Free Feeding, Is It Ok?

Azazel

Time spent with cats is never wasted.
Top Cat
Joined
Apr 14, 2018
Messages
2,844
Purraise
3,465
I want to get her off wet. She loves it, it’s bad for her teeth and weight. I’ll use those food ball puzzles more. She gulps everything down immediately.
Actually, wet food is not bad for teeth or weight. It's good for keeping weight down. Kibble is loaded with carbs that cats can't process. This is what contributes to weight gain. Neither wet food nor kibble are good or bad for teeth.
 

amethyst

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2016
Messages
948
Purraise
2,850
Location
Alberta, Canada
I want to get her off wet. She loves it, it’s bad for her teeth and weight. I’ll use those food ball puzzles more. She gulps everything down immediately.
Actually wet is not any worse for their teeth then kibble, cats don't really chew kibble. If you've ever seen a cat throw up right after eating you'll see most to the kibble was swallowed whole. Also it would be like saying cookies or crackers clean your teeth because they are crunchy. Wet food is actually lower in carbs then dry so it's better for weight management. Also unless the cat already drinks a lot of water then the added moisture in the wet food would most likely be helpful for a cat that gets constipation regularly. Dehydration is actually one of the most common causes of constipation because the gut doesn't have enough juices to keep things moving smoothly.

So thinking about it, your cat may not be on that can be free fed. If she will just gulp everything down in one sitting then she really needs meals. If you go with wet food meals you can still try using the puzzle balls for kibble snacks, so she is less likely to bug you between meals. Just make sure you calculate the kibble into her daily food amount so you aren't over feeding her.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #24

nunnc84

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Jun 25, 2018
Messages
706
Purraise
536
Location
Indiana
Actually wet is not any worse for their teeth then kibble, cats don't really chew kibble. If you've ever seen a cat throw up right after eating you'll see most to the kibble was swallowed whole. Also it would be like saying cookies or crackers clean your teeth because they are crunchy. Wet food is actually lower in carbs then dry so it's better for weight management. Also unless the cat already drinks a lot of water then the added moisture in the wet food would most likely be helpful for a cat that gets constipation regularly. Dehydration is actually one of the most common causes of constipation because the gut doesn't have enough juices to keep things moving smoothly.

So thinking about it, your cat may not be on that can be free fed. If she will just gulp everything down in one sitting then she really needs meals. If you go with wet food meals you can still try using the puzzle balls for kibble snacks, so she is less likely to bug you between meals. Just make sure you calculate the kibble into her daily food amount so you aren't over feeding her.
:) ty!! Very thoughtful!! So, daily caloric intake for a 6-8 lb cat is???
I could feed her 2 wet meals a day, and add the puzzle ball. I feed taste of the wild wet and dry. How much should each meal be??
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #25

nunnc84

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Jun 25, 2018
Messages
706
Purraise
536
Location
Indiana
Actually wet is not any worse for their teeth then kibble, cats don't really chew kibble. If you've ever seen a cat throw up right after eating you'll see most to the kibble was swallowed whole. Also it would be like saying cookies or crackers clean your teeth because they are crunchy. Wet food is actually lower in carbs then dry so it's better for weight management. Also unless the cat already drinks a lot of water then the added moisture in the wet food would most likely be helpful for a cat that gets constipation regularly. Dehydration is actually one of the most common causes of constipation because the gut doesn't have enough juices to keep things moving smoothly.

So thinking about it, your cat may not be on that can be free fed. If she will just gulp everything down in one sitting then she really needs meals. If you go with wet food meals you can still try using the puzzle balls for kibble snacks, so she is less likely to bug you between meals. Just make sure you calculate the kibble into her daily food amount so you aren't over feeding her.
 

Attachments

amethyst

TCS Member
Super Cat
Joined
Nov 25, 2016
Messages
948
Purraise
2,850
Location
Alberta, Canada
:) ty!! Very thoughtful!! So, daily caloric intake for a 6-8 lb cat is???
I could feed her 2 wet meals a day, and add the puzzle ball. I feed taste of the wild wet and dry. How much should each meal be??
Figuring out calorie intake is complicated and depends on age, activity level, and if she needs to maintain her weight or not. On average it's about 20-30 calories per pound for an adult cat. So if her ideal weight is 6lbs then between 120-160 calories, if her ideal weight is 8lbs then between 160 and 240 calories.

Personally I find the calculating complicated especially when feeding more then one wet food flavor, since the calories between flavors can often differ quite a bit. Instead, looking at the two foods you posted, I would try feeding about 1/4 cup of dry a day in the puzzle ball, and one can of wet split into two meals. Then keep an eye on her to see if she is gaining or losing weight and adjust accordingly.
 
  • Thread Starter Thread Starter
  • #28

nunnc84

TCS Member
Thread starter
Super Cat
Joined
Jun 25, 2018
Messages
706
Purraise
536
Location
Indiana
Figuring out calorie intake is complicated and depends on age, activity level, and if she needs to maintain her weight or not. On average it's about 20-30 calories per pound for an adult cat. So if her ideal weight is 6lbs then between 120-160 calories, if her ideal weight is 8lbs then between 160 and 240 calories.

Personally I find the calculating complicated especially when feeding more then one wet food flavor, since the calories between flavors can often differ quite a bit. Instead, looking at the two foods you posted, I would try feeding about 1/4 cup of dry a day in the puzzle ball, and one can of wet split into two meals. Then keep an eye on her to see if she is gaining or losing weight and adjust accordingly.
ty!! When I got home there was poop outside the box letting me know it hurts to poop. I gave her 1/2 can water mineral oil pre-pro biotic powder, vitamin powder in water. This morning she had two loose bowl movements in the box. She was waking me up to feed her.
Today I put 1/4 cup in the puzzle ball today.
I’ll feed her the other 1/2 can of wet food. It’s a variety pack of cans because she likes different flavors.
When I groom her I feed her the tooth brush treats 1-5 that clean her teeth. That usually loosens her bowls also. I’m training her to like grooming .
Are the treats ok feline greenies? Should I get another kind???
 
Top