What Should I Feed My Cat
Head to your nearest supermarkets pet food aisle and youll find plenty of cat foods to choose from. But with so much on offer, how can you decide what is best for your cat?
Before you buy, remember to choose food specially formulated for cats. Dog food simply isnt suitable and food intended for humans doesnt necessarily include all the nutrients that your cat needs. The best food for your cat is likely to be a complete cat food from a reputable brand. Your vet will be well placed to guide you to the best food for your cat.
Homemade cat foods might be good for occasional treats, but it is very difficult to give your cat the right balance of proteins, vitamins and minerals your cat needs to thrive unless this has been recommended by your vet.
Vitamin supplements arent necessary if you are feeding your cat good quality cat food – unless recommended by your vet too. Vitamin supplements could cause a dietary imbalance which could harm your cat always speak to your vet about any food supplements first.
You can find out more about what to feed your cat in our video.
It Can Be Difficult To Know How Often To Feed Your Cat And How Much To Feed Your Cat At Mealtimes Heres Our Guide To Ensuring Your Cat Is Eating The Right Amount
Cats have very specific nutritional requirements, and its important to understand that these needs differ depending on your cats breed, size and life stage. You also need to take into account any allergies and additional health considerations. Our Cat Food Finder Tool can recommend the right diet for your unique cats needs.
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.
How To Stop My Cat From Overeating
To prevent your cat from overeating, Dr. Burch recommends measuring or weighing your cat’s food at each meal. It can be easy to overfeed your cat when not using measuring cups or food scales, leading to obesity.
And not only does a feeding schedule help set up your cats daily routine, but it will help you control the amount of food he eats, too. Free-feeding is more likely to lead to overeating because your cat will be able to graze throughout the day, and you wont know how much your cat actually eats.
You can also try out a slow feeder for your cat if he eats too quickly. This cat slow feeder earned The Dodos Paw of Approval, and you can get .
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How Often To Feed Kittens 7 Weeks
Feed your cat a complete food thats suitable for their life stage, eg kitten, adult or senior cat the food packaging will advise which life stage it is aimed at. Follow the instructions on the foods packaging for how much to feed and how often Dont feed your cat a vegetarian or vegan diet. Week One Feeding Schedule . A kitten typically weighs about 3 to 3.7 oz. at birth but will gain weight rapidly from nursing. For the first several weeks of life, a newborn kitten will depend entirely on its mother to provide it with food.
How Much To Feed A Kitten Per Day
Theres no one answer to the question. This all depends on the age, size, individual cat and if it is its only dietary option.
Generally, growing kittens should be on a schedule. This allows you to control his dietary intake to avoid becoming overweight.
Your kitten should eat three times-per-day morning, afternoon and evening. Read the package to determine what it recommends per-pound, per-day then divide that portion up into three equal meals.
The label is a good starting point when determining how much wet food to feed a kitten per day, but your individual cat will tell you if its too much or too little. For example, if he is gobbling up his food and always seems hungry with little to no weight gain, you may want to increase the amount and conversely offer less if hes beginning to gain too much weight. Also see the the weight of the kitten is at the right level and take into account whether your kitten is too lean or perhaps even too chubby . If she needs a bit more weight see our tips on how to fatten up a cat.
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Can 3 Week Old Kittens Eat Wet Food
It is a good idea to introduce wet food to kittens at three weeks old. You can make this game easier by adding the wet food and kitten formula together. You should use a washcloth that is warm and damp after you feed kittens. During these early years of your kittens life, they will eat a lot more However, you will tend to feed them less regularly.
Feeding A Kitten Over 8 Weeks Of Age
Once a kitten has surpassed eight weeks of age, they should be fed twice a day with normal kitten food. Solid food should not be an issue for kittens of this age but they may still try to nurse on occasion. Between eight and ten weeks of age, a kitten should be fully weaned and preparing to leave its mother if you plan to find the kitten a new home. The first vaccinations are typically administered at about eight weeks of age, so when the kittens have a vet visit, you can be sure they have been growing appropriately.
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How Much How Often
Most cats will eat their main meals at dawn and dusk, when they would normally be hunting and catching prey in the wild, so those are often the best times to feed them.
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How much your kitty should get in their bowl depends on their age, size, and how active they are, but the average is about 200 calories per day. Its a good idea to ask your veterinary team to help you calculate your cats needs. Pay careful attention to the calorie counts on all foods you give to your cat, Churchill says. The calorie count can vary significantly from food to food.
Cats will also nibble during the day if you leave food sitting out, but be aware: They arent good judges of how much they should eat.
Overfeeding is an epidemic, Churchill says. When cats gain too much weight, they can have problems like joint disease, heart disease, and diabetes.
Vets say its best to feed cats at specific mealtimes, and to put food away at all other times.
If your cat is more chowhound than finicky feline, it might be most helpful to switch to a food lower in calories rather than cut back on quantity, Hill says. The problem with restricting food is that it can lead to mean cats.
What about treats? Its fine to dole them out occasionally, but dont overdo it. They should be no more than 5% to 10% of your cats daily calories.
What Kind Of Food
Kittens may be fed dry kibble kitten food or wet canned food. The choice is really up to you, based on your veterinarian’s advice. Some kittens may have difficulty chewing dry food properly. If canned food is used, it shouldn’t be left out for extended periods of time without refrigeration. Dry kibble food can stay out longer throughout the day. When a kitten is much older, some owners decide to feed their pet free choice” kibble, where the food is left available for much of the day. Other owners choose to feed wet canned food in single meals.
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How Long Can A Baby Kitten Go Without Eating
Mothers milk is an essential component in enabling a newborn kitten to survive for 12 hours. It is possible for small kittens without food to survive up to four days. Alternatively, you should use milk that contains 90 percent of the nutrients so that the amount of calcium will be zero. Using milk substitute formulas is one such thing.
How Much Should You Feed Your 4
At this stage, kittens still need about twice as many calories per pound than adult cats. Refer to the feeding guidelines on your kittens food to determine how much to give him per pound of bodyweight.
Kittens in this age group need around 60-65 calories per pound of body weight per day. For example, a 5-pound kitten should consume about 325 calories per day.
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How To Tell If Your Cat Is Overweight
Vets use a body condition score to tell if your cats overweight or underweight.
Cats who are overweight have fat covering their ribs, making it challenging to feel easily, Dr. Burch said. Their waist can be poorly discernible or absent. The abdomen will be rounded to distended with fat.
You can look at the images on the body condition chart and compare them to your own cats size to see if he seems to be a little too chubby. But basically, if his stomach sticks out and you cant see his hips, its probably time for a diet.
Should I Let My Kitten Eat As Much As It Wants
Giving young kittens plenty of food seems almost impossible to make them overweight at their earliest level it probably wont take them long. You may continue to feed dogs food free of charge, as long as other pets do not eat all of it and only take dried food. A very large kitten will require large amounts of calories. You should make sure that the first thing your kitten is able to access is fresh water whenever possible.
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New Cat Owner Guide: 9 Steps For Taking Care Of Your Kitten
Congratulations on the new addition to your family! Bringing home a kitten can be exciting and daunting. Whether you’re a novice cat owner or a veteran pet parent, it’s always good to go over the basics when you start with a new bundle of fluff. If you get your kitten’s health care, training and socialization right when she’s young, she’ll be healthy and well behaved as she grows into adulthood.
Here are nine fundamental steps for taking care of your new kitten.
How Often Should I Feed My Kitten
A kitten can grow 15 times faster than a human child, so it undergoes numerous physiological changes in its first year of life. Therefore, in order for a kitten to go through these changes, it will need the correct balance of nutrients in its food. As your kitten grows up and its body changes, so will its eating habits. In this article, James Wellbeloved will provide all the information youll need on how much to feed your kitten.
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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.
Should You Feed The Amount Listed On The Cat Food Bag
The directions on your cats food bag are just rough guidelines. Their purpose is to cover ALL life situations, and amounts are often set for the most demanding of those, such as an unneutered male cat. Each cat has their own unique needs. The guidelines on food bags can be significantly more or less than what your cat needs. You can use it as a starting point but be sure to adjust the amounts, either up or down, to what is appropriate for your cat to meet the goal of weight loss or maintenance.
As a general average, if you are feeding a commercially produced high-quality dry food with a good quality protein source, then an indoor cat would be fed about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of food per day. This amount of quality food is approximately between 167250 calories. For cat owners that prefer canned wet food, the average calories for a 5.5 oz can is 150200 .
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How Do I Decide How Much Food My Cat Needs
Different cats have different nutritional needs based on their size, life stage and more. Here are some factors to consider when deciding how much food your cat should eat:
- Age & Life Stage: Kittens have different nutritional needs than adult or senior cats. Cats who are pregnant or nursing also have different needs.
- Weight: If your cat is not at her ideal weight, you may need to give her smaller or larger portions to help her achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
- Energy Level: Cats who are active and playful throughout the day may require more calories than those who prefer to spend their time napping.
- Type of Food: Dry and wet cat food differ in calories, as well as portion sizes. Youll want to ensure youre feeding an appropriate amount of food, whether you feed dry, wet or a combination of both.
- Indoor vs. Outdoor: Indoor cats may not get as much exercise as an outdoor cat would, so they need fewer calories. Outdoor cats living in regions with cold winters may need more food in the winter.
The best way to determine how much food your cat needs is to talk with your veterinarian. They can determine how much food your cat requires based on the above factors.
They can also help you troubleshoot any problems that may arise, such as your cat eating less or more than usual.
Frequency To Feed Kittens Canned Food
Kittens need roughly twice the nutrients of adult cats, for both growth and energy. Obviously, their tummies cannot handle large quantities of food. Therefore, much like human babies, they need frequent feedings at first, tapering off as they grow. It is important during this time to weigh the kittens regularly, to ensure they are gaining regularly, but not becoming overly fat. Their hunger will usually be a pretty good guideline for determining if they are getting enough nutrition.
As a rule, it is best for kittens under eight weeks old to remain with the mother cat. If this is impossible, a kitten may be fed by bottle as early as two weeks old. Alternatively, the kitten can at five weeks old, be gradually introduced to a good canned kitten food, mixed with equal parts of a “kitten formula” such as KMR. . Note: I do not advise giving kittens whole milk, as many cats are allergic to it. As the kitten approaches six weeks old, the amount of KMR can be gradually reduced, until the kitten is eating canned food alone.
Note: These guidelines refer to feedings of canned food.
- At 6 Weeks: Three or more small feedings, spaced regularly throughout the day. Be sure to weigh the kitten regularly, and record his or her weight in a dated chart to keep track of its development.
- At 12 Weeks: Increase the amount of each meal, and gradually space them out to three meals a day.
- Around 6 Months: You may gradually space out the meals to twice daily.
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Scheduled Or Meal Feeding A Cat
You could go with scheduled feedings, sometimes called meal feeding, starting when your cat is young. Serving your kitten wet or dry food at a certain time of the day is the best way to closely monitor how much your pet is eating. This is particularly helpful in multi-cat households. You may find your feline begging for food in between meals, however. Many experts say that a kitten should be fed up to three times a day, but once a cat turns one, feeding them twice a day is acceptable.
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
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