Question on Feeding

rdswan14 · 01-02-2013, 06:28 PM

I am getting ready to stop the free feeding for Petey. He gets canned and dry. 1/2 can twice a day (5.5 oz a day), and free feeding dry.

What times do you feed your cats?

Also, when I get the milk carton out of the fridge, Petey jumps up on me. I've never given him any. Can cats have milk? Just in case, I drink fat free.

Marcia · 01-02-2013, 06:57 PM

I buy Whiskers cat milk from the grocery store and give them a saucer full as a treat. I don't think cow's milk is good for cats. Runs about $2.50 for a 3 pack. Lasts quite awhile if you ration it as a treat. Mine eat about 1.5 oz (1/2 small can) of wet food in the AM mixed with a little Ly-Sine powder which boosts their immune systems. I leave dry out all day. I've also been giving them fresh ground turkey (legs, wings & thighs) that I roast and grind up myself. At 16+ two of them eat pretty much as much and as often as they want.

anie · 01-02-2013, 07:07 PM

5.5oz can of good quality wet food is usually enough for a cat per day, if cat is more less standard size

how big is your cat and what wet are you feeding him?

I feed my cats 3 times per day, but am thinking of switching them to twice per day at some point. my cats eat only wet.

as for milk, apparently it's not that bad for most cats. it was believed that cats cannot digest lactose, that's why milk upsets their stomachs. but i read somewhere and somebody else on this forum mentioned it too in some other thread, that it was overestimation and many cats can have milk with no gastrointestinal upset.
one of my cats loves milk and she get it as a treat sometimes and has no problem with it. but i would not feed cow's milk to cats as a part of regular diet, only as a treat.

snowy · 01-02-2013, 07:08 PM

I never free feed since day 1. I started with 1 portion wet and 2 portion dry over 6meals in 24hrs, then to 1 wet and 1 dry, then now to 90% wet and 10% dry. 10% dry includes treats that he gets during grooming session.

Some cat friends I know discourage all wet, saying it can lead to diarrhea, but this is not the case with ET. Even with the recent switch to 90% wet, he haven't had a single diarrhea (touch wood), I guess its because we added acidophilus and psyllium husk in his diet nearly 11months ago. He has also started 250mg L-lysine recently.

His latest feeding schedule is 1/4 of 6.5oz wet in the morning, 1/4 of 5.5oz wet in the day, another 1/4 of 6.5oz wet in the nite and 1tbs of kibbles for the middle of the night.

grrawritsjordi · 01-02-2013, 07:25 PM

My cats eat two meals a day. A large spoonful of innova and about 2 oz of Taste of the Wild. Both are very filling and grain free. The two go through about a can every 4 days or so and a bag of food every two weeks. They eat at anywhere from 7:30-8:30am and 5:30-6:30pm.

They have been eating this amount since they were in the shelter.

Sometimes I feed them a little more if they are acting hungry.

Cow's milk is not good for kitties. I would try what Marcia suggested, although I have never used it myself.

rdswan14 · 01-02-2013, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anie

5.5oz can of good quality wet food is usually enough for a cat per day, if cat is more less standard size

how big is your cat and what wet are you feeding him?

Petey was 9.1 lbs at his last vet visit on 12/11 and about 9 1/2 months. I give him what he was eating when I got him. Purina One Kitten and Friskies. I know not the best, but he loves it. Have been looking and plan on switching to Blue Wilderness dry food.

anie · 01-02-2013, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grrawritsjordi

My cats eat two meals a day. A large spoonful of innova and about 2 oz of Taste of the Wild. Both are very filling and grain free.

I am just curious, that's why asking. is innova grain free? which one? The one most popular in pet stores (green-red can with cat on it) contains rice.

Zilla · 01-02-2013, 09:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anie

I am just curious, that's why asking. is innova grain free? which one? The one most popular in pet stores (green-red can with cat on it) contains rice.

Regular innova is not..... Innova PRIME is grain free.... And EVO is grain free. Which is actually an Innova brand...

Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App

**doodlebug** · 01-02-2013, 10:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rdswan14

Petey was 9.1 lbs at his last vet visit on 12/11 and about 9 1/2 months. I give him what he was eating when I got him. Purina One Kitten and Friskies. I know not the best, but he loves it. Have been looking and plan on switching to Blue Wilderness dry food.

At his age he should still be getting as much food as he wants, unless he's becoming overweight. That doesn't mean free feeding, but means giving him food when he's hungry, as much as he wants. I do three meals a day...just before leaving for work (about 8:30 am), when I get home (6:45 pm) and before bed (11-12pm).

Regarding the quality of food...just because he likes it is not a reason to feed it. Using that philosophy, kids would get to live on candy and chips. He can be just as happy on a food that is actually good for him. And the longer you stick with the junk the harder it will be to convert him.

scottd · 01-02-2013, 10:59 PM

I wouldn't feed him cow milk. You might give him some kitten milk replacer or "CatSure" though. They're both milk-like. The latter is made for senior cats but it wouldn't hurt a young cat.

01-02-2013, 06:28 PM	#1 (permalink)
rdswan14 Jr. Cat Join Date: Nov 2012 Location: CT Posts: 73	Question on Feeding I am getting ready to stop the free feeding for Petey. He gets canned and dry. 1/2 can twice a day (5.5 oz a day), and free feeding dry. What times do you feed your cats? Also, when I get the milk carton out of the fridge, Petey jumps up on me. I've never given him any. Can cats have milk? Just in case, I drink fat free.

01-02-2013, 07:07 PM	#3 (permalink)
anie Tom Cat Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: LR, AR Posts: 555	5.5oz can of good quality wet food is usually enough for a cat per day, if cat is more less standard size how big is your cat and what wet are you feeding him? I feed my cats 3 times per day, but am thinking of switching them to twice per day at some point. my cats eat only wet. as for milk, apparently it's not that bad for most cats. it was believed that cats cannot digest lactose, that's why milk upsets their stomachs. but i read somewhere and somebody else on this forum mentioned it too in some other thread, that it was overestimation and many cats can have milk with no gastrointestinal upset. one of my cats loves milk and she get it as a treat sometimes and has no problem with it. but i would not feed cow's milk to cats as a part of regular diet, only as a treat. __________________ Anna + Josie and Blackberry

01-02-2013, 07:08 PM	#4 (permalink)
snowy Cool Cat Join Date: Aug 2012 Posts: 1,003	I never free feed since day 1. I started with 1 portion wet and 2 portion dry over 6meals in 24hrs, then to 1 wet and 1 dry, then now to 90% wet and 10% dry. 10% dry includes treats that he gets during grooming session. Some cat friends I know discourage all wet, saying it can lead to diarrhea, but this is not the case with ET. Even with the recent switch to 90% wet, he haven't had a single diarrhea (touch wood), I guess its because we added acidophilus and psyllium husk in his diet nearly 11months ago. He has also started 250mg L-lysine recently. His latest feeding schedule is 1/4 of 6.5oz wet in the morning, 1/4 of 5.5oz wet in the day, another 1/4 of 6.5oz wet in the nite and 1tbs of kibbles for the middle of the night. Last edited by snowy; 01-02-2013 at 07:11 PM.

01-02-2013, 07:25 PM	#5 (permalink)
grrawritsjordi Tom Cat Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 410	My cats eat two meals a day. A large spoonful of innova and about 2 oz of Taste of the Wild. Both are very filling and grain free. The two go through about a can every 4 days or so and a bag of food every two weeks. They eat at anywhere from 7:30-8:30am and 5:30-6:30pm. They have been eating this amount since they were in the shelter. Sometimes I feed them a little more if they are acting hungry. Cow's milk is not good for kitties. I would try what Marcia suggested, although I have never used it myself. __________________

01-02-2013, 10:59 PM	#10 (permalink)
scottd Cool Cat Join Date: Jun 2011 Posts: 1,101	I wouldn't feed him cow milk. You might give him some kitten milk replacer or "CatSure" though. They're both milk-like. The latter is made for senior cats but it wouldn't hurt a young cat. __________________

01-02-2013, 06:57 PM	#2 (permalink)
Marcia Cat Addict Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Virginia Beach, VA Posts: 1,682	I buy Whiskers cat milk from the grocery store and give them a saucer full as a treat. I don't think cow's milk is good for cats. Runs about $2.50 for a 3 pack. Lasts quite awhile if you ration it as a treat. Mine eat about 1.5 oz (1/2 small can) of wet food in the AM mixed with a little Ly-Sine powder which boosts their immune systems. I leave dry out all day. I've also been giving them fresh ground turkey (legs, wings & thighs) that I roast and grind up myself. At 16+ two of them eat pretty much as much and as often as they want.

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