You Need To Measure Your Cats Weight
So, youve done the visual check, but before you can begin calculating the feeding plan for your puss, you need to know its exact weight. Here are a few tips on how it can be done.
Hopefully, you have electronic scales. Place the basket or a box on the scales and switch it on. You should have it show zero, so the next number will be your cats weight and nothing else. If you have one of those boxes loving felines, it may even be a challenge to hit the button before the furry rascal jumps inside. If so, just weigh the box separately afterward and subtract that figure from the previous result.
There may be an obstacle in figuring out the amount of canned food to feed a cat if it resists getting onto the scales. Theres a graceful solution to that. First, see how much you weigh, then grab the kitty and step onto the scales with the purring troublemaker. Proceed with making the necessary mathematical operations to determine its weight.
Assessing Your Cats Feeding
Once you determine how much food to feed your cat, use that as a guide for a couple weeks. Then assess how your cat is doing. Here are a few things to consider:
- Does your cat leave food in her bowl? Or is she waking you up in the middle of the night for more?
- Is she cleaning her bowl but gaining too much weight? .
- Is she eating happily and maintaining her weight and activity levels?
Ensuring your cat gets the right amount of food will help her maintain her ideal body condition. Consider a healthy weight cat food to help her achieve and maintain this ideal body condition.
We also recommend working with your veterinarian to ensure there are no underlying medical issues.
For more feeding tips from our experts, visit our Pet Expertise page.
Feeding Both Canned And Dry Cat Food
To balance the benefits and drawbacks of both options, you may choose to feed a combination of both. This may be particularly useful with cats who require a higher water intake but enjoy eating dry better than canned.
If you are looking to mix wet cat food and dry cat food, talk with your veterinarian to find the best balance. Your veterinarian can help you calculate how much your cat should be eating and how to portion out the two food options.
Every cat is different, and the amount you feed a day will depend on the age of your cat, your cats current body condition, and the presence of any underlying diseases.
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Measure Your Cat’s Food
It is very important to measure your cat’s food with a proper measuring cup. Depending on the situation, when we are asked or think about a cup, our answers will be very different. When we think of a cup of coffee, especially if the morning is a bit rough, a cup better be the size of a soda bottle. But if we think of a cup of espresso we think of a tiny cup. Either way, we just think of a cup.
Why should this matter to you as a cat owner? It matters because when it comes to your cats weight and their overall health, the myriad of empty containers people frequently use to scoop their cat’s kibble aren’t the cups we veterinarians are talking about. This especially becomes a problem when a cat owner feeds the number of cups the pet food bag suggests and they are using the extra-large coffee cup variety.
Using a Digital Scale to Measure Cat Food
As doctors always say, The scale dont lie! That is why measuring your cats food by weight rather than volume is more accurate. While a measuring cup is great, we can always be off a little when we eyeball how much is in the measuring cup. And the size of dry kibble can affect how much food actually fits in a measuring cup. But when you know the weight of what you should feed your cat, you can be exact every time you feed with a digital scale.
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Why Measuring Your Cat’s Food Matters
There Are Many Factors To Consider When Choosing One Or The Other
Among the timeless questions debated endlessly from generation to generation, such as What is the meaning of life? and Does the refrigerator light go off when the door is closed?, is one veterinarians and cat owners are particularly familiar with: Is feeding canned or dry food better for cats? Cat loversand many veterinariansoften have strong and absolute opinions on this question, and disagreements on the subject tend to be about as amicable as those on politics and religion.
The most widely held belief seems to be that canned foods are healthier for cats than dry diets. This is predicated on two key arguments:
1) As obligate carnivores, cats cannot thrive on dietary carbohydrates, and canned diets are low-carb compared with kibble. Therefore, dry diets are more likely to lead to obesity and diabetes mellitus , two common and important feline health problems.15
2) Cats eating dry food dont drink enough water, and this increases the risk of chronic kidney disease and lower urinary tract diseases, such as feline interstitial cystitis and urolithiasis. Feeding canned foods maintains better hydration and promotes dilute urine, reducing the risk of these diseases.4,6,7
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A Hungry Cat Often Looks For Mischief
Another factor to consider is that a hungry cat is a busy cat, often seeking out food, stalking or grumpy towards the other cats , bothering the people around the house, or engaging in other destructive behaviors.
Being busy is good in that it makes the cat more active, which helps burn calories, but the nature of the business is often not appreciated by the rest of the house. By feeding a cat in response to these behaviors, the cat is encouraged to act this way. One of the hardest things to do is to let a cat be hungry without rewarding the associated behaviors.
Weigh Your Cat To Ensure A Healthy Rate Of Weight
Regardless of diet, limiting access is the key. And a scale to accurately weigh the cat on is handy. Peoples digital scales can be used by weighing the person with and without holding the kitty. Monthly weights at the same time of day are sufficient.
We want about a pound a month of weight loss, not more. Sudden weight loss in a cat can result in serious health issues. Weight loss is hard to accomplish in a cat, no short cuts exist, and it takes an active process to achieve.
Just like people, it is an individualized program for each kitty and dealing with the behavioral consequences of a hungry cat can be one of the largest challenges. The hardest thing for people to accept is that a hungry cat is okay and healthy, it does not require fixing despite what the kitty may think.
Dr. Matt McCormick, DVM
Companion Animal Clinic has been serving Blacksburg, Virginia and surrounding Montgomery and Christiansburg communities since 1974. We are an AAHA accredited veterinary hospital and provide quality, professional care for dogs, cats, exotics, and small mammals. Learn more about our amazing team.
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How To Mix Wet And Dry Food
If you want to give your cat a mix of wet and dry food, the only challenge is figuring out how much of each to provide to keep them happy and healthy. For example, should it be 70% dry and 30% wet? Or wet in the morning and dry in the evening?
To make sure your cat is getting the right amount of food, you first need to determine the daily recommended amount of dry food they should be eating. This number depends on the size, age and weight of your cat. There’s a handy measurement table on the side of each bag of kibble.You can choose your own ratio of dry to wet food, but we generally recommend two thirds dry kibble to one third wet food.Wet and dry food have a different number of calories per gram, so you can’t just interchange them. The rule is, take the weight of dry food you’re not feeding your cat, and multiply it by 2.5 to get the right weight of wet food.
Want to check your sums? Feel free to contact us via the chat button on our website.
Downsides Of Wet Cat Food
Wet Cat Food Costs More
In general, wet cat food is more expensive than dry cat food. Depending on the brand they buy, pet food shoppers can end up spending double the amount of money on wet food that they would on dry food. However, not all wet food has to cost you an arm and a leg. Be sure to shop around and find a brand whose prices youre comfortable with just make sure youre continuing to buy food made from quality ingredients!
Wet Cat Food Can be Messy
If your cat loves to strut their stuff and show off their majestic mane or gorgeous coat, giving them a can of cat food can be shocking their gorgeous, lush fur can look gnarly, fast. Luckily, cats are pretty meticulous self groomers. And, if your cats fur still looks a bit gruff from dinner, theres nothing a quick bath cant fix!
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Q: Can I Find The Amount I Should Feed My Cat On The Package
Dr. Leslie: Every bag or can of food has a section that recommends how much to feed. These calculations are based on the average need for a large population of cats. It is well documented that an individual cat may need up to 50 percent more or less than what is considered average. It is crucial to tailor the amount of food to help your cat achieve or maintain an ideal, lean body weight.
When To Feed Your Cat
When you bring a new cat home, its important to continue to feed her the same amount of the same food on the same schedule thats shes been accustomed to, then gradually migrate to your own food and schedule. Cats are very sensitive to change, and a new cat will be dealing with a lot of new-environment stress, so keeping the food and schedule consistent will ease her transition and keep intestinal upset at bay.
When youre ready to transition your cat over to your own food and schedule, youll need to determine what kind of food youll be feeding her , and using the calorie counts in each food, determine how much of which kind to feed her.
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How Often And How Much To Feed A Cat
It can be difficult to know how often and how much to feed your cat at meal times.
Cats have very specific nutritional requirements, and its important to understand that these needs differ depending on your cat’s breed, size and life stage. You also need to take into account any allergies and additional health considerations.Whether your cat eats dry food, wet food or a combination of the two, to keep them happy and healthy its essential to keep track of how much and how often youre feeding them. Heres what you need to know.
Raw Chicken Liver And Salmon
Raw chicken liver and heart homemade cat food recipe may not sound particularly appetising to you, but Mr Whiskers will definitely be drooling over this tasty homemade cat food recipe! Chicken liver and heart boast essential nutrients that your cat needs, including tons of vitamin A, vitamin B, minerals, iron and protein. With so many nutrients packed in a meal, this recipe is also suitable for kittens whore on a growth spurt! However, moderation is key when it comes to raw chicken liver consumption as too much of it may cause your cat to have loose stools.
Prep time: 10 minutes
- 700g raw chicken wings with bones and skin
- 100g raw salmon with bones
- 1 tsp taurine supplement powder
Recipe Instructions:
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What Should Cats Eat And Why What Nutrients Do They Need
First thing first, what nutrient do they really need on a daily basis?
Cats are different from the dogs. Dogs are omnivorous. They are able to break down and digest both vegetable and animal protein. Where cats are obligate carnivores. That means that cats need animal-based meats in their diets.
Even though theoretically, cats could get enough protein from plant material. But, they need the amino acid taurine in order to thrive. Taurine is found primarily animal-based meat.
Carnivores do not require to down cellulose found in the plant. So, they have a shorter digestive system. If you are introducing plant material in her diet it could cause a digestive problem.
Wet cat food, their primary ingredient is meat or fish. It provides a meal which is good for a cats dietary needs.
But, it does not mean that canned wet cat food is always better than canned wet cat food. The Premium dry cat food is always good, at least better than a worst canned food.
Your Cat May Have Trained You To Feed It
The act of feeding is a training exercise between the cat and the feeder. Cats often key on the behaviors and acts that are a preview to feeding them and try to get the feeder to engage in these. A good example is feeding the cats as soon as you get out of bed in the morning. The cats will very often try to get the person up in the morning so that they get fed earlier and earlier and earlier
Another example is the cat running into the kitchen every time the fridge is opened since that is where they know you store the canned food.
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Breed Specific Feeding Requirements
Can a cats breed define the amount of calories it needs? Of course, although that will still be related to its weight, activity level, and body type. So, naturally, the larger and more active breeds will require more kcals per day, and our guide and calculator still will be able to help you establish the starting point.
Nevertheless, there are diets and foods advised for specific breeds to keep their health in the best condition, so you should consult a vet for that kind of advice on what exactly to feed to your cat.
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Why Should I Feed My Cat Wet Food
The main reason why people choose to feed their cats wet food is because of the fact that there is a higher water content in this type of food. This could be especially important if your cat has certain health conditions.
If your pet has an ailment that requires them to intake more water than a cat would usually have to, they might particularly benefit from wet cat food. This is due to the fact that there is more water.
Another reason why itâs a good idea to give your pet canned cat food is that itâs largely considered to be highly palatable. In other words, your cat could be more likely to eat their canned food than their dry food.
If youâre worried about your pet not intaking enough food, try to give them some wet food and see how it goes.
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Wet Vs Dry Cat Food For Kittens
While your kittens are growing, They need a crucial nutritional needs. Should they eat dry cat food or wet cat food? Good quality Kitten food will have more protein. They will contain more healthy nutrition, calories compare to foods for adult cats. An opinion, a good quality dry kitten food daily along with a mix of a small portion of quality wet kitten foods.
Feeding Recommendations From Your Local Veterinarian
Canned food only is my first choice. For an adult cat, start with ½ of a 5.5 oz. can twice daily and no additional food. This is the starting point and likely will need to be adjusted downward.
For little cats, a half of a 3 oz. can twice daily may work better. This amount is also cat-specific and often needs adjusting up or down. Feeding canned food seems to create the best balance between calories and feeling full, and the meal seems to tide the cat over better than a dry food meal.
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Why Is It So Common For Cats To Become Overweight Or Obese
An estimated 50% of cats over the age of five carry too much bodyweight, making them either overweight or obese. Too much food is the main contributor to excessive bodyweight, so its essential to make sure your cat is eating the right amount.
It has become increasingly common for pet cats to become overweight or obese, with estimates that around 50% of cats over the age of five years carry too much body weight. Cat carers are often not aware that their pets are overweight or obese, yet an overweight cat is more likely to suffer health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, kidney disease, and a shorter life span.
The most common reason for cats becoming overweight or obese is simply that cat carers offer their cat more food than their cat needs.
Thats why its so important to know how much food you should offer your cat every day, so that your cat avoids preventable health problems later in life.
Cats, just like humans, enjoy eating: its one of the great pleasures of life, and a cats diet is one of the most important parts of their day. And because cat carers like to make their pets happy, its all too easy to want to give them extra food, to give them even more enjoyment in life.
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However, we all need to step back and recognise that while feeding a pet makes them happy in the immediate moment, if we give them too much food, the excessive food intake causes serious discomfort, poor health, and a shorter life in the long term.