How many times a day should an adult cat be fed?

Making a diet for a kitten

Every cat lover will be very happy and immensely happy when a little furry friend - a kitten - appears in his home. This cute ball of fur will make anyone smile even on the stormiest day, will always give its owner a piece of his enthusiasm and infect him with positivity.

A small pet already has its own character and habits, but it still requires attention and education. And in order for a tiny organism to grow and develop properly, it is necessary to take care of the optimal diet for it.

Cat in position

Everyone knows that a pregnant woman should reconsider her menu. What to do with the diet of a pregnant cat?

• Once pregnant, your cat needs more food. However, you should not sharply increase its portions; you need to increase the number of feedings.
• From days 7 to 14 of pregnancy, give your cat 10% more food per day than usual.
• From 21 to 28 days by 50%

Food from a bag or natural food

Many breeders of purebred cats believe that giving dry cat food is the ideal nutrition option. But there are also those who are supporters of natural nutrition. There are also third parties who prefer exclusively preserved and canned food. But what should ordinary amateurs do if even experts cannot come to a common opinion? Should you choose to feed your cats ready-made food, or prepare it yourself?

This is interesting: How to meet people on the Internet

Canned food

It is enough to give your cat a couple of bags of food per day, depending on the size of the pack. Manufacturers usually indicate on the packaging how much food is needed per feeding. However, there is a significant disadvantage: such feeding can significantly hit the owner’s wallet.

Natural food

When choosing natural food, this does not mean that you can feed food from your table, bones and sausage. In order for the animal to be healthy and cheerful, it needs to be given stewed meat of low-fat varieties (beef, turkey), sometimes porridge, cottage cheese, and eggs.

Dry food

Of course, dry food is the best option for a cat owner, it is not expensive, it does not create dirt near the plate, it contains everything that is needed for a full life. However, dry food has its disadvantages. Too cheap food contains a lot of salt, which negatively affects the liver and digestive system. It is best to choose premium dry food . Give your cat 40–70 grams of dry food per day. It is also worth considering that if you choose dry food, you need to increase the daily amount of water.

Every person should understand that when a meowing friend appears in his house, he at the same moment bears responsibility for the life and health of the new family member.

But the most important thing that the owner must do is to feed, love, and only then raise his pet correctly.

How to feed a newborn kitten without a cat

There are very sad cases when a mother cat dies after giving birth or a similar force majeure occurs. And if there is no other cat or even a small dog nearby that can feed the babies, then the person will have to take care of feeding the orphaned kittens on their own.

Kittens age from 0 to 10 days

In the first ten days after the baby is born, it should be fed with a special mixture, which is sold in veterinary stores. You can use a pipette, but a bottle would be preferable, because the baby needs to develop a sucking reflex.

Feeding should occur every two hours for the first three days, plus mandatory complementary feeding at night. Then you can feed every four hours.

For the first two weeks, the amount of the mixture should not exceed 30-40 ml per 100 grams of weight per day. Also, do not forget about a small amount of heated water.

And it is extremely undesirable to offer a kitten whole cow’s milk in the first month of life. A small stomach is not yet able to cope with such heavy food.

Kittens age from 10 to 30 days

You can prepare formula for your baby yourself without resorting to pet stores. This mixture should continue to be fed to the kitten until the age of 1 month. All proportions must be strictly observed. The opposite can lead to an upset stomach of the little one.

Recommendations for proportions:

• Cow's milk, preferably not from the store - 50 ml;
• Chicken yolk – 1/2 pcs.;
• Powdered milk – 15 g;
• Vegetable oil – 1 ml;
• Grape sugar – 4 g;
• Dry yeast – 2.5 g.

In extreme cases, you can use infant formula or diluted goat's milk.

It is important to remember that food must be heated to at least 30 degrees. Closer to the month, the amount of the mixture should be increased to 50-55 ml per 100 grams of weight per day.

Natural food (list of main important products):

From about three weeks of age and then closer to a month, you can start feeding the kitten food for adult animals. Many owners, as well as veterinarians, prefer natural food for small pets.

The kitten is from one month to two months old

At this age, the furry baby is already eating from a plate on his own. At 2 months, the daily portion size increases to 200 grams.

List of permitted products:

• Fresh meat broth;
• Puree of boiled vegetables;
• Children's cottage cheese without additives;
• Formula or milk;
• Boiled yolk 1 time per day (chicken or quail);
• Lean meat or fish (pre-shredded)

For now, it is recommended to grind all solid food for your baby in a blender.

The kitten is from two to three months old

At this age, a mustachioed pet needs to be fed at least 4 times a day. The daily requirement at 3 months increases to 300 grams.

List of permitted products:

• Boiled porridge in water;
• Lean beef or veal;
• Raw chicken or quail yolk;
• Kefir, low-fat sour cream or cream, fermented baked milk, biolact;
• Low-fat cottage cheese;
• Boiled chicken meat;
• Raw vegetables grated or mashed boiled;
• Boiled white fish.

Age - three months

From the age of three months, kittens need to gradually introduce solid food into their diet, because this is the time when babies' teeth change. The number of feedings is reduced to three times a day, and the daily food intake is increased to 360 grams.

List of permitted products:

• Porridge with milk or water;
• Lean raw and cooked meat;
• Raw and boiled fish fillet;
• Raw or scalded vegetables;
• Cottage cheese or yogurt without additives.

The kitten is three to four months old and older

The fluffy little ball has grown a little, plays actively and is interested in the world around him. Now he requires up to 75% meat on the menu.

Here are some rules to follow when feeding meat to small kittens:

• Under no circumstances should you give your kitten fresh meat. This is fraught with protein intoxication and subsequent seizures;
• It is worth excluding raw pork from your diet. It contains a huge number of parasites. There is also a high risk of contracting the fatal Aujeszky's disease (the so-called “false rabies”);
• To protect the kitten from viruses and parasites, raw meat must be heat treated or frozen in the freezer for three to four hours.

If the owner of a kitten who has already reached four months of age prefers natural food, you need to figure out what products, and most importantly, in what form to use in your pet’s diet.

List of main important products:

• Meat. Even after all the precautions taken, it is recommended to carry out antiparasitic prophylaxis in the animal;
• Bird. Most often, due to availability, chicken and turkey meat are used. This is a good option for a growing organism. True, for better digestion of food, it is advisable to pass pieces of meat through a meat grinder.
• Offal. Kidneys, stomachs, hearts and liver are a good source of protein for a growing body. And the liver is also useful for vitamin B12. But you shouldn’t get carried away with the liver; once or twice a week will be enough so as not to harm the small intestines;
• Cartilage and bones. Of course, it is useful to chew something for the development of teeth, but you need to be careful with bones. Even if you pass the bones through a meat grinder, sharp edges remain that can injure a fragile stomach;
• Fish. It is worth giving preference to marine inhabitants. Freshwater fish have less health benefits and more parasites;
• Cereals. Buckwheat and rice are the most suitable to add to the cat’s menu;
• Vegetables. Raw and cooked bring many benefits to the kitten’s digestion and are a source of essential vitamins.

When he was born

Feeding a newborn kitten is perhaps the only topic in nutrition that does not concern you at all.

His mother knows the answer to this question. But it happens that people also have to feed babies, for example, foundlings.

So what do you need to know if a baby is dropped at your door, or for some other reason, feeding a kitty falls on your shoulders.

A signal that the baby is completely full will be his quiet sleep. If after feeding the baby squeals, then eating should be continued.

What is a kitten forbidden to eat?

To prevent ingredients harmful to its body from getting into the main menu of a small cat, you need to know the list of what you should not feed it:

• All foods with high fat content - whole cow's milk, cheese, butter, fatty fermented milk products;
• Floury, sweet, especially chocolate;
• Raw freshwater fish;
• Corn, millet and especially semolina porridge;
• Sausage, frankfurters, anything that contains a lot of salt and spices;
• Raw pork;
• Legumes and potatoes are poorly digestible by the stomach;
• Fast food.

Any veterinarian will also advise not to feed your pet economy class food. They have no benefit for kittens.

How many times a day should you feed your cat?

Today there are a huge number of food options for cats of any type, size and age. Experienced breeders and veterinarians recommend various menu options for the full development of the cat’s body: from natural to premium dry and wet food.

Feeding your cat too much will make the cat overweight. A lack of nutrients will lead to depletion of the pet’s body. Both options will lead to a deterioration in the cat’s health and the development of chronic diseases, which, in turn, can lead to the early death of the pet.

To prevent this from happening, it is necessary to properly optimize the animal’s nutrition based on its individual characteristics.

Bagged food for cats: what is it made from and how much to give per day?

join the discussion

Share with your friends

Pets are an integral part of our lives. Their health and emotional state directly depend on what they eat. What is the currently popular cat food pouch made from? How to properly feed it to your furry friends? We will answer these questions in detail.

Feeding standards by age

Every owner of a furry pet is interested not only in what to feed the cat, but also how many times a day it should be done. There is no definite answer to this question, because everything depends, as already mentioned, on the individual characteristics of each individual. The feeding norm for a domestic British cat that does not go outside differs from the diet of a mongrel cat living in a cottage and having access to nature.

The daily feeding rate for cats depends primarily on the age of the animal. Small kittens up to three months old should eat little and often. Starting from the age of three months, the furry baby is transferred to three meals a day. From about 5 months, closer to six months and until reaching the age of 1 year, you can gradually transfer your pet to two meals a day.

An adult cat, regardless of the type of feeding, should eat 2 times a day. This is the optimal diet for adults, recommended by most veterinarians.

Cats over 10 years of age are considered seniors. Their physical activity decreases, their appetite becomes unimportant. In this case, it is worth recommending that the animal be switched back to three meals a day, gradually reducing the volume of single servings.

Criteria influencing a cat's diet

Pet age

This is a fundamental criterion, because young animals need to be fed more often than adults. Kittens 5-6 months old, during a period of rapid growth and development, need three feedings a day. Once the kitten reaches six months of age and until full maturity, you need to feed the pet twice a day. Starting from the age of seven, cats, as a rule, eat once a day, due to a slowdown in metabolic processes, a decrease in the pet’s vital activity and appetite.

© shutterstock

Health status

The feeding regimen of a sick cat must be agreed upon with a veterinarian. In most cases, unhealthy individuals are transferred to a special diet, which is prescribed individually. Often, sick animals have to be force-fed. First of all, it is necessary to cure the disease and, as the animal recovers, the appetite will be restored.

If your pet has dental problems, wet food is an excellent solution. Also, the usual dry food can be softened by mixing with water.

Activity level

This indicator has a direct impact on the number of calories burned. The activity level of animals changes throughout their life, which cannot but affect the cat's diet.

Gender of the animal

It is no secret that males consume more food than females. The need for micronutrients in cats is much higher.

© shutterstock

Reproductive condition

Lactating females expend 3 times more energy on raising their offspring. It is quite natural that the amount of daily ration should increase. During this important period of lactation, the cat needs to be fed more and more often, as soon as she asks for it. For castrated males, on the contrary, it is extremely important to adjust caloric intake as a preventive measure for obesity.

The metabolic processes of the body of a castrated animal slow down, and its daily diet should be compiled taking into account these changes.

Breed

A cat's diet also depends on its breed. Different breeds have completely different temperaments and metabolic rates. It is important to focus on the cat's size, as larger breeds require more food.

Dry food feeding standards

How much dry food a mustachioed pet should eat per day is determined based on its age, weight and certain physical characteristics. The average daily requirement for a healthy active cat is 250 – 300 grams. Many food packages have calculations given for different weights and ages of cats, but these are also average data for healthy individuals of average weight, and they may not be suitable, for example, for a neutered cat or a pregnant cat.

Many owners are interested in what kind of food is best to feed their pet: dry food, wet food from bags, or give preference to natural food. For example, what is better to feed a nursing, pregnant, sterilized or neutered cat?

It makes no big difference what type of food to feed the animal, as long as the diet is properly balanced.

Artificial breeds, Scottish, British and others, as well as breeds prone to metabolic disorders, such as Sphynxes, are best fed with commercial dry food throughout their lives. The usual natural diet is not suitable for them; dry food is the most rationally balanced for these breeds.

To determine the food consumption for a particular cat, it is advisable to have it examined by a veterinarian and give his recommendations.

Feeding rules

Pets should always have access to drinking water. It is changed frequently so that it does not stagnate and spoil. For kittens, buy special dry food with small granules or minced meat. The fillet pieces can be finely chopped and given as is. Due to their age, babies cannot chew food well, and it will be poorly digested.

You cannot put the daily requirement into one feeding - cats do not know how to control the feeling of fullness. After overeating, the animal will vomit. In severe cases, intestinal volvulus may occur, which requires urgent surgical intervention.

If an animal eats raw meat, it must first be frozen for several days - this will rid it of parasites. From 4 months, the kitten's diet should consist of 75% animal protein. You cannot mix homemade food and industrial feed, as this leads to an overabundance of certain substances.

Adult animals have a high need for amino acids, so vegetables and porridge are not suitable for them as their main diet. For 1 kg of weight, about 70 kcal is required. An average individual weighing 5 kg requires about 50 g of carbohydrates.

If a cat works as a producer, then he needs a large amount of vitamin E. It improves reproductive function. The package of dry food contains recommended daily intake amounts - you can safely use these recommendations.

Treats should not be given between meals. This leads to spoiling and whims.

Feeding standards for wet food

Some breeders and veterinarians recommend following the following proportions when feeding a cat with industrial food: feed 2/3 of dry food to 1/3 of wet food. Feed should be purchased from one manufacturer.

Wet food is usually produced in canned form or in small bags (packs)

Do not forget that you cannot mix industrial food and natural food, as it is difficult for a cat’s stomach to adjust to new food.

If an adult cat has been eating natural food since childhood, it will take him at least two weeks to accustom his body to store-bought food.

Table

There are many options for distributing cat food depending on the age and weight of the cat. After all, there is a difference in how to feed a one-month-old kitten and, for example, an adult 7-year-old cat. Here is an approximate table for feeding a furry pet:

But do not forget that these are generalized figures; only a competent veterinarian will select an individual healthy diet after carefully examining the animal.

Approximate diet

There is no consensus among pet owners about the type of food. Some people prefer to give food from the table. It has a bad effect on the cat’s body and leads to certain problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Junk foods include:

• roast;
• salty;
• sweet;
• smoked;
• pickled.

Any food with spices is contraindicated. Animals quickly get used to improper feeding , and it is difficult to accustom them to a different type of food. In the future, you will have to seriously spend money on treatment.

Natural food is not porridge with a small amount of offal. An adult cat needs a meat diet with the addition of raw vegetables. It is useful to give beef, veal, turkey, chicken, and rabbit. Due to the danger of infection with parasites, you should not take pork, raw eggs, or fish.

Often owners have no idea what to add to their cat's diet. The heart, kidneys and liver are excellent sources of taurine. It is this amino acid that ensures the full functioning of the body. Carrots, spinach, and pumpkin are used as additives.

Not every owner will determine how many times a day cats need to be fed. Industrial feed contains all the necessary nutrients. Granules create a misleading impression, and some owners prefer to give them in large quantities 5-6 times a day. As a result, the pet becomes obese.

Correct feeding process

When the owner of a four-legged mustache decides on the type and amount of food his pet needs, you can deal directly with the feeding process.

There are three main ways to feed adult cats:

• System of free access to food. Most often, such a system accompanies feeding dry food. After all, it can be left in the air for a long time and it will not deteriorate. Often the owner is away from home during the day and fills a large heaping bowl so that his pet “doesn’t go hungry.” As a result, the cat may eat the entire bowl at once, which, of course, will not have the best effect on his health.
• Restrictions on the amount of feed. This system is for cats prone to obesity. They calculate a certain amount of food that should be eaten at one meal, or use a special low-calorie food.
• Feeding time restrictions. This method streamlines the pet's daily routine. The cat is fed at a certain time, morning and evening. Even if the pet has not eaten all the food at one time, the bowl is removed until the next feeding.

There are now various electronic and automatic feeders available for different feeding methods for domestic cats. They are adjusted to a specific time and portion size. Pet stores have a large selection of such devices. And which bowl is more profitable to purchase, simple or automatic, is up to the owner of the furry pet to decide, depending on the circumstances of his life.

Now every loving owner has the necessary knowledge to choose the right diet for their domestic cat.

If the pet is active, plays happily and feels great, then its owner did everything right.

How many meat pouches should a cat eat per day?

My cat does not eat anything except meat bags (like Whiskas, Kiteket, Friskas, etc.). What is the daily intake? The cat is outbred, small in size, 3 years old. Just no matter how much you give her, she will eat everything and therefore it is impossible to understand whether she is feeling hungry or is just being capricious.

Author of the publication

Anastasia

Achievement received 10/08/2018

Similar:

The selection of food, including meat bags, must be approached individually, and it all depends on the animal’s taste preferences, energy expenditure, and individual metabolism. Typically, on the food packaging, the dosage is indicated depending on the cat’s weight and activity level, and you can use it as a guide. And so, each cat is characterized by a “buffet”, that is, it can approach the cup up to 16 times a day, and it will always have an increased appetite. So that this does not become expensive for the owner, then you need to meat bags, or divide the food into 4 feeding times, and give it out strictly according to the norm. In case the cat's fur is dull and he looks thin despite the food, this means that he does not have enough nutrition and will need to increase its amount. In general, in order to know for sure how much food an animal needs, for this you need to give it a large portion of food, and then weigh the uneaten food, so you will know how much it needs at a time. Cats rarely overeat, but if the animal is neutered, it eats twice as much.

This is interesting: Gingerbread recipe at home

My cat and I had the same problem. But the veterinarians told us that this is due to the fact that we feed the cat fish. Although we have another cat who eats the same thing and he hasn't had the same problem.

I have the exact same cat, only a little older. And he also doesn’t eat anything other than wet food. We'll soon go broke feeding him. We give him according to his gluttony. And everything is fine, we don’t complain about anything, he goes to the toilet regularly. Previously they gave it 4 times a day. Now, he started eating more. Whatever he asks for, we give it to him.

I usually don’t give my cat the whole bag at once, but only half, and put the remaining half in the refrigerator. After a while I give half the bag again. Two sachets or one and a half per day. If he really asks, then I’ll give him three, if he’s particularly gluttonous. Her appetite is not constant, sometimes she does not eat at all. At the same time, dry food is a must, and plenty of fresh water. Moreover, tastes change - sometimes she loves pate, sometimes she refuses, the same goes for jelly and cream soup. She also has to change companies - either she likes Whiskas or Felix. Or she just eats fried fish and doesn’t need any bags. But as much as you give, you eat as much - I haven’t noticed that. If she’s full, the food on the saucer will simply dry out, and she won’t touch it. I have to throw it away. Although it is greedy, and I tell her that transferring money to her is empty, and we are not millionaires. Only the cat doesn’t understand my complaints about money. And fresh food should be available on demand, at the first meow. But more often she is patient, she just stays nearby and watches. Waiting for me to guess.

On these meat bags with cat food, I don’t remember exactly what brand, but they are all about the same, it says that they are designed for two feedings. As the veterinarian told us, the healthiest food for a cat is food from his own table. That's why cats now eat the same things we eat. Soups, meat, chicken, fish, eggs, cottage cheese: a complete and varied diet. You can also give them porridge; in the wild, they receive a certain amount of grains in the gastrointestinal tract of the rodents they catch. I also buy these bags, but I don’t feed them all the time. They are kept as a reserve when there is no time to cook, so the cat receives a semi-finished product. In general, it is not advisable to feed a cat only commercially produced food. Monosodium glutanate is added to these foods, which is a flavor enhancer, so the cat eats the food with such appetite. But in terms of impact on health, it is not very useful. As correctly written above, it can provoke urolithiasis.

I feel sorry for the bird - in this case the cat - how dependent he is on the homo sapiens who tamed him. A stingy man's tear flows in an incessant stream from my bright eyes: