How often do you feed your cats?
By dcroome2005
@dcroome2005 (1210)
United States
June 21, 2007 1:09pm CST
Ok- I know we probably all feed them everyday, but what I really mean is do you leave food down all the time or do like vets recommend and feed them at certain times of the day? I have 3 cats who all eat at different times and they are only on dry food as I don't believe in wet food for animals that are nut puppies or kitties anymore unless they are older and need it. My cats are very overweight and my vet keeps telling me to feed them a certain amount and twice a day. Ummm Do they really know how hard that is to do?
6 people like this
22 responses
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
22 Jun 07
I see that your cats rule the bed...LOL..that's okay so do mine...I usually feed my two pampered angels about three times a day...One cat of Fancy Feast is enough for them at each serving--they seem to fill up more on the dry food I leave down all day/night--My Pyewacket is slim, while Kissy is a bit chubby...shhh..don't let her hear that...she might get insulted
1 person likes this
@pyewacket (43903)
• United States
30 Jun 07
I can do better than that...I have websites for my kitties.
Here's Pyewacket's
http://www.catchow.com/homepages/homepage.aspx?seed=27863
And here's Kissy's
http://www.catchow.com/homepages/homepage.aspx?seed=27880
Imagine..having websites for kitties!
@dcroome2005 (1210)
• United States
30 Jun 07
awww I bet Kissy is beautiful. Pye is gorgeous. I want to see pictures of Kissy. :) Yes, they do rule the bed.
@terri0824 (4991)
• United States
21 Jun 07
I leave food and water out for both of my cats. And neither of my cats are overweight. I've never just fed them certain times during the day. They both go out and get plenty of exercise, so that may be why they aren't over weight.
1 person likes this
@dcroome2005 (1210)
• United States
30 Jun 07
Go out? Meaning outside? I wish I could do that but my cats are inside animals and wouldn't know what to do being outside. WE try to get them to exercise in the house.
1 person likes this
@terri0824 (4991)
• United States
5 Jul 07
Yes, they go outside. Exercise in the house would be a good thing too!
@moonshadow68 (723)
• United States
21 Jun 07
My cat technically gets fed about four times a day and she would be overweight too, but we make her exercise and play. If she gets lazy, she gets cut back on her food too.
I put 1/4 cup of her dry food in her dish twice a day, usually mid-morning and then before I go to bed so that she always has food in her dish. And, then being the spoiled rotten girl that she is, she gets about a teaspoon full of tuna at dinner for sure and sometimes at lunch (again, depending on how active she is).
I never want her to feel deprived, but I also know how unhealthy being overweight is for her (just like for me), so i found that leaving her food out all day, but putting out smaller amounts solved both problems. When there is less available, she eats less (I don't think she likes to actually empty the bowl) and I feel okay because I know there is always some there for her.
1 person likes this
@dcroome2005 (1210)
• United States
30 Jun 07
Yeah, my cats play with the lazer light and other toys around the house. They are active to a point. My oldest one isn't though. She is just downright lazy.
@lisagayle (393)
• United States
22 Jun 07
We leave food down for them at all times, so they can eat when they want, the dogs also the fed the same way.
1 person likes this
@dcroome2005 (1210)
• United States
30 Jun 07
Yep, my 1 dog gets fed twice a day and then the other one gets food whenever he wants.
@SameOldStory (74)
•
21 Jun 07
Well two of my cats usually eat around three times a day. They usually sleep the rest of the time. my other cat though seems to have some kind of fast metabolism as she wants feeding about eight or more times a day. She will only eat a certain type of food and likes to eat bits at a time. She is skinny though. Just feed them in the morning and then take away their food plates/dishes until the next time you need to feed them. Don't give them too much aswell because cats are generally quite greedy and will gorge themselves, especially if its something they find very tasty.
1 person likes this
@dcroome2005 (1210)
• United States
30 Jun 07
Thanks for sharing your experience with your cats. I guess I will start taking it up after I see they are done in the morning. You are right, they will gorge themselves and then I wonder why we have hairballs and stuff. LOL
@dcroome2005 (1210)
• United States
30 Jun 07
I wish a 3 lb bag would last me that long. Actually it may. I have never sat there to see how long a bag last. I get them in the bigger bags to save $$$. I also give them wet food every now and then to share.
@sedel1027 (17846)
• Cupertino, California
22 Jun 07
We have 2 cats. When we got them they were use to having access to food all the time. So we leave the food bowls out with food. I refill them when they get low or run out, which is just about every day. We give them about a 1/2 cup dry food per bowl. They also get a 1/4 can each of wet food every morning.
@dcroome2005 (1210)
• United States
30 Jun 07
That sounds like a great measurement of food. I will have to try that and see if that will help them. Thanks!
@theproperator (2429)
• United States
1 Jul 07
My cat has a tendency to gain weight, and a bad habit of scarfing down as much food as he can as fast as he can (and then sometimes throwing it all back up). So, I have always fed him three small meals a day (once when I get up, once when I get home, and once at bed time). When we got our dog, he was put on the same schedule for simplicity's sake.
I think if you just started feeding all the cats at one time, and only leaving the food bowls out for a certain length of time, you would find that they woudl eventually adapt to the new schedule (but there will be some complaining and dirty looks in the meantime). Then, you will be able to really monitor who eats what and how much.
I have found that my cat is much happier and active without the extra pounds. He's 10 now, but acting much more energetic than he did just a couple years ago when he was in a "fat period." I think if you follow your vet's advice, you will find that in a few months you will see how much better off your cats are.
Good Luck (and be strong!)!
@anij34 (317)
• United States
22 Jun 07
I guess I don't see why its so hard. I have a total of 6 cats right now. Three kittens and Three adult cats. The kittens have access to food all day long. The three adults are only fed morning and night. They know when and where feeding time is and they show up for it. If they don't make it on time the other cats eat their food and they make sure they show up for the next meal. Its that easy. I don't agree with allowing cats to "graze" all day like cows. They don't do that in nature so why alter nature to make things easier for us, at the cats health expense.
@anij34 (317)
• United States
1 Jul 07
Its usually the attitude of spoiling animals or people with too much love that animals and people become obese. Yes, I have studied cats in the wild. I have been both a Park Ranger and Vet Tech so I know what I am talking about. It is proven that it is NOT healthy for cats to graze all day on food. They DO NOT do it naturally. Many cats are so dumb they will eat until they throw up, not because they are purposefully dumb but because its not natural for them to have food available all day.
Cats only need a matter of ounces to eat not nearly as much as is given to them when they graze all day. Do a web search for feline obesity and you will see what I am talking about. Or speak with your vet. Ask straight out if you should feed them once or twice a day a small amount or if you should allow them to graze all day. Cats should eat a High Protein and High Fat food and low carbohydrates. Sounds crazy but check out the websites on feline obesity.
You can kill your pets with too much love if you don't know what is truly best for them, health wise.
@dcroome2005 (1210)
• United States
30 Jun 07
Ani, trust me, my cats are very healthy. I take them to the vet each year for their shots. They are missing out on anything. How do you know what cats do in the wild? Have you studied them? Each cat is different and YES, then can graze. I guess I just hate to see my cat want food during the day and they go to get it and it's not there. I obviously spoil my babies.
@dcroome2005 (1210)
• United States
2 Jul 07
My cats are on vet food so I know they are eating what is recommended, maybe just not the amount. I have always had fat cats and they seem to live to be around 17-18 which is a great age so I thought. I will cut back on their food but they will always have food down. I've been around ferals as I have worked with animal rescues for a majority of my adult life. Most of mine have been ferals as I don't believe in buying animals unless they are coming from a shelter.
@Caila611 (992)
• United States
22 Jun 07
For my momma kitty she eats when she wants. She's not overweight at all though. For my little munchkins (we have 5) I feed them about 4 - 5 times a day. Those little ones are piggies. It's just funny to see them roll and play with their big bellies!
@dcroome2005 (1210)
• United States
30 Jun 07
Awww, Yes kittens can be piggies. I hope you are getting them spayed now and especially momma kitty. We have so many unwanted animals in the world. I bet they are so cute.
@lightningMD (5931)
• United States
21 Jun 07
Ileave the food down all the time,but
I only put food into the bowl twice a day. Sometimes they eat it all and other days they dont.
1 person likes this
@dcroome2005 (1210)
• United States
30 Jun 07
Sounds like me. I dont constantly refill it. I do it once in the morning and once at night. Most of the time, there is food in there throughout the day if they need it.
@userkasep (110)
• Indonesia
1 Jul 07
my cat eat 3 times a day just like me ....
'coz everytime i took my plate my cat make an awful miaww till I feed it than it stop.
perhaps your problem could solve by decrease their meal, lesser amount every day probably stoping it from overweight.
good luck.
@cabergren (1181)
• United States
22 Jun 07
I also have three cats. I usually leave dry food in the dishes all the time. They don't seem to overeat. I used to feed them all one can of wet food a night. But with the pet food scare on the brand I was using I stopped using wet food. You can't be too careful about that.
@xfallenxlostx (2074)
• United States
22 Jun 07
We have 4 cats. We just leave a bowl offoodout for them and let them eat as they get hungry. Cats are smart enough to not eat all at once if they are full.
@nglanfield (559)
• Turkey
22 Jun 07
My two cats get fed twice a day, breakfast and dinner. They have dry food in the morning and a can of wet food between them in the evening.
Sometimes if they have been really active and playing outside they'll come and ask for some food in the middle of the day. So a few extra biscuits go down for them, which they eat and go back outside.
@kitkat1 (1227)
• Canada
22 Jun 07
My cats eat all dry food i dont give them any wet food as they are inside cats and i find wet catfood makes them stink up the litter box really fast ewwww. I dont have a set feeding time schedule for them either i keep on bowl full of fresh drinking water for them and one bowl that is kept full of dry cat food at all times and they eat when they want. I have five and i find it easier this way as they all tend to eat on a different schedule that suits each one of them.
@DRAGOSTEA (2)
• Romania
22 Jun 07
Thanks; I help my mother to put something for my cats. I am not determined to give them fresh or prepared food. I pray that my cats to be healthy. They also need water but the river is near.
