How important is a strict feed schedule?

Hi! New here, today.

Anyways, I've grown up always giving just dry food. Looking back, we could have done more research, but that's just how it was done.

And for the past many years, we've just had free dry food. We fill the bowl a little in the morning, and a little at night, if it's empty. Our cats have just never finished a bowl in one sitting (it's what....1/3 cup? never actually measured) and we're gone 6-8hrs a day for work or school, so can't feed again.

I've never fed constant wet until my recently passed little girl was diagnosed with KD. She got as much wet as she would eat (unfortunately, maybe 2 tblsp in a sitting) and then free dry. It was difficult to give her more wet, because if we put more in the bowl, it would get ignored and go to waste.


Cats are creatures of habit, so what do you do when you can't have an actual feed schedule? Is it really that big of a problem? How important is wet food? I know it's very good if you need to get your cat's fluids up or give them supplements, but that's the extent of my knowledge.

I have always feed a variety ... ie : some dry ( I measure out food twice a day so they have some at all times but I know how much is eaten and can control over all intake)... some canned ( feed twice a day not at the dry feeding times ) , freeze dried raw inbetween canned feedings... few time a week raw in place of canned or freeze dried for the one s who will eat... snacks are homemade roughtly twice a day...

I used to feed canned twice a day with measured dry once a day , never a big issue with weight or illness ... I now have five: two with liver issues, one with allergies , 4 with herpes so I got a bit more anal also helps I work from home

Wet food IMHO is the single best insurence policy for most cats and owner s... but how much is eaten depends on the cat ... out of my five : one would eat only wet ( he gets 75-100% wet ), 2 will eat 50% wet , 2 eat 30-50% wet and one will eat what she wants about 10-20% wet ... a solid diet = most cats NOT needing supplements , Unless you are ventureing into homemade or raw then discuss that with a qualified vet or nutritionist

This forum is the first place that I've seen mention of feeding cats a raw diet. I've been a cat lover all my life, but have just recently gotten into researching their diet/behavior.

"a solid diet = most cats NOT needing supplements" - can you explain that? I'm not comprehending. Do you mean a solid, DRY diet, or wet?

Originally Posted by imissmycats

This forum is the first place that I've seen mention of feeding cats a raw diet. I've been a cat lover all my life, but have just recently gotten into researching their diet/behavior.

"a solid diet = most cats NOT needing supplements" - can you explain that? I'm not comprehending. Do you mean a solid, DRY diet, or wet?

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I mean if you are feeding a food that is say AFFCO tested( kinda like a RDA for us humans... sustains life may not be ideal for all) well balanced diet ( wet only , dry only ( yes not IMHO ideal but often works ) or a combo ... Basically feeding a CAT food to a cat ( shockingly some feed dry dog food to cats ) .. you should not need a supplement outside maybe an oil ...

We have a raw forum if you want to read and then RESEARCH and discuss raw with a vet IMHO the only way to do that correctly and not making unnecessary risk to your cat

I'll certainly look in to it.
With the economy the way it is, and with me in a private college, going out of our way food-wise might be out of the question unless necessary for a cat. We do use pretty high quality dry. The wet varies.

Originally Posted by imissmycats

I'll certainly look in to it.
With the economy the way it is, and with me in a private college, going out of our way food-wise might be out of the question unless necessary for a cat. We do use pretty high quality dry. The wet varies.

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The BEST food : is one you CAN afford , YOUR CAT will EAT and does well on ( ie good skin , coat , eyes ) this for most is dry with some wet

Sounds good then!
My coon mix (giant black female) has AWFUL dandruff, no matter what we do. Gets brushed regularly. Had it her whole life, we attribute it to the dry CO air.
And she is not a fan of wet food, or any cat treat but greenies. /fail.
And I just recently found some super fun knots along her spine that my mom has orders to work on while I'm at school.

What are feeding your kitties, how much is your budget for food, and what stores do you have available by you?

We get our food from a local family run store similar to Petco, or Petco.
We were doing Wellness, but have since switched to something else that I unfortunately cannot remember the name of. (I'm in college 9mos of the year, so not as involved as I would like)

The coon gets a weight management diet- she's very heavy set, and gets round pretty easily. It was quite the accomplishment getting her to a point where she almost had a waist! (okay...not a waist like a dog would have....I hope someone understands this... as in.....she's a healthy weight now.)
This is Hallie at a healthy weight-