I was wondering if it was ok to leave dry food out for my cat to snack on? I feed my two cats wet food once a day, and leave dry food out for them to snack on. Is it ok for them to have food out for them to eat when they want? Or is it not good for them?
2007-01-20 15:14:18 · 17 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
I do the same for mine, just make sure is the right food, say for ex. 1y-o + adult indoor cat, iams brand has all kind of types so look for the one that better fits you cat. And also wet food can have lots of fat so give her only enough maybe a whole can or bag is way too much and can cause her to grow big with no need. I give mine 2 teaspoons in the morning when she ask for it and that is usually fine, she eats it during the day so i leave the plate there too. Have water along the dry food.
2007-01-20 15:21:10 · answer #1 · answered by Alex P 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I leave out a measured amount of food that is more or less what all three should be eating in one day. My three also get a small can of cat food, 1/4 can each, twice a day. One of those moist food snacks if how they get their meds. But the dry food is set out each night at 10pm and not re-filled again until 10pm the next day. Yes, one cat "might" eat more than he or she should but I can usually tell if one was "booted from the bowl" too much in a days time and will sneak them a little extra here or there.
But since you probably can't be there all the time to supervise - that's what I'd suggest. For a kitten, though - be sure they get whatever they want until they reach adult age. Kittens always need more food than an adult and need different nutritional values than an adult so they can grow strong.
Also - be sure you are feeding your pet something healthy such as foods from Wellness, Nutro, Royal Canin or other companies that make food with all-natural ingredients. Foods from companies like Purina are made with filler and by-products. These foods will do more harm than good! And companies like Iams and Science Diet are also not as healthy due to high caloric counts, especially sugars and carbs!
2007-01-20 23:29:28 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have two cats and I bought one of those feeders where you can put two or three lbs of food in it at a time and it trickles down to the bottom. I have a young cat (9 months old) who is getting a bit tubby because he snacks all the time, but my older cat will gorge if he gets hungry and will promptly go throw it all up. I have found the only way to prevent this is to keep the food available all the time so he doesn't really ever get hungry. If the food runs out, I know what will happen when I fill it up!
2007-01-20 23:34:13 · answer #3 · answered by karat4top 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
This shouldn't be a problem at all. Cats are very good about keeping their weight in line with where it should be. I do this with my cat and I think she enjoys the options of both wet food in the morning and evening, along with having access to the dry food throughout the day.
Keep an eye out for the onset of the tubby tabby or the portly pussycat though. If they appear to be getting a little "thick furred" pull the dry food for awhile.
Hope this helps. --Andy
2007-01-20 23:24:33 · answer #4 · answered by Andy 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It depends on the cats. I prefer free feeding. As long as they don't fight and one cat eats all the food it is OK. Just never leave out more food than they should eat in a day. You may also use two bowls a few feet apart to stop fights.
2007-01-20 23:23:40 · answer #5 · answered by Trollkepr 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
it is ok for some cats, but not all. Some cats tend to overeat and become overweight. If that happens, you will need to meal-feed dry and wet food.
2007-01-20 23:46:20 · answer #6 · answered by tmrvt 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
its ok for u to leave the dry food out for them. you should feed them a can in the morning and the rest of the day just leave them th dry food. it's a short and straight to the point answer.
2007-01-21 00:30:15 · answer #7 · answered by Fruit Loopz 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Leaving food out at all times is fine, as long as your cats stay at a healthy weight. Also, dry food is better for cats than wet, since it helps them clean their teeth.
2007-01-20 23:53:03 · answer #8 · answered by robin 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Hi Jenna...ideally cats should be scheduled fed because some cats have been known to nibble throughout the day too much as a result of boredom this is one the leading causes for feline obesity seen by veterinarians. Schedule fed cats are more healthy and you actually know how much servings they are eating per day.
A couple articles on properly feeding cats and why they should not be free fed by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine for Feline Health.
How Often Should You Feed Your Cat?
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/news/feed.htm
Feedin Cats:
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/feedcats.html
2007-01-20 23:35:21 · answer #9 · answered by ♪ Seattle ♫ 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I leave a big bowl of cat food down for my cats at all times. Cats are not like dogs as they will not overeat as they do. Wet food is ok to give them on occation however it is not as good for them. I would give it to them as a treat and not leave it out all the time.
2007-01-21 00:19:23 · answer #10 · answered by Tera F 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋