How much do you feed your cat?

cattie

I'm just wondering how much tinned/pouched food people feed their cat. Mine has 2 meals per day, breakfast & dinner. A can does him for just under 3 meals & a pouch is a whole meal. He always has dried food next to his water in case he feels a bit peckish between meals.

I have a friend who I've always thought has underfed her 2 cats. Sometimes they've gone without food on days when she claims to have no money to buy it with, which I find hard to bear. I'd go without myself to ensure my cat had food to eat everyday. I know if she comes to stop with me for a weekend, her cats will go unfed until her return home as she doesn't arrange for anybody to go in & feed them.

When she does feed her cats they share a can of food, getting just the one meal a day & no dried food to nibble on when hungry or peckish. So this works out at half a can a day each.

Because they always seem to be starving whenever I visit ( I always take them some food as a treat & they are all over me because of it ) it's got me wondering if they are underfed compared to the majority of cats owned by more responsible cat owners?

chelleybelley

omg:eek:....yes they are underfed....they aint getting fed!!
i have 3 cats 2 are 15 months old and the other is almost 7, they get 3 regular meals a day not big portions prob 2 tins between the 3 maybe a little less(i cant leave biscuits down as the little girl gets cystitious from them) and they are not fat just right, 2 are house cats so dont go out but the older one does if your friend cant afford to feed her animals she shouldnt have them. i would report her or offer to take them off her hands or help rehouse them that is neglect as you say i would rather go without rather than my cats!!

Buttonmoons

About a pouch and a half of wet food a day, she howls for it constantly so by giving it to her in halfs, she thinks she is getting more. Also dried biscuits down (not much at a time) for her to nibble on during the night or when I go out. She's a bit fat, so I'm trying to increase her activity (she thinks 20hrs of sleep is activity) and reduce her food.
She was so displeased to start with she stuck her face in DD's leftover cocopops, gobbled them all, then puked it up on my bed. Thanks!

Jet

I have 2 cats. One is on a prescription diet and seems to eat loads of her dried food, the other is half her size and can easily eat 4 pouches a day! :eek:

Your friend doesn't sound like she's very caring towards her cats. I have left mine with food in their bowls while I've been away for the night but if I'm away for longer than that, I ask someone else to come in and feed them and make sure they're alright.

ginvzt

I tried following instructions on some dried food of 60g a day, but it was so little, that I started to ignore it. Last few days I gave a good handful of biscuits in the morning, then a small tin of food in the evening (for example, Nature's Harvest, 125g), and then he gets some more biscuits or a small tin of food when I go to bed. He seems to be doing well and keeping at the same weight as when we got him (5.2kg).

lostinrates

Both my cats are a good weight, I feed on demand. Sometimes thats three or four times a day, sometimes its more. Very occasionally its less. IMO the friend who goes days without feeding is not only not demonstrating good ownership and endangering the health of her cats, she could be breaking the law. The newer welfare laws mean we have to ensure all the welfare needs of our animals are met. Feeding would strike me as a potential necessity. I supose if the cats have free access to outside they could be feeding themselves or relying on neighbours.

chez22

I feed my mogs on demand, they are very spoilt! I leave dry food out all the time and they get wet food in the morning and when I get in from work, and then later on if they want it. Neither of them are overweight so I must be doing something right!

chelleybelley

Buttonmoons wrote: »

About a pouch and a half of wet food a day, she howls for it constantly so by giving it to her in halfs, she thinks she is getting more. Also dried biscuits down (not much at a time) for her to nibble on during the night or when I go out. She's a bit fat, so I'm trying to increase her activity (she thinks 20hrs of sleep is activity) and reduce her food.
She was so displeased to start with she stuck her face in DD's leftover cocopops, gobbled them all, then puked it up on my bed. Thanks!

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl:

coolio_2

While it's all very subjective how much a cat should be fed depending on breeds, sex, age, lifestyle, going days without being fed is atrocious.

chelleybelley

coolio wrote: »

while it's all very subjective how much a cat should be fed depending on breeds, sex, age, lifestyle, going days without being fed is atrocious.

yes i strongly agree!!

cattie

lostinrates wrote: »

I supose if the cats have free access to outside they could be feeding themselves or relying on neighbours.

No free access to outside I'm afraid. The older of the cats likes to go out, but has to be let out & in as there is no cat flap. They live in a 3rd floor flat. Also, my friend makes him stay out all night sometimes which really angers me. He recently had a very bad accident & is lucky to be alive, so I'm hoping she has now learnt her lesson & keeps him home at night. They live close to an extremely busy road close to the centre of London & the Blue Cross animal hospital thought his injuries were caused by being hit by a car at high speed. His injuries were quite bad, poor mite. The younger cat, a female is a house cat, too nervous to go out.

I know the male cat does go rooting around rubbish bins etc to see what food he can find. I feel so sorry for him having to do this.

This friend is very confrontational & insists her cats get fed enough. Sometimes I wish somebody would lock her up for 2 or 3 days without enough food.