Is there a right way to feed a cat?

Question

i recently took in an stray cat, and all i feed her is dry food she was very slim when i found her, but now it seems she's gaining a lot of weight, she eats all day and night and when the bowl is empty i fill it back up should i control how much food i give her, and also is there an easy way to take her to get wash and vaccinated without her hatting me for taking her.

Answer 1

Make sure you put the food in its mouth...since it's a scraggly stray, you might not know which end is which...

Answer 2

As far as getting her to the vet to get her washed and vaccinated and you worrying about her hating you, I guess you are a new cat owner. The one thing you will learn very quickly, cats have very small brains (look at a chart of a cat's anatomy and you will see it's about the size of a pea or a lima bean) and they forget things VERY quickly. She may be angry for a little while, but feed her and pet her and she will forget all about it. I'm a pro, I've had cats since I was 6, and I'm way past that now. If it's a stray, get those shots soon, you don't know where she has been and it's really important.
Now about feeding. If she was a stray, she is probably going through a phase where she is afraid that her food is going to disappear so she is eating quickly and trying to pack it all in. You will take her to the vet, get her weight and find out if she is overweight, that's the first thing. If she is happy with dry food then you are lucky. But you have to be very careful with dry foods. Most dry foods have too much ash in them and they can make her very sick. The ash forms stones in the cat, I believe in a female it's the pancrease, but don't quote me, I had the problem with a male, and it was urinary problems. ANyway, you should use foods like IAMS and other low ash foods even though they are more expensive. You want kitty to live a long happy and healthy life or you wouldn't be worried and asking questions.

If she does continue to eat too much merely remove the food bowl when you think she has had enough. Cats are not like dogs, they usually eat until they are full, they don't eat more then they need. I have a very small cat that seems to eat all day, but she weighed only 6 lbs a year ago and after eating everything she could stuff down her mouth, a year later she weighs only 6.1 lbs, so obviously she needs the food. Your kitty will begin to run around and use up a lot of the food that she is using the longer you have her. Get her some toys. I think they still make something called Cat Dancer, which is merely a piece of cardboard attached to a wire, costs about $2, and most cats go nuts for it. Or you can attach a belt to your waist and see if she will follow you around and try to catch that. It's the little toys that cats like, don't spend a lot.
Mostly pet her and let her know she has a home and constant food and she'll stop eating like crazy. You will bond with her and become a pair. That's what counts, the love and affection.

Answer 3

Cats that have been nearly starved often develop obsessional eating disorders. Like humans, there is enough between the ears for something to go wrong with it... Try cutting back on the kitty kibbles a little and see if the health improves. As for the vaccinations, there is no way around a poke with a needle. If you are rich you can get house calls so you don't have to crate the cat and take her to the vets.

I never feed my cats more than three times a day, and usually fill the bowl twice a day. I have discovered that over-indulged cats tend to die young from diabetes.

Answer 4

Fuel the cats body, don't just feed it. Human or animal...we only need so much food to manage the health and energy of our bodies for the day.

Love your cat enough to feed the necessary amount, then no more. She will become accustomed to the new routine. She might meow as if still hungry...but so will an overweight child pout and fuss when parent is helping them eat healthier. Maybe get some healthy cat treats and give her a few during the day if you wish.

As far as your cat not hating you for bathing or taking her to the vet...it's all new for her...just put up with it till transition is all settled in again.
.

Answer 5

I always keep my cat food bowl full. When a cat knows there is always going to be food there they will regulate themselves and eat less.
Your cat is a stray and has probably starved a few times. It will probably eat too much for a while, but eventually will start to eat less. If it doesn't show signs of slowing down you may have to only feed it a few times a day.
The cat won't hate you for taking it to get vaccinated, She'll forget what you did the first time she wants to get petted.

Answer 6

She's probably not sure when this bounty is going to end so she's making the most of it. If she's getting heavier than she should be you might want to cut back on those refills.
I give mine some moist in the morning and evening as well dry during the day.
Cats don't hate or hold grudges. Just pick a vet and groomer that are known for their gentleness and all will be well.

Answer 7

YES-limit her food intake. measure it every day. there should be info on the bag about how much. if she's been a stray she'll probably always want to eat, because she remembers not having anything. if you drop her off to get groomed & vaccinated, be the one to pick her up & she may see it as being rescued. but, she'll probably still need some time to recouperate. good luck.

Answer 8

Hi Joe...ideally a cat should be scheduled fed portions (e.g. morning and evening) so they do not overeat themselves. The stray cat was probably quite hungry and trying to overcompensate eating to make up for the starvation. Additionally, the excessive eating may likely be due to intestinal parasites as well as this can cause cats to become very hungry and cause their bellies to swell so your new kitty will need to be dewormed also in addition to the vaccinations and spay/neuter.

More on how much to feed cats by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine for Feline Health:
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/news/feed.htm
http://www.vet.cornell.edu/fhc/brochures/feedcats.html

Feline intestinal parasites:
http://placervillevet.com/feline%20intestinal%20parasites.htm

Feline spay/neuter:
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_the_feline_spay.html
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_neutering_the_male_cat.html

Feline vaccinations and schedule: http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?cls=1&cat=1385&articleid=951

Answer 9

If she's becoming overweight, then you may have to restrict her food, or give her a diet pet food. A good indicator is the set of drawings at the link below.

Answer 10

Yes you should only feed her twice a day and a snack in between. And no there's no plausible way to get them there shots, They will get over this and not hate you. Trust me on this one I have 7 cats of my own.