The Sphynx is a medium-size cat with high energy and no coat — and that changes the calorie calculation: without a layer of hair to help hold in warmth, he spends more energy simply existing. The food needs to deliver more caloric density than for a furry cat. The breed is also among those most prone to a heart problem, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy — the most common in cats.
In the current My Pet Magazine analysis, the best food for the Sphynx is Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach (Purina Pro Plan), with a technical score of 95.3/100 (🌟 Superior Quality), calculated with the My Pet Magazine IDNM/IPFI methodology across 50 cat foods reviewed in July 2026. See the full ranking ↓
What to weigh in food for the Sphynx
Energy and fat. Without a coat, the Sphynx loses heat faster and needs to spend more metabolic energy to compensate. That calls for a food with higher caloric density and fat content than a standard formulation designed for a cat with a full coat.
Heart. The breed is among those most prone to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common heart problem in cats — it affects as many as 1 in 7 cats, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. Taurine is essential for any obligate-carnivore cat, but in the Sphynx that nutrient weighs even more: food with taurine at an adequate level and quality animal protein is real support for heart health, alongside regular veterinary follow-up.
Portion and activity. Spending more energy does not give carte blanche to eat without limit. A sedate Sphynx gains weight just like any other cat — it is worth adjusting the portion by the cat's actual activity, not by the breed's reputation alone.
Criteria scored against the My Pet Magazine nutritional targets (protein, fat, calcium and caloric density ranges by size — see our methodology).
Breed profile and predispositions
The Sphynx spends more energy than most cats because he does not have the layer of hair that helps hold in body heat. Without that insulation, his metabolism works harder to maintain temperature — which translates into a greater calorie requirement per kilo of body weight, according to the nutrient profiles for adult cats from AAFCO.
The breed is also among those most prone to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common heart problem in cats — it affects as many as 1 in 7 cats, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. That does not mean every Sphynx will have the problem, but it reinforces the importance of taurine at an adequate level and quality protein in the food, always with veterinary follow-up.
Recommended foods for the Sphynx
Ranked by IDNM/IPFI technical score across 50 cat foods — no manual product curation.
- 1
Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach · Purina Pro Plan
95.3/100 - 2
Tiki Cat Born Carnivore · Tiki Cat
92.4/100 - 3
Instinct Original Raw Coated Cat · Instinct
91.8/100 - 4
Blue Buffalo Baby BLUE Kitten · Blue Buffalo
90.7/100 - 5
Purina ONE +Plus Healthy Kitten · Purina
90.5/100
Frequently asked questions about Sphynx food
- Why does the Sphynx eat more than a furry cat of the same size?
- Because he has no coat to hold in body heat. Without that insulating layer, he spends more energy just to maintain his temperature — and that calls for a more caloric food than a cat with a normal coat needs, according to AAFCO's nutrient profiles for adult cats.
- Does the Sphynx have any known heart problem?
- He does. The breed is among those most prone to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the most common heart problem in cats — it affects as many as 1 in 7 cats, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. That is why taurine at an adequate level and quality protein weigh more in a Sphynx's food.
- Does every Sphynx develop that heart problem?
- No. It is a breed tendency, not a certainty — not every Sphynx has HCM. Even so, the problem is common enough in cats in general to justify keeping an eye on the food's taurine and taking the cat to the veterinarian for regular cardiac check-ups.
- Is taurine more important for the Sphynx than for other cats?
- Taurine is essential for any cat — he is an obligate carnivore, and his body does not make enough on its own. In the Sphynx, the extra weight of that nutrient comes from the predisposition to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, which makes the right taurine level an even more important criterion when choosing the food.
- If the Sphynx spends more energy, can he eat as much as he likes?
- No. Spending more energy is not the same as being able to eat without control. If the cat is sedate — which happens even in breeds with high calorie expenditure — he gains weight all the same. It is worth tracking his body with the veterinarian, not relying on the breed's reputation alone.
Methodology
The block of recommended foods on this page is ordered by My Pet Magazine's IDNM/IPFI technical score, which evaluates the nutritional quality and ingredient purity of every product available for the Sphynx's medium-size profile. The order is calculated automatically and updated whenever the catalog changes — no brand pays to appear, and there is no manual product selection.
The ranking on this page is a projection of the My Pet Magazine IDNM/IPFI scoring engine over the cat dataset, with no manual product curation. See the full methodology →
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