How much should I feed an adult cat?

dp1

We have a male cat about aged about 2, who we got from a cat rescue about 5 months ago. Whoever gets up first will feed him, anytime between 7 and 8am - he has a 100g pouch of food. After about an hour, I usually put some biscuits in his bowl. When we first got him, I gave him the biscuits just as I left for work and he picked at them throughout the day....when I came home at 3pm ish there could still be a few left.

But now he wolfs the biscuits down as soon as I put them down for him. He gets another pouch of wet food between 5-6pm.

Just wondering, does this seem the right amount of food? He's quite big and lean, not fat at all. He just seems greedy...as if he would eat all day if we put food out! Don't know if it's because he's a rescue cat and he thinks he should eat as much as he can in case he doesn't get any more food?

Tiglath

Our 9 rescues get 1/3 tin each twice a day. They're always yelling for more but none of them are starving, and in fact this weather they're leaving part of it but still screaming for whatever we're eating. I'm selectively deaf

crumblepie

My slob of a cat (9 years old, male, 6kg) has around 3 pouches a day -one pouch in the morning, one mid afternoon, one in the evening. He also has a bowl of biscuits to pick on.

When it was really warm a few weeks ago he wasn't really eating during the day but would wolf down two packets at night one after the other and have biscuits the rest of the time if he was peckish.


The vet says he's well fed and a big cat .. but not fat.

Spudsey

Joe Inglis vet told me that cats need about 240 calories a day so I tend to count calories for my two esp as both overweight.

~Beanie~

My cat (aged 9) is also a huge cat. He gets 3 pouches of Felix per day. Breakfast around 8am, when I get home around 5:30pm and a final one about 8pm.

I try not to let him have biscuits as he has had bladder problems in the past and the Vet advised to keep him off dry food. He also advised to try and get his weight down but if I feed him any less than 3 pouches, he cries, begs and does anything he can to try and get more!

Mrs_Z

Our remaining senior cat, 12-13 yrs, now gets 2 pouches per day plus some/sprinkle of biscuits on top. She is 5.3kg and could do with losing some weight. This is a new regime for her, as previously food was left out for the day because our other cat was the opposite (underweight) and no doubt she helped herself to her food too.

paddypaws101

Supermarket pouches are not great quality and are pretty expensive overall to feed! Much better to go for a better brand higher in meat protein which will keep the cat fuller for longer.
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/canned_cat_food_pouches/bozita/bozita_canned_cat_food/223871
http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/canned_cat_food_pouches/rafine/carny/284557
the second one is in 800g tins (also comes in 400g tins) which is fine for multiple cat households.
Compare the prices per kg or 100g for various foods to get a better idea og the real cost

Croc_Mad

I have three greedies. One overweight, one underweight and one just right. I try to let the 'Skinny Minnie' and the 'Just Right' have their fill but my fat cat gets a measured portion of food and nothing else. Go with the guideline on the packaging and use your judgment.

Cats are liars - my OH will feed them in a morning, I'll get up half an hour later and they'll demand food from me but barely touch it. Routine plays a big part too, I feed in a morning and at bedtime. Mine don't try and demand food until well into the evening as that's what they are used to.

dp1

Thanks everyone - I think he just wants us to believe he's hungry!

The first one of us up in a morning will feed him, accompanied by lots of miaowing and jumping about, then he tries again with the next one up and then a third time with whichever DD is last out of bed! I'm sure if we all fed him, one after the other, he would eat it...:)