How much food should I feed a yr old cat a day?

Question

there is a debate in my house, We have two indoor cats that are about a year old (one a little over, one a little under) and they are hungry ALL the time. The constantly meow on the counter whenever i walk into the kitchen, the get in the cupboards looking for food, and dig thru the trash. My co worker warned me not to over feed them because it would make them fat and unhealthy. we have been feeding them 3/4 cups of kibble each morning and another 3/4 cup each at night. I dont feel like they are getting enuf, but everyone is saying its all they need and that they are whiners. HELP!

Answer 1

It can be the food you are giving them. Grocery store foods - Iams, Purina, any Whiskas or other stuff is 2/3 corn and does not meet the nutritional needs of a cat. They also use by-product meat which is meat considered unfit for human consumption and by law has to be treated with chemicals some of which are known carcinogens. This includes the expensive and low quality Science Diet.

Please get some Eagle Pack, Solid Gold, Natural Balance, Felidae, CA Natural, Nature's Logic, Nature's Variety, Blue, Artemis which is quite expensive at $2.60 per pound.

You should also consider giving some canned food from these brands. Cats are obligate carnivores and need meat in their diet if they are to have adequate moisture to process their food.

You cats will seem to eat the same amount or even more as they adjust to the more nutritious food and make up for past deficiencies in their diet. That will taper off in a few months and they will probably seem to eat less.

You can use all of these foods in some rotation. It is good for cats to have different protein sources other than chicken. Some of the foods mentioned use duck, lamb, turkey, etc. You can get a bag of the more expensive foods and the next bag can be one of the less expensive (Eagle Pack, Natural Balance and Solid Gold). So it won't mean increasing the amount spent on food that significantly.

To switch dry foods click on my name at the icon for a "recipe" for success.

Answer 2

All this is what my vet told me when I had 2 one-year-old kittens:

Yes they are still kittens and still growing until they reach about 2 years old. I kept kitten food out all the time. They did not get overweight and never over ate. They are still growing and still need lots of nutrition. Get an automatic feeder that you fill up and gravity keeps the dish full. Even as adults now they don't over eat. Your co-worker and others are crazy to think that they will get fat and unhealthy this young. I keep weight control formula of Purina Cat Chow (no need to spend the extra money on Iams or Science diet, they are identical to Purina) out now. But like I said, these guys are still babies and won't get fat, not yet anyway.

Answer 3

If it's 3/4 cups each in the morning, and another 3/4 c. each at night, that might be twice what they need.

If they look through the garbage on you, there like, what's in there, I'm so curious, I just gotta find out. There thinkin' there could be a mouse hiding, maybe...

But seriously, they are curious, they sound healthy.

If they are not fixed, that could explain the constant meowing, they want out. Or, maybe just want out, natural instinct.

Some people disagree, but did you know that a cat can remain a kitten till they are 3? It's when they become mother's so fast, that you don't see this nature in the animal. That should tell us something about human nature.

Answer 4

The bag tells you how much they recommend. Tell your co-worker to mind his/her own business. I have 3 indoor cats and I have 2 food dishes full 24/7 and my cats aren't fat. Indoor cats will be a little chunkier than outside cats, because they don't walk or run around as much. I have a lot of toys for my cats and they're always running and jumping around with the toys. They won't be unhealthy or fat, they'll eat when they're hungry, and they'll stop eating when they're not.

Answer 5

Quality food such as IAMS, Science diet etc will fill them up and keep them full longer and have better nutrition. Cats are nibblers and eat frequently throughout the day. The food bag tells you how much to feed them. Also make sure they have lots of fresh water available too. My 2 cats eat approximately 2 cups of food a day. I feed them IAMS.

Nice thing with the IAMS is the waste is reduced and doesn't smell as bad either, compared to cheaper commercial foods.

Oh and cats get fat from lack of activity and food that is too high in fillers and fats.

Answer 6

The bag of food has the amounts on the back- about a cup (dry) two times a day, maybe once if you feed this with one moist food. The cat will help you decide how many,if they eat all at once or nibble throughout the day.The dry food is better because it helps with getting the tartar off their teeth.

Answer 7

Food is measured by animals weight. Look on the bag of food and see how much your cats should eat according to their weight. What are you feeding your cats? Low quality food do not provide proper nutrition, therefore animals feel hungry all the time.

Answer 8

what brand of food??
the cheaper the food the more filler and therefore the more the cats need to eat
the better the food the more nutrition so the less the cats need to eat (less poop too)

so ultimately you cannot answer the question without more information...
all grocery level and wal mart foods are crap - filler filler filler..so the pets need to eat more.. so they get more sales...
better food uses meat as the main ingredient - cats are true carnivours...

cats should have unlimited access to food throughout the day

Answer 9

put out enough food for all day , lots of water , and let your cat eat free choice , and by a really good guality cat food , such as iams .

Answer 10

well when the cat food bowl is done just give it more