Cat food quantities
Discussion
Our cat Fred has just had the snip so we were told to reduce his food intake as his metabolism will reduce due to the op. I decided it would be a good time to start putting him on some proper food, we have been feeding him whiskers kitten pouches and dry food as that is what the people we got him from were feeding him. The back of the boxes of whiskers were telling us to feed him 2 pouches a day with 30g (I think) of dry, he was weighed at 7 months and came in at 4.8Kg, which is apparently a bit heavy.
I have now bought him some natures menu pouches and james wellbeloved dry but I am not sure how much to give of each. The wet recommends 3 pouches a day, and the dry 60-70grammes a day, but how much of both? I was thinking 1 pouch a day (half in the morning, half in the evening) and 30 grammes of the dry. Is that enough?
Sorry for all the questions!!
Matt
I have now bought him some natures menu pouches and james wellbeloved dry but I am not sure how much to give of each. The wet recommends 3 pouches a day, and the dry 60-70grammes a day, but how much of both? I was thinking 1 pouch a day (half in the morning, half in the evening) and 30 grammes of the dry. Is that enough?
Sorry for all the questions!!
Matt
You are mixing two complete foods really it should be one or other, however done carefully is ok.
Generally look at daily guideline of both foods then at least halve it. Dry food will be more likely to cause weight gain so halve this then take a few more grams off.
Cats should self regulate but many don't therefore not a good idea to leave a bowl of dry biscuits down to graze on if they are greedy!
Get him reweighed by the vets in a couple of months (vet nurse should do this foc) to ck that you are on the right track.
Make sure he plays to stop him becoming lazy.
Generally look at daily guideline of both foods then at least halve it. Dry food will be more likely to cause weight gain so halve this then take a few more grams off.
Cats should self regulate but many don't therefore not a good idea to leave a bowl of dry biscuits down to graze on if they are greedy!
Get him reweighed by the vets in a couple of months (vet nurse should do this foc) to ck that you are on the right track.
Make sure he plays to stop him becoming lazy.
Ours is turning into a right fatty. He has half a pouch in the morning, maybe a little at lunch and the remainder at about five. Now, he's not the most active cat and he is pretty big anyway according to the vet.
He plays a lot, and is a demon mouse too. I'm sure he visits the neighbours on his travels!
He plays a lot, and is a demon mouse too. I'm sure he visits the neighbours on his travels!
minky monkey said:
Ours is turning into a right fatty. He has half a pouch in the morning, maybe a little at lunch and the remainder at about five. Now, he's not the most active cat and he is pretty big anyway according to the vet.
He plays a lot, and is a demon mouse too. I'm sure he visits the neighbours on his travels!
He must be - that's not much food at all.He plays a lot, and is a demon mouse too. I'm sure he visits the neighbours on his travels!
We feed our 2 cats half a pouch each, 3 times per day, plus some random treats, and they're both pretty small.
minky monkey said:
Ours is turning into a right fatty. He has half a pouch in the morning, maybe a little at lunch and the remainder at about five. Now, he's not the most active cat and he is pretty big anyway according to the vet.
He plays a lot, and is a demon mouse too. I'm sure he visits the neighbours on his travels!
Does he have any dry food?He plays a lot, and is a demon mouse too. I'm sure he visits the neighbours on his travels!
Ask the neighbours, fib and tell them he's borderline diabetic so you need to make sure he doesn't eat elsewhere to help him lose weight.
bexVN said:
You are mixing two complete foods really it should be one or other, however done carefully is ok.
Generally look at daily guideline of both foods then at least halve it. Dry food will be more likely to cause weight gain so halve this then take a few more grams off.
Cats should self regulate but many don't therefore not a good idea to leave a bowl of dry biscuits down to graze on if they are greedy!
Get him reweighed by the vets in a couple of months (vet nurse should do this foc) to ck that you are on the right track.
Make sure he plays to stop him becoming lazy.
Thanks for all the advice. Generally look at daily guideline of both foods then at least halve it. Dry food will be more likely to cause weight gain so halve this then take a few more grams off.
Cats should self regulate but many don't therefore not a good idea to leave a bowl of dry biscuits down to graze on if they are greedy!
Get him reweighed by the vets in a couple of months (vet nurse should do this foc) to ck that you are on the right track.
Make sure he plays to stop him becoming lazy.
It sounds like I wasn't far off with one pouch and 30g of dry per day then. He's an active cat, always in and out of the cat flap and I play with him until he bites and scratches get too painful.
Our vets do a free weight clinic so will wait a month or so and get him down there
Thanks again
Matt
Jumping on the back of this thread my cat is 11 months and we currently give him 1 Felix pouch in the morning and 1 in the evening. He gets a light sprinkle of Science Plan biscuits on top with a separate bowl of biscuits containing about a handful to graze on during the day.
When do we switch to 'adult' food and how much should he be getting? He was 3.85 kgs when weighed at the end of November so is probably about 4 kgs now at a guess.
Also when does he need a check up at the vet and what needs to be done/how regularly?
When do we switch to 'adult' food and how much should he be getting? He was 3.85 kgs when weighed at the end of November so is probably about 4 kgs now at a guess.
Also when does he need a check up at the vet and what needs to be done/how regularly?
Our cat Domino eats a FULL tin of whiskas a day, and she polishes the lot off! To say she likes to eat is an understatement! Doesnt play much, just likes to sleep & be cuddled so she isnt very active. She is 9 years old, stumpy (ie not very long) & a bit on the chunky side. She has no medical issues, just likes to consume!!
Is this too much food?
Is this too much food?
bexVN said:
^ Difficult to say without knowing her weight and her correct body shape/build.
It sounds like a fair bit but some cats have a chunky shape it doesn't always mean fat.
i'd agree with that , Sammy the mph household cat has most of a pouch morning and night and has a couple of handfuls of biscuits left out across the day plus some treats if she wants to play with people ... we also know she gets treats from one other house in the street ( becasue we're softies and it would break the heart of the little lass who lives at that house to ban her) and is quite the hunter ...It sounds like a fair bit but some cats have a chunky shape it doesn't always mean fat.
edc said:
Jumping on the back of this thread my cat is 11 months and we currently give him 1 Felix pouch in the morning and 1 in the evening. He gets a light sprinkle of Science Plan biscuits on top with a separate bowl of biscuits containing about a handful to graze on during the day.
When do we switch to 'adult' food and how much should he be getting? He was 3.85 kgs when weighed at the end of November so is probably about 4 kgs now at a guess.
Also when does he need a check up at the vet and what needs to be done/how regularly?
Unless he is is a big build/ breed of cat he should be ready to switch to adult any time now. Look at feeding guidelines and unless he is underweight (vet nurse would be able to advise you, usually foc) give less ie dry food says 50g give 45g (if only feeding dry, if feeding wet less again, prob 25g) It's very difficult to advise on amounts for me unless I can see and feel a cat to assess build etc, hopefully this helps a bit.When do we switch to 'adult' food and how much should he be getting? He was 3.85 kgs when weighed at the end of November so is probably about 4 kgs now at a guess.
Also when does he need a check up at the vet and what needs to be done/how regularly?
Check ups usually sufficient at booster times, however depends on your practice, we for example do nurse clinics that are free and offer adolescent checks (6 mpnths) post neuter checks (3 months post neutering) we worm and deflea etc. This helps animals feel more comfortable at our vets and we get to know our clients and their pets really well.
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