Meal times?

bradders

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Hi All

I don't have much experience with Cats so I was hoping you may be able to help me.

We adopted our two year old black cat from the RSPCA three weeks ago and have been feeling our way with meal times. We started out with two meals a day but Pads always seems so hungry first thing in the morning and again when we get in from work, so I've started to put a small amount in his bowl when I get up, a small amount when I got to work, when I get in from work and before I go to bed. When I say 'small amount' I pour a small handfull into the palm of my hand.

Do you think there is anything wrong with this? Do you have any advice? I figured cats aren't like dogs and would only eat food if they were hungry and not just because it was there for them. Is this correct? I don't want to over or underfeed him.

Thanks for reading this.
 

jcat

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There's nothing wrong with feeding a cat several small meals over the course of the day, instead of two larger meals. It's supposedly better for their urinary tract health, and a self-sufficient cat wouldn't be saving up her prey for two meals, but consuming the prey as caught.
If you browse through this forum, you'll find several threads explaining why it's not best to feed an all-dry diet. Pads might be more "satisfied" by wet (canned or pouch) food.
 

puppycat

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as long as you are keeping the meals in small moderation it should be fine. And I speak in terms of over feeding. Sometimes cats will eat just because it is there. But thats usually the case with social eating or dominance. If I go stand by my cats food bowl, she will come over and start eating just because I am there. But again, just keep her at a healthy weight and she should be fine with several small meals a day.
 
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bradders

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Thanks for the welcome and the advice. I'll have a look at the threads you suggested. We've kept with IAMs dried food as this is what the RSPCA were feeding Pads before we adopted him, but I will look into the wet food.
 

urbantigers

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Welcome


Originally Posted by Bradders

I figured cats aren't like dogs and would only eat food if they were hungry and not just because it was there for them. Is this correct? I don't want to over or underfeed him.
Just watch to make sure he's not gaining too much weight. Unfortunately not many cats do regulate their food intake, esp if they're fed dry food, as the large number of overweight cats testifies to! If you want to introduce some canned food (I agree that wet food is better for cats) then leaving some dry food down between meals is ok but keep an eye on his weight. You may need to measure/weigh the amount you give him as a little dry goes a long way.

edit - just noticed you're in England (like me
). Iams isn't a bad food imo (though not the best) although there is some controversey over their animal testing so quite a few people avoid it on those grounds. Good brands of dry food over here are James Wellbeloved and Hi Life. Good quality wet foods include Natures Menu, Hi Life and almo nature/applaws (different brands but very similar foods). Zooplus sell a larger variety of mid to high quality wet foods.
 

fr gregg

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Dulcinea (our year old calico) has about 4 or 5 very small meals everyday...and dry food at her disposal when we're away at the office during the day. The wet/canned food portions are the smallest cans and she gets only one HALF of a can. She is healthy, sleek, and muscular. She also gets frequent snacks/treats (things she loves) like: fresh spinach, cheese, and calzones (in very small amounts) as rewards and during the evening. Hey...it works for her appetite and for us...and our vet says that she's super healthy.

Fr. Gregg
 

sicycat

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My cats will stop eating when they're full. I think dogs are more ravanous and will eat everything in sight


From what it sounds like to me, you could probably feed Pads a bit more or like others said, some wet food too. A small handful doesnt seem like a lot to me.
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by fr gregg

Dulcinea (our year old calico) has about 4 or 5 very small meals everyday...and dry food at her disposal when we're away at the office during the day. The wet/canned food portions are the smallest cans and she gets only one HALF of a can. She is healthy, sleek, and muscular. She also gets frequent snacks/treats (things she loves) like: fresh spinach, cheese, and calzones (in very small amounts) as rewards and during the evening. Hey...it works for her appetite and for us...and our vet says that she's super healthy.

Fr. Gregg
I have to admit I also "sin" father
- Bijou and Mika often get to sample whatever meat we are having for dinner plus Greenies and Temptation treats and as most of you in the Paws & Reflect forum know, Mika is a little oink, oink for anything with cheese. They are both healthy and presumably quite happy. We do however, feed them top of the line cat food products (in atonement). I often wonder if the same rules apply to them as we apply to ourselves - not so healthy things in moderation.
 
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