dkg more than the recommended daily amount. And still wants to eat constantly.
Just wanted to say what a totally gorgeous baby.
He looks great in my opinion
He looks fine!
Looks great to me!
My cat (female, also on raw diet, also sterilized) does the same thing and has vet confirmation she’s perfectly healthy.
I'm not a trained professional but he looks fine? You have to look from the top while he's walking.. [check this chart](https://vcahospitals.com/-/media/vca/images/lifelearn-images/catbodyscoringchart201802scaler.jpg?la=en&hash=765FD35A189D07BDC024146D482EE05F) Edit: i just saw the text under the pictures 🤦🏽be careful not to over feed him as well.. I had kept my chonker in healthy weight range for 5 years of her continuously begging for food or out right going on food strikes if I don't feed her what she wants (yes she would skip a meal to get more/different food). till i got a medical condition and had to free feed her for a while. Now she's a chonker and if she gets any less food she starts destroying my stuff. :') Edit edit: forgot to mention she was on raw meat diet for 5 years before getting addicted to dry food :'x
Depending on if this calculates with hair he seems to be either the second or the third. If it is for hairy cats then I think the third.
Just keep an eye out for him hiding away, chewing at stuff he shouldn't be chewing, and if he's shying away from touch.. and if you did end up doing blood tests then you'd know for sure. But if everything is ok, he's just not liking your slacking with meeting his demands and thought maybe some strong words could convince you.
Oh sorry about that story. I think he does this since we had to spend a few days at a different house where other cats, kept separately from him, ate kibble. Of course he would ran for that shit if I let him, but I did not. In those days he started to be agitated and meowy when (even if he already ate) the others rooms apart got kibble. I just did not think it would persist here. But your story got me thinking…
As long as he's alert, playful, vet checked his vitals, and eats all his food then he's fine. And he does seem to be in normal weight range then I'd say he is a smart kitty trying to convince you to give him more food lol. He is young and trying new ways to see what works best with convincing you to give him food. My chonker found out that giving me kisses works so now she comes and gives me kisses while I'm playing to let me know she's hungry then sits patiently waiting for me to feed her.. :')
I should somehow teach him that 😂 it would be much better than screaming and biting. (I try not to give him food when he does that actually, only when he sits somewhere after that and remains silent.)
I used to kiss her forehead and give her a treat when she was a kitten. I think she associated kisses with food early on then just decided to try her luck.
Awww cute
It's great that you're monitoring your cat's diet and seeking veterinary advice. Vocalization can sometimes indicate other needs or habits, so continue to observe and consult your vet for the best care."
Cats want to eat when they are bored too. Sometimes mine will meow next to his food bowl but the instant I start playing with him he forgets what he wanted 😂
Yeah that was my first instinct but we play till he lies down and then in 30 mins he shouts again. We got a bloodtest today, just to be sure. Vet said that otherwise he looks healthy.
Hmmm yeah ok then vet it is. Good luck! 💕
My boy looks just like yours with the same stats! I worry about the same thing. But I feed mine constantly and he is so active he just won’t put on a single pound lol
I wish I could send you a picture. I swear we have twin cats separated at birth
You can send me in DM I think, I am jot used to this platform’s chat system 😄
He looks a little bit skinny but also muscular, my and our opinions are equal to 0 if he is healthy happy and the vet says that is all good.
Update: His bloodtest results were perfect, vet told me he only has very minor changes to normal nothing to worry about. She also told me he is perfect weight and if he seems to be hungry I can give him some more food or snacks but don’t overdo it. In the meanwhile I think summer finally kicked in my cats “oh god can’t eat” reflex so in the past two days he wasn’t screaming for food and left some instead.
I think he looks a bit slim but I'm not an expert. I can see that primordial pouch on his belly, but he isn't round at all. for a neutered male I'd say he could gain some weight, just enough for his belly to be round from a top view.