So we've transitioned our two kids to a wet food only diet, but how much should we be giving them? All cans are ususally made in 3oz or 6oz (on average) size, so I am wondering what others do for a two meal feeding schedule?
How old, big, and active are your cats? Those details determine how many calories they need.So we've transitioned our two kids to a wet food only diet, but how much should we be giving them? All cans are ususally made in 3oz or 6oz (on average) size, so I am wondering what others do for a two meal feeding schedule?
okay, if you start on the very basic assumption that an "average cat" (whatever that is lol) uses 30 cal. per lb., and figure it based on how much they should weigh, i think it would be overfeeding except for a cat under 4 who goes outside and climbs trees and chases birds. none of my cats could possibly eat that much without balooning up and me holding a sign on the interstate exit that says, "will work for cat food." the first cat i had was indoor only and he weighed about 9.6 (he looked excellent at that weight) and he ate about 100 cal. a day. that's really low according to "recommended feeding"--10 cal. per lb. he was an indoor only cat, like all of mine are. diotima is 15, weighs 6 and 1/2 lbs. (6.8) and that's six ounces up from 6.2. i asked my vet if 22 sounded about right, and he said yes, but i'm pretty sure it's closer to 14, at best. most of her life she weighed about 8 lbs. and she was a little chubby, but she developed hyperthyroidism and lost weight rapidly and then developed either a grain allergy or IBD and it's been a struggle to keep weight on her. she's allowed to eat as much as she needs to, but i'd bet she doesn't eat more than 3 oz. of food a day, and she doesn't beg. my monster cat is 5, last weighed about 11 1/2 but i think he's gaining on all wet (because i'm giving him too much lol) and he will eat and eat and eat if he gets the chance. he goes around eating everything the other cats leave behind. if i'm generous he will get a little less than a 5.5 oz. can because most of what i've bought seem to run 195-218 kcals. it wouldn't kill him to lose a few ounces. the last one is 2, weighs about 8 lbs. and i'd give him the most food because he's youngest and does those race-with-a-ghost episodes around the house that the other two don't do anymore. it's really hard to estimate how many calories indoor cats use, but i'm starting to think the age doesn't matter a great deal, and that they use significantly fewer calories than any cat food manufacturer or even vet would lead us to believe. the only one who's been eating that much is baci biggie, and if i cut his down to 3 oz. a day i think he'd be fine.So we've transitioned our two kids to a wet food only diet, but how much should we be giving them? All cans are ususally made in 3oz or 6oz (on average) size, so I am wondering what others do for a two meal feeding schedule?
i think the calories the food contains (in the higher priced foods) (maybe even the lower ones, but i don't know) are fairly accurate, i think it's the feeding recommendation based on 30 cal. per lb. is what's off. if you have doubts about a particular food, write them and ask very specific questions like where do they source their meat (hopefully usa and not china) or do they use any denatured meat?"Only" 280 calories? That sounds like an awful lot. How large is your cat? My Mazy is 8 years old, moderately active, 10 pounds 5 ounces. She eats 100 calories a day, if I can believe the pet food manufacturer information. Jennie, at 9 pounds 8 ounces, less than moderately active (but not for lack of trying on my part) eats on average 120-160 calories a day. Queen Eva, at 6 pounds 13 1/2 ounces, eats close to 200 calories a day, but she is a 2 year old extremely active cat.
They aren't all on the same diet, but it is all canned food. Queen Eva gets a little bit of commercial raw.
I don't know how much I trust the calories these pet food manufacturers list, just like I don't trust much else they tell us. So I weigh my cats weekly, to make sure they are maintaining a healthy weight on what I am feeding them.
i think the calories the food contains (in the higher priced foods) (maybe even the lower ones, but i don't know) are fairly accurate, i think it's the feeding recommendation based on 30 cal. per lb. is what's off.
A very common question - and, one which commonly receives incorrect replies....how much should we be giving them? All cans are ususally made in 3oz or 6oz (on average) size, so I am wondering what others do for a two meal feeding schedule?
The answer can never be simply reduced to the number of any sized cans. To adequately provide the daily amount of food required, we needs to know:How old, big, and active are your cats? Those details determine how many calories they need.
Wet or dry..........the same principle applies.Some manufacturers provide data about the metabolisable energy (ME) of their foods. Metabolizable energy: a way to look at caloric density by Dr Holly Nash explains how foods vary in terms of the number of calories which are actually available to a cat after digestion: "Pet foods with higher ME numbers provide your pet's body with more concentrated calories for more energy. With a higher ME, your pet's body will receive more energy from a smaller amount of food." http://www.felinecrf.org/nutritional_requirements.htm#calorie_needs