Is it best to just fill the food bowl for cats just once a day or a little at a time?

Answer 1

Most cats will eat little by little, so you can go ahead and fill the bowl up. They'll ration it throughout the day rather than gobble it all up like a dog. (Most of them anyway, but you should base it on your particular cat's behavior)

Answer 2

Depends on your cats. If one is a piggy, you may need to put out more than one bowl, and space out the feedings, or lock piggy away while the others eat.

If you have cats with different needs, like one is a kitten, one is overweight, you may need to feed more often, and watch they eat the food meant for them!

I let hard dry food stay out all the time, but the fresh wet food I don't leave out more than a few hours, less in the hot summertime, as it goes skanky fast. I replace it often, just putting out a small portion, with the rest in the fridge.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

You have gotten a lot of responses from people who leave food out all day for their cats -- and the cats are overweight.

I will refer you to Anitra Frazier's book, "The New Natural Cat" Penguin Books, NY. This is a very popular and lovely book on cat diet, care, feeding, grooming, kitten care etc. Many editions of the book have been published. You might find a library copy.

Page 44: The Primary Feeding Rule: Remove Food Between Meals. This section goes from pp 44-47 so I cannot quote it all for you here. She gives three major reasons for feeding no more than two meals a day and having the cat have sufficient time for digestion between meals. One reason relates to the development of the alkaline urine that leads to crystals in the urine. Another is that having food constantly available actually slows the metabolism of the cat's entire body. Blood is constantly concentrated in the stomach and the other organs of the cat's body are deprived of the healthy stream of freshly oxygenated blood.

I was told this early on in my cat owning experience and have never left food out for my cats.

Try to find Ms. Frazier's book and read that section. Her book has a foreward written by Richard Pitcairn, DVM, one of the leading holistic veterinarians in the US. He is really the "grandaddy" of veterinarians concerned that cats and dogs receive wholesome, species appropriate food.

Answer 4

There are serving sizes for cats just like humans. Should be on the back of the package of food. It is based on weight. You should feed your cat only as much as it suggests. But go ahead and and give the full portion at the start of the day. Just remember, you don't need to refill it once its gone until the next day.

Answer 5

i have two cats, one over eats and one doesnt. What i used to do (before i stopped caring lol) is feed them once a day, give the over eating cat just a little food, but the slender cat could eat more.

Answer 6

If it's dry food, I fill my cat's bowl up, then he can let me know when it needs filled up. As long as you don't have a dog in the house that will eat your cats food. This also makes it convenent when you are not at home.

Answer 7

I keep dry cat food down 24/7. If their bowel gets low enough that they can see the bottom, they cry until I fill if back up again.

Answer 8

Depends on your cat really. 1 cup and 1/2 is good for an adult cat a day.

My cat overeats and is overweight...so we feed him twice a day to equal 1.5 cups a day.

Best of luck!

Answer 9

a little at a time, its the way they eat.

cats get jollies out of being served often, and in nature,

cat species, like cougars for example, eat from their catch, then go away, then come back and eat a little more, IF THERE IS ANYTHING LEFT, if other species (bears, vultures....) didn't eat, they then go away, and come back and eat a little more... its their way of doing things. Maybe most of the time their catch is much smaller naturally, like a little mouse or bird, or june bug...

just one big meal offer, might get stale or ransid, or get fly's germs, the cat might just get bored by it, and ask you or bug you for new servings anyways, even though there is a lot still in the bowl from earlier.

Answer 10

I've heard to portion their food for them, but I've always left my cat's bowl out all day with constant refills (however he is overweight). You don't want them to go hungry though.