Switching babies to schedule instead of grazing

Anyone have a schedule of feeding recommendation?

Currently they graze but we feel it is time to get them on a schedule. I was thinking 2x a day, but what hours are good? We usually wake up pretty early.

We also give a bit of wet food usually about our dinner time. But not too much.

Ideas?

When you eat is always a easy way to try

When we adopted our first cat, we let him graze with a set amount everyday, because he is pretty good at stopping to eat when he has enough.

However, when we adopted our 2nd cat 2 weeks later, we found out we can't do that anymore because she LOVES food, and would definitely eat both of their food within minutes!

So we decided to do scheduled fitting, 2x a day. Around 7:30am and 7:30pm, give or take. I am there to "supervise" to make sure the first cat will finish his share, and that the 2nd cat won't eat the first cat's share after she's done with hers.

It didn't take long for the first cat to learn he has to finish his portion NOW when we feed him, as he has learn we don't just leave food out anymore... Plus he's probably hungry by the time the 2nd meal comes so he'd finish it within 10 minutes or so.

So I'd say just try it!

We feed main meals (canned) at 6:30am and 6:30pm. However, the husband is home during the day, so they get dried food (small serving) at 12:30pm, then they get another small serving of crunchies and 8:30pm and then a little snack just before light's out time. We use a measured serving for each kitty to equal their daily amount and portion it out through the day. They eat more in the evening when I'm home because they're more active. They'll sleep all day if you let them!

Thanks, I'd been wondering about that, too.

I want to stay as close to their natural diet as I can, so I feed three times a day. (I also have a couple of kitties whose tummy's, like so many others', get upset if they go too long without).

Breakfast is shortly after I get up in the morning (always after my shower so they never associate me waking with their breakfast - the LAST thing I need is six cats trying to rouse me at four in the morning to eat! ), when I first get home from work, and then again just before I go to bed.

Regards.

AC

Chester is on a schedule of twice a day but he does sometimes graze on it for a few hours. He eats breakfast and dinner at the same time our family does. Then he gets the occasional wet snack either mid-day or late evening. It depends on him really. He usually lets me know.

How old are the kitties?

I was told by people I trust to allow them to eat as much as they can whenever they can for up to the first year.

Their activity level is very high, they are growing, and their tummies are relatively small, so packing in nutrition helps maximize bone density and organ/muscle growth. Its also one of the reasons the higher protein and fat kitten diets are made specific for them.

If its after that, I would check out amazon for an automatic feeder.

The biggest issue with schedule feeding is that when they do get hungry, they are likely to complain to you. You may also be off by an hour or two, which they likely WILL notice.

The auto-feeders will give precise amounts at precisely the same time, and since its automatic, you could even have it feed them five times a day if you like, to maintain a level blood/sugar level and avoid gorging.

If you have a lazier kitty or one that inhales food like a vacuum, what you can also do with the dry is to get food balls and fill them up and set them out twice a day. They have to swat at it and roll it around to get the food out. Entertaining toy for them, and it can take an hour to get all the food out. Downside of course is that they get kibble in the area, but not a big deal if you have a low traffic tile area somewhere.

Best of luck!