Our cat is already overweight, so we feed him about an eighth of a can twice a day. According to the can instructions, we should be feeding him two full cans daily (11 oz) based on his weight (13 lbs). That's ridiculous and I'm wondering how they get away with it.
2007-11-01 15:16:29 · 8 answers · asked by dullerd 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
They do seem excessive, don't they? What they don't point out is that if you have a 19 pound cat and want her to maintain that weight, then you feed the recommended 2 cans per day.
Obviously, you want to feed the amounts suggested for the target weight. Or because they do seem a bit on the excessive side, probably a little less than that.
I personally go by this rule: An average cat can eat between 20-30 calories per IDEAL pound per day. If you're working on weight loss, you'd probably start at the lower end of the scale. So you'd multiply 20 times the target weight for your cat and come up with the total calories for the day. Then you have to find out how many calories are in the can, and those figures can be misleading as well, but at least you've got a ballpark figure.
I guess the obvious answer is that they want to sell more product. Even the more ethical companies seem to suggest more food than makes sense.
2007-11-02 02:49:15 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Does your vet know that you're only feeding your cat that much? Because just like in humans, extensive restriction of food and calories can lead to metabolic problems.
From what I've found, cats have a DER (daily energy requirement) of 14-20 calories/lb per day. So a 13 pound cat should eat 180-260 calories per day for maintenance, and somewhat less for weight loss.
It also depends on the quality of ingredients in the food. If the food is mostly fiber or filler that's undigestible by the cat, they would need to eat more in order to reach the same calorie requirements as a smaller can of high-quality, bio-available food.
2007-11-01 22:28:41 · answer #2 · answered by Nandina (Bunny Slipper Goddess) 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It has more water then dry so you need more. Also it is based on it being the only food he eats. If the feeding instructions are so daft, I would question if it is a good quality food. Cheap food you will need more of, and if they can't get the label right I wonder if they got the food right either. If it is not good quality, it may be much harder for him to lose weight, ask a vet if it is a good food for a slimming diet to see what they recommend.
2007-11-01 22:25:29 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why are feeding instructions on wet cat food cans so ridiculous? In a word.............. LAWYERS!!
We live in an extremely litigious world. Feeding instructions on any pet food cans (dry, too) are the compilation of about 20 different veterinary groups, then reviewed by corporate attorneys, the put on cans/bags of cat food with other specific label distinctions such as "For Kittens", "For Adult Cats", "Hairball Formula", "Active Cats"....
Bottom line, if you're trying to control your cat's weight, it's highly recommended to simply follow your vet's feeding recommendations!
2007-11-01 23:53:09 · answer #4 · answered by Finatic 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it's because they want to make more money. If you use more food, you'll run out quicker and have to buy more food, it's all a money issue. Same reason shampoo bottles say Shampoo, rinse, repeat. The second shampooing is unnecessary, but someone somewhere along the line said hey let's put this on here so we can sell more shampoo. You'll run out quicker if you shampoo twice. The salons don't shampoo you twice. by the way though, I do feed my cat two cans a day, and he's not overweight at all. he gets one can in the morning, one at night.
2007-11-01 22:29:36 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My male cats eat approximately 5.5 oz of meat per day. They weigh around 12 lbs. 13 lbs is not seriously overweight and I feel your cat should have more to eat. An eighth of a can would be less than 1 oz per day.
2007-11-01 22:25:53 · answer #6 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
first off, it depends on the quality of food. so, check out some high quality food.
secondly, as said above, it can be very dangerous for your cat if hes not getting all the nutrients he needs because of being under-fed. if you want him to lose weight, get a super-premium food, follow the guidelines, but reduce it by about 10 percent at the most. then, increase his exercise!!!!!!
2007-11-01 23:08:26 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
because the food is 75% water, in order to be on a good diet on wet, they need alot.
2007-11-01 22:25:54 · answer #8 · answered by JessicaR 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋