Help! How much do I feed my cats?

Question

I have a 4 month old kitten and a 3 year old cat. I was letting them eat as much as they wanted but the big cat is getting really fat.

I started just giving them a few scoops of food a day and now they act like they are dying of starvation (but the big cat is not getting any lighter). Sometimes they get into the trash or a few times they ate some cardboard. I don't want to starve them but I don't want the big one eat herself to death. I'm new to cat ownership so I just don't know what is right.

The little one takes as much food as he can get his mouth on, so maybe the big cat is scarfing it down just so she will have some. Maybe I should separate them for feeding times.

Answer 1

Ah, the age old dilemma. You can solve both problems by feeding them canned food. A good canned food, not what you find at the grocery store. That will help with the older one's weight problem. And both will get enough to eat and will feel satisfied with what they eat rather than feeling deprived because they're eating filler.

Kittens do need to eat more than adults, but they don't need to eat kitten food. You can feed them both the same thing. The adult could eat up to one can per day (5.5-6oz) but you could feed as little as 1/2 can....better yet would be 2/3 of a can.

The kitten needs more calories, so a can for it would be about right as well.

This may sound like a lot of food and perhaps pricy to boot, but it's ever so much better for them!

If you don't want to do that you could at least buy better dry food (see the list for suggestions). Evo, Core and Raw Instincts are good grainless foods. Core and Raw are new so they aren't yet on that list.

Follow the guidelines for feeding on the bag. It'll likely be less than what you're currently feeding. The important thing is that you'll feed set amounts (and no cheating!) Because it's better food, they'll feel more full.

Answer 2

It sounds as if you are feeding supermarket cat food. The nutrition vs filler percentage is low, so the cat eats more food to get the nutrition it needs and gains weight. Switch to a better quality food from a pet store. There are many excellent high quality cat foods. A few I like are Ennovo, Avaderm and Wellness.

I feed a small amount of canned food (1 tlbs) mixed with warm water and about 1/4 cup of kibble twice a day. I would feed them separately. It doesn't hurt to give the kitten special kitten food, but isn't necessary. Add some unsalted canned green beans to the older cats food - it will fill her up but not out. You can also put the green beans and sliced baby carrots out as a snack during the day.

Answer 3

You can feed the big guy weight control food, but you should feed 2 or 3 times a day, the amount as suggested on the bag, but make sure the kitten doesn't get into the weight control food. Seperating them is ideal, and if you can do it, go for it!

Answer 4

Feeding instructions are on the bag...divide the amount per cat in to two and feed once in the morning and once in the evening. Get a reduced cat food for the heavier one and a kitten food for the baby. (or a redular...not reduced fat for the kitten...he needs the fat content.
Read the lables on the cat food and compare the fat content. Friskeys and Moow Mix are high in fat. So that should give you a good start on looking for a fat reducing brand. Fat content should be about 10% to 15% for a fat reduced diet.

I have mine on the Raw food diet and for 4 cats with all different bosdy types it works out well. The chunkier ones have lost weight and the skinner ones are gaining weight. They love it and the health improvements are amazing. and when I go away for the weekend. and have someone watch my cats I feed them EVO innova.

Answer 5

i seperate the kittens from the adult.. so the adult ONLY get the adult light food, a nd kittens ONLY get the kitten food (higher in protein for their growing bodies ) i let my adult cat up on the freezer area of my kitchen, or the counter if its easier for you.. 1/3 of a mid size can in the am and pm is quite enough for your adult cat.. 1/2 cup of dry kibble a day if you like.. kittens are about 1/2 a can each (kitten food only ) and can be giving twice daily also..

Answer 6

You need to separate them to eat. Like lock the little one in your bathroom while he eats or something like that.

The little one should get as much as he'll eat because he's growing and he's probably pretty active too.

Don't let the old one eat kitten chow. The kitten food is high in fat and will make the old (sedentary) cat plump up. You can get something like Adult Formula Science Diet or another food that has lower calories for adult cats.

Answer 7

whenever i have asked a vet how much to feed (or when i have been told to put my cat on a diet hehehe) they have said to feed them a cup to half a cup a day.

cat's are greedy. mine's a fatty too.

Answer 8

3 table spoons of cat food morning ,noon, evening
and if its biskits if u ever see the bowl empty fill it up....
always keep your cats brain simulated if you want it to love u
peace out mun

4 a treat give it a meat cat pouch coz they LOVE 'EM

Answer 9

Feed your cats once in the morning, once at midday and once late evening. Works for my cats and there purrfectly healthy.