Changed cat Diet - Need advise

Hello all,

Im new to the forums, and can really use some help with cat feeding.

Currently I have 3 adult cats, 1 Tabby (Male) and 2 Females, all around the ages of 7.

Since they were kittens, I have had them mostly on a dry food diet, with canned wet food as a treat once a week. They seemed to be fine on this diet, except for my Tabby who got a little heavy since he would finish off what
the other 2 would not.

About 3 and a half months ago, my Tabby (male) ended up with a Urinary blockage, which I understand is common in male cats. FOrtunatly, they were able to clear it and he is doing fine.

The veteranarian suggested I switch the cats to an all wet food diet since they do not drink much at all.

They all love the wet food and eat it as if there is no tommorow.

The problem I am having is, how much to feed them. It seems since I do not have dry food out any more, they are always hungry. Hungry to the point where, when I get up from my office chair, they think they are about to get fed.

I feed once a day and I split (2) 5.5 Ounce cans amoung the three of them. The 2 females have maintained their weight (they are slim but healthy slim). However the Tabby who had the blockage has lost weight and to me looks healthy but maybe

getting a little to skinny.

When I feed the next morning, the cats begin to get frantic and crazy, meowing and sometimes hissing at one another until I place the food down. It almost seems as if they are starving and ready to fight for food. Maybe this is

a natural instinct or maybe they are starving!

I know some people leave dry food out for them too munch on throughout the day, however I know my Tabby loves Dry food, and will gobble up all of it.... which concerns me about the blockage again.

So at the moment I am very confused, and not sure if I need to feed more wet food, or more often a day...

Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks....

I feed my cats in a similar way, splitting a 5.5 oz can between three cats (1/2 can for one, 1/4 can each for two others). How much you feed depends on what kind of food you feed, if it is a high quality food they will need less and be less hungry throughout the day; and if it a lesser quality food they will need/want more.
Two of my cats are nibblers/grazers, so in addition to feeding them a 1/4 can of the wet food each I keep a bowl of dry in the bathroom. When one meouws for food, I let only him or her into the room to eat (so the others don't gobble it up instead). Perhaps you can try separating food like this?
Good luck! Feeding can be complicated sometimes; especially with several cats

Is it possible to feed them 2 or 3 times a day? Still feed them the same amount, but spread out over the day instead of all at once. I know I would get hungry if I only ate once a day. Also, give them maybe 2-3 kibbles if they beg when it's not mealtime. That usually helps a bit with the hunger and satisfies their desire for something crunchy, and a few kibbles a day shouldn't cause any urinary problems or make them fat.

And you might need to up their intake a bit. Most cats will do well on one 5.5 oz can a day, but you're splitting 2 cans between 3 cats. . .it might not be enough, at least for the big guy. What brand of canned food do you feed them?

Please try feeding at least twice a day. Average cat probably eats about one can a day... so at the very least, I would put out two cans in the morning (to be split between the 3 cats) and another two cans in the evening. If they're still hungry, increase it to 3 cans at each feeding.

I would split up the meals, which would help w/ digestion & the weight issues.

Have you also considered adding in a cat fountain? Sometimes the moving water entices them to drink more helping w/ urinary issues, too.

You can leave the wet food out for a long time -
my usual routine is a morning, afternoon, evening feeding with a bedtime feeding.

Before I retire, I feed them again about 1/4 to 1/2 can each to eat during the night (about 10:30 pm) - it's usually gone in the morning, and they're ready for breakfast at 8:30-9 a.m..

This "bedtime" food is usually food that is was still in the refrigerator (but not always) from the day's unused portions - I usually serve it cold from the refrigerator.

If I have to open new cans - then that's what is given for the night - usually about 10-11 hours - but they probably eat it before that length of time.

We have 8. They all have varying appetites and needs. We have one that is probably close to 18 lbs, and our smallest is around 10 lbs (I'm guessing her weight because she's feral born and is just now getting socialized - so there's no touching, yet.) (They're all inside cats.)

I try to give a 10 lb cat about 1 and 1/2 (5.5oz) cans of food - they're eating Wellness. Three of them are on a prescription diet - Royal Canin Urinary SO - canned.

This is Wellness Feeding Guidelines for 5.5oz canned food:
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/produ...ing-guidelines

For 5.5 oz. can:For adult cats, feed 1 can per 6-8 lbs. of body weight per day. Feed at room temprature and refrigerate unused portion. Your cat should always have access to clean fresh water.

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You don't say what brand you are feeding or what they weigh but looking at a 5.5 oz can of Science Diet turkey it says to feed between 1 1/3 to 1 3/4 cans per day for every 10 lbs so...at the very least they should be getting 4 5.5oz cans a day for the 3 of them. If you are feeding grocery store brand, probably a little more than that. I'm no expert by any means but that doesn't seem like enough food. I would also split that up to at least twice a day.

When I feed the next morning, the cats begin to get frantic and crazy, meowing and sometimes hissing at one another until I place the food down. It almost seems as if they are starving and ready to fight for food. Maybe this is a natural instinct or maybe they are starving!

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As mentioned, yup, thats not a lot of food, and so they are becoming competitive. Too rapid of weight loss can cause liver issues in kitties, so always be weary of that even if you have a chunker to start with. Any change in weight should always be very gradual.

Wet food is 80% water. If you were to reduce it to 10% water like dry food, you'd see how few kibbles worth are actually in each can of wet.

List the brands and we can probably tell you the caloric content of the food, or your vet might be able to tailor it for you based on each cat. Average cat likes about 220-250 calories a day, split into a couple meals at least to limit hunger (like us, even if you have a big breakfast you're bound to be hungry by dinner time).

Wellness Chicken 5.5oz cans are 180 calories, lesser quality food can be quite a bit less per can as they contain more fillers and gravy. So at best, right now you're likely feeding about half of what they need, and only once a day, hence the hungry hungry hippo action.

If sticking with all wet, I'd recommend feeding three times a day. This may become impractical or too expensive for you. If so, you may consider a mixed diet.

If you go that route (thats what I do), I'd recommend picking up a quality low-carb kibble (Blue Wilderness, Wellness Core, Innova Evo, and Nature's Variety Raw Instinct are all good), perhaps an auto-feeder like the Petmate Le Bistro for convenience and flexibility in your own schedule, and a couple water fountains for the house such as a Pioneer Ceramic Big Max and a Drinkwell Platinum (two different types in two different places to entice your furbabies).

Wow,

Thanks so much all for the info. Its nice to see such a helpful community.

Sorry for the late response. I figured I would check after the latest turn of events of my one cat knockin the bowl out of my hand and it shattering all over the floor.

It seems I am feeding too little and I feel terrible now.

As for the brand, thats ANOTHER problem. My Tabby--- will only eat Grocery store brand wet food (Friskies/Select). Ive been using the select since it seems to be a bit healthier, but the truth is I do not know. I have tried Wellness, EVO, Blue Buffalo, and he will eat non of them. So what typically happens is the other 2 devour theirs and then move on to his, while he just sniffs it and stares at me.

My wife thinks I should seperate him and force him to eat the better stuff.

There are alot of good opinions here and I think for certain I will need to feed more and more often....

Feeding can be very confusing and sometimes complicated when it comes to our meezers. The amount of food to give them varies with the individual cat's needs. That said; I have 4 cats in different age groups and had to simplify my feeding routine. First thing is the amount - If you are feeding a premium, or specialty food, the cats will eat less because their systems are absorbing more of the proteins, minerals, vitamins etc, that the cat needs. These food tend to have fewer or no hard to digest additives, byproducts, fillers etc. in them.

I would alter the feeding schedule you currently have to see how it works. I would break the feeding times into at least 2 times a day. I feed mine wet 2x daily (I do free feed dry kibble). If you can break their feeding into 3x daily but 2 will probably help with your problems. And maybe a snack in the evening.

Sometimes it is a texture thing, too. I'm lucky enough to have enough cats to feed that I can open two 5.5 oz cans. Since I have kitties who love shreds/chunks in gravy & kitties who love pate, I open two cans - one pate & one chunks/shreds in gravy.

I've had to try tons of cans of food before I found ones they do like. Of course I found way more that they don't like in the process. What I ended up doing is going to the pet store & buying 2 of each can to try out. If they flat out didn't like the first can I could return the 2nd. If your Tabby likes the Friskies shreds, Petco has their store brand Soulistic that has one that is shreds in gravy. (Green Can - Good Karma)

I guess it just depends on what you think you're kitties would eventually eat, what your budget is, & how much you're willing to try. You'll be feeding enough you could probably open two 5.5 oz cans & whatever they don't eat in one feeding put lids on & put in the fridge. Then just re-heat it for the next meal (that is, if they'll eat re-heated food, some of mine won't ).

I can entice my gravy kitties to eat the pate by putting the gravy canned food on top of the pate.

Originally Posted by philcriv

As for the brand, thats ANOTHER problem. My Tabby--- will only eat Grocery store brand wet food (Friskies/Select). Ive been using the select since it seems to be a bit healthier, but the truth is I do not know. I have tried Wellness, EVO, Blue Buffalo, and he will eat non of them. So what typically happens is the other 2 devour theirs and then move on to his, while he just sniffs it and stares at me.

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The best food is the worst if your cat won't eat it, so nothing wrong with that.

Try out some of the Nutro Complete Care pate stuff wet food. My cats really like it, and at Petsmart its not that expensive. Seems to be tastier than the really expensive stuff, but better quality than the friskies type.

Please Read! You may already know by now, but I hope my answer helps you. From the info I have researched, you are under-feeding your cats. They should at least be getting 1 can (5-6) oz per day per cat. I would highly recommend feeding them in three seperate dishes. I also have 3 cats - two are fast eaters, the other very slow. They would eat all her food if I let them. I feed them each 1/2 can in the morning, and the other 1/2 at night. I bought cat can covers at petco and wrote their names on the covers, so that when I put it in the fridge, I know who's is who's. It is very helpful. Here is a great website (written by a vet) with more info. www.catinfo.org

I feed my one cat who is at an ideal weight of 4.5 kg (approx.10 lbs.) 1.5 cans (5.5 oz cans) a day. I feed him half a can three times a day but you could feed 3/4 can twice a day. He gets a variety of Wellness, Natural Balance limited ingredient foods, Holistic Selects, hills k/d and g/d and Medi-cap mature (the latter three I feed him reluctantly as he has CRF and is very picky so I am forced to rotate foods). Just to give you an idea of how much to feed.

I am so sorry to hear your kitty suffered a blockage but glad that he is okay and that you are paying more attention to his diet now!  It does sound like the cats are starving and not receiving enough food.  And as domesticated cats, eating once a day is probably counter productive to them maintaining a healthy weight.

Rather than go by an arbitrary guide, you should make sure your cats are getting the protein, calories etc. they need (just like we do, or should, with humans).   I base my cats diet on how many calories my vet says they should get (I think most say around 25-30 calories per pound).  We're at about 250-275 a day.  I then calculate how much of a can equals 275 calories and spread that over 2-3 meals.  I pick a food that is low in fillers that are not essential to my cat.  If you go with the 95% meat formulas of a few dif. companies (EVO has one, so does Evanger's) you feed a lot less.  With wellness, they have a lot more non-essential ingredients, though grain-free, so you will feed more.  

Also try not to be discouraged if your cat won't go for new food at first.  I would not give up on a healthier food because my cat did not embrace it within my time frame, even though I could afford it.  Bottom line, your cat would not eat Friskies or other bad foods, if you did not buy them.  I am a firm believer that as the care-taker you should have the final say and cats will eventually eat what is available, you just have to be patient and not give in to their stubbornness.  

If you go back to dry, I would not make it the main part of their diet, maybe just a supplement for wet.  I don't like feeding dry, but I travel frequently so my cats do get dry when I am on overnight trips.  I've tried Evo, Blue Wilderness, Wellness Core, Felidae, Earthborn, TOTW.  All were good, except EVO seemed really crumbly.

Just fyi peeps.. This thread is over 6 months old and I don't think the OP reads it anymore.