Question about feeding

I feed Mimi twice a day. She usually eats for about 5-10 minutes, then stops, and then about 20 minutes later, if food is still left, she will come back and eat more. (The second time, she eats about a third of what she ate the first time.)

My question is, should I put away the leftovers right after she stops eating the first time?

She is 8.5 months, about 2.9 kg (6.4 pounds). She's certainly not thin, but I don't think she is obese either. Kind of hard for me to tell.

Look at what the bag says she should have for her weight and decide based on that. If you are still feeding kitten food it might be time to switch over because kitten food is fattening and if she is getting a little chunky then she may be done with it.

The kind of food you are feeding matters too. If you feed a good quality then she should be just about full after the recommended amount and be fine for a good part of the day or even all day.

If you feed a low quality (something from the grocery store or Walmart like Friskie, Whiskas, Purina Chow, etc.) then she will just be filling up with the bad fillers and will come back for more food faster. She will also seem to go through the bag faster too.

Here in China, besides Friskies and Whiskas, there is Royal Canin (made in Brazil) and IAMS (made in USA). Which would you recommend? Thanks.

Of the foods you mentioned, Royal Canin is by far the best. Iams would be your second choice.

In general, as long as a cat is not overweight it is better not to restrict their access to food. This is especially true for kittens. If they learn that food is a scarce commodity, they are more likely to overeat as adults.

As to the timing of feedings, cats don't have a concept of meals like we do. They don't have any reason to eat what is put in front of them all in one sitting. Left to choose for themselves, most cats actually will graze on very tiny amounts many times a day.

If you read the food package it should tell you approximately how much a cat should eat per day based on age, weight, and activity level. That amount should be your starting point. You can either give her that amount all at once in the morning (or whenever) or split it between two feedings. Then see how she does. If she still acts like she is hungry, then give more. If she starts to gain significant amounts of weight, cut back on her feedings.

Great, thanks!