Can't figure out a feeding schedule..

tico

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Hi everyone


I'm really struggling to find the right feeding schedule for Sophie. I am feeding her both dry kibbles (max cat) and wet food (wellness).

Sometimes I feed her wet and she won't touch it, sometimes I feed it to her and she gobbles it up right away. Sometimes she seems to be pining for wet food, and when I give it to her, she'll leave it for later. Or she'll nibble at it a bit, and let the rest dry up.

I've given it to her in the morning, I've given it to her in the evening. I've given her a little both morning and evening. I've lessened her kibbles so she runs out, I've kept her kibbles topped up. There is little enlightenment for all my experimenting, sometimes she eats, sometimes she won't... I can't tell when she's hungry....

She is 7 months old, but quite adult-looking for her age I think - quite lanky, and a healthy weight. I haven't seen her absolutely refuse to eat a certain can, so I don't think it's a flavour thing.

Help! I just want to find a routine that works!
 

sharky

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I would try different flavors of different brands ... it might help to add a chunk style or a shredded
 

nutrolori

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With my cat Chester I feed him a certain amount (usually 1/4 cup)of dry kibble in the morning & evening and he grazes on it in between feedings. With wet food he prefers the chunks with sauce over pate style. He eats the same dry kibble you feed, Indoor Weight Management Max Cat or the Indoor Natural Choice Weight Management(sometimes I mix the two for different kibble shape). When I get him the wet I usually do it in the middle of the day or at night before bed as a treat. There are times he doesn't want it all too. Every day is different, especially now that he is getting older. You may just have to try different flavors to see what Sophie likes best. I believe the Max Cat cans with Chunks with Sauce are labeled that way if you wanted to try that. The Natural Choice line also has other flavors you could try. If she doesn't like it just keep your receipt and return it. I have done that myself when I was trying out pate's to see if he would like it. Chester Cheetah is definitely a Chunks and Sauce kitty.
Sophie may be a variety kitty.
Good luck!
 

clucas976

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I had a problem with Madison and wet food originally (now we just feed his RX diet
)

I discovered that ultimately, he's a gravy pouch kinda guy. He hates pates, he'll pretend to eat chucks/shreds in gravy but after a while I realized anything I fed him from a can would be ignored and left alone.

But the gravy pouches for some reason were just it for him. I'd feed him half a pouch in the morning on top of his kibble, and then just regular dry kibble in the evening, saving the other half pouch for the following morning, he loved it!

I always mixed wet with kibble too and it seemed to do fine once I got the proper wet food. Maybe your kitty would rather have pouches?
 
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tico

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Thanks for your suggestions guys
I didn't realize that there are other "styles" than just pâtÃ[emoji]169[/emoji]... That's the only wet food I've ever seen, growing up.

I'll experiment with different brands/types, but I still have to confess, I really don't know how much to give her and when. Like I said, I have a hard time knowing when she's hungry - she doesn't sit by her dish and meow or anything clear like that! I don't want to overfeed or underfeed her!
 

sharky

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Here is a Very Rough General idea...

if feeding a 10lb cat dry and wet in 50/50 % ... 1/4 to 1/3 cup dry and 3-5 oz wet

if feeding all wet 5-10 oz a day

all dry 1/3 to 3/4 cup depending on brand and calorie content

At 7 months she is still a kitten( a teenager if you will) ...

say she is 8 lbs ... roughly 1/4 cup dry with 5 oz wet
 

lisar

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I find the key to setting a schedule with food.. is well setting one. I feed my two 1 1/2 oz wet (split a 3 oz can) in the morning when I wake up so this is usually between 8-11am usually. I also place down 1 cup of dry kibble for them to graze on (I work long hours so they need it.) during the day. Their next feeding is when I get home at midnight or so and I give them wet again another 3 oz can split. They usually don't eat up all the dry food by the time I get home (just most of it) but it is gone before the next morning so we repeat. I've tried feeding more wet then this and they just don't eat it... so its a waste.

If you want a feeding schedule just make one up that works for you. As far as getting her to eat, try different flavors, try shredded, try warming it up in the microwave for about about 20 seconds, different brands and so and so on. Cats are pretty good as adjusting to your changing schedule if they like the food. From what you are describing sounds like Sophie is a variety girl. If she will eat a food regularly and turns her nose up at it sometimes this leads me to believe shes tired of that flavor. If you feed Sophie at the same times everyday she will catch on and eventually start reminding you she needs to be fed. The trick is just to feed same time everyday and that's it. Cats like schedules, even if you impose it on them. If you have to leave for a few days and end up free feeding her well put down enough food and water. When you get back treat her to some wet food and start up the schedule the next day or that day depending when you get home.

I know it sounds a bit silly but really it is the trick to it. Over the years my schedule has changed with jobs and school and my cats adjust to new feeding times in a few days. You may have already noticed that Sophie can pick up on patterns that you do during the day.
 
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