my older cat is 6 years old and the vet says she is an ok weight. she has always been a nibbler and won't eat anythng but dry cat food. she is not the problem. the problem is my crazy 6 month old kitten. she will eat anything and everything. she eats her food quickly so she can eat the other cats food. so now the older cat can't nibble throughout the day and the older cat begs for more because she doesn't eat so fast like the younger one. so i'm feeding them all the time now. i'm afraid the younger one is getting overweight. i only feed them dry food everyday and wet food as a treat like once a week and sometimes a little fish too when i cook it.
2007-01-01 05:23:08 · 14 answers · asked by anonymous 6 in Pets ➔ Cats
Kittens have different nutritional needs than adult cats. Leaving food out isn't a bad thing. The kitten will continue eating at a ravenous pace and burn off the energy for at least a year. Just monitor the food intake to make sure she isn't bored, or eating to be eating.
2007-01-01 05:27:58 · answer #1 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you should go to www.littlebigcat.com and read a veterinarian's opinion on why cats should not have a diet of dry food only. The article titled "Why Cats Need Canned Food" is at the end of the series of about sixty articles on cat health, diseases, diet and behavior.
If you will use a high quality canned food - Natural Balance is one that is good and not terribly expensive you will be meeting your cats' nutritional needs better and they will not eat all the time. A high quality food without a lot of corn will be better for the kitten and will not make her put on excess weight.
When food is available all day to cats blood is constantly going to the stomach for digestion and does not get "routed" to other vital organs in the cat's body. So food should be served in "meals" twice a day and anything left over should be picked up and put away. It will be a trial to break the older cat of her nibbling habit and it is really best for her health.
If you use the NB you can split a can between the cats in the AM and give an extra serving to the kitten in the middle of the day and use the rest plus a three ounce can in the evening.
When you open a can of food any that is not being served for the meal should be transferred to a glass dish to keep for later. Except in extremely hot weather it does not have to be refrigerated if it is consumed in one day. Leaving it in the can gives it an "off" taste which the cats won't like.
2007-01-01 06:39:13 · answer #2 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
continue leaving the food out and add more, the kitten is growing and needs the extra food - all young kids tend to eat more. You don't want to put a growing kitten on a diet. Make sure you leave enough so your older cat gets some - start monitoring them when you are home and see how fast it goes and when it runs out. Then keep adding food slowly until it starts lasting all day. Don't worry about the kittens weight now. Remember you've got essentially a middle aged one and a teenager - they are both going to have different habits.
2007-01-01 05:34:44 · answer #3 · answered by Isabel 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This works I promise! Cats are meant to hunt for their food, and due to domestication they don't do it as much but still have the desire. Take your recommended amount to feed and disperse it into 3 or 4 containers and place them around your house ie: on top of a dresser, in the corner of a room not often used etc. and make a treat container with the food and cut small holes where food can fall out when played with (yogurt containers are the best). Show your older cat where 1of the dishes is since she is not the problem, do not show the other cat any of them make him find them (except for the treat container). This encourages their instincts to kick in and its amazing to watch. They will always be on the prowl and much more active. In about a week they will figure out where the dishes are located, when this happens it is time to relocate the dishes. You need to expect their behavior to worsen and for them to frequently complain to you b/c you don't serve them anymore so prepare yourself. Whatever you do don't give in they will find the food and will not starve. It sounds more difficult than it is but trust me it works beautifully! This is also a great method for overweight cats. We learned about this is my behavior class and I was a little skeptical at first then I put my mom's cats on this "active" diet and she no longer has overweight cats.
2007-01-01 06:24:13 · answer #4 · answered by jessica 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I had the same problem...the solution I found was, I used a baby gate I purchased...a cheap one...that the kitten couldn't get over. I placed the kittens food on one side of the gate, and the older cats food where it had always been. In a couple of months, the kitten (now 2 yrs old) had slowed down on his eating, and I took the gate down and all was fine. It may or may not work for you....
Whatever method you choose, just don't make the older cat do without....Good luck!
2007-01-01 05:33:20 · answer #5 · answered by aidan402 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I used to have that problem too. I ended up locking up and feeding the younger one in the laundry room, while feeding the younger one in his area. After a year or so they will both begin to eat at a steady pace, and you won't have to worry about it.
2007-01-01 05:56:46 · answer #6 · answered by bpbjess 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have always left my food out for my cats...Have you had the kitten checked for worms? Sometimes they will eat a whole lot more if they have something going on inside their little bodies...
2007-01-01 06:09:29 · answer #7 · answered by splashingdreams 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well if you think your kitten is getting fatter by the minute than dont let him/her find anyfood. Just put out his/her food and have her/him eat that only. Dont even let the kitten find the other cats food ether. Im a animal lover so you should just listen to your heart.
2007-01-01 05:30:09 · answer #8 · answered by Amber M 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It depends how long you are gone for... I leave my cat's food out and they don't get fat..... so I would leave the food out.. or if you are gone for awhile then put a good size portion out for as much as you think they need for the time you will be gone... or if you are only gone for a couple minutes than keep the food out... believe me I would know. I have 14 cats
2007-01-03 09:05:53 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I give my cat half a can of soft for breakfast and the other half for dinner. I leave out some hard food so she can eat it whenever she is hungry.
2007-01-01 05:34:49 · answer #10 · answered by Decadent One 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋