Confused About Amount To Feed

Hi everyone. My cat, Gracie, is 11 months old and for several months has been eating two 3 oz. cans of cat food daily, divided into three feedings, plus 1/4 cup of dry to free feed. She's a pretty petite cat and the vet said I shouldn't let her go over 8 lbs. and about 250 calories a day. In adding up the calories of the food I've been feeding her, I realized she's been getting between 280 and 300 calories daily. I will feel bad to cut her food back as she seems very content with what I'm giving her, but I don't want her to end up being overweight. I've read that kittens should be fed as much as they'll eat, but the vet said that the thinking now is that once a cat has been spayed/neutered they tend to put on weight more quickly and it's better to control their intake. Interested in any experience with this or comments anyone else has. Thanks!

11 months is about the time that you have to cut back due to age, not as much growth so not as many calories are needed. Spraying and neutering does impact hormones which does very slightly impact weight but it isn’t a “a cat is neutered so their calories required drops dramatically” type formula. They may need less, with emphasis on the may. My guy was neutered at 8 weeks old and if his calorie requirements went down as a result I don’t even want to know what they would have been. That child ate me out of house and home and still does at five years old because he is so active.

250 calories is roughly 31 calories per pound which is still fairly high as most indoor only adults eat about 20-25 per pounds. Cats with outside access are usually a little more active (as a general statement) and tend to require a little more. It would hurt to take a spoonful of dry food out of the quarter cup and see how she handles it. If she’s fine with the change take a little more the next week until you adjust the calorie count down. If she appears to be losing weight (or better off, weigh her) then increase it back up. As much as you don’t want her to be fat, you also don’t want her to be too skinny. Calorie estimates is not an exact science but a guideline that adjusts throughout your cats life time.

Yes, the vet also said she'd rather see me cut back on the dry rather than the wet. Really, 1/4 cup isn't very much and if I take a few spoonsful out it would hardly be worth it to buy dry food at all, but she seems to like to eat it late in the evening when her wet feedings are done for the day. I think I will try your suggestion and just sneak a little bit out. I doubt she'd notice just a little bit missing, but it would help to lower the calories a bit.

BTW, she is quite active even though she's an indoor cat. I play with her often during the day and if I don't have time when she wants to play, she zooms all over the house and expends energy that way! I haven't weighed her at home because my scale isn't digital so it would be impossible to get an exact weight. Thanks for your advice and suggestions.

Coolgram said:

Yes, the vet also said she'd rather see me cut back on the dry rather than the wet. Really, 1/4 cup isn't very much and if I take a few spoonsful out it would hardly be worth it to buy dry food at all, but she seems to like to eat it late in the evening when her wet feedings are done for the day. I think I will try your suggestion and just sneak a little bit out. I doubt she'd notice just a little bit missing, but it would help to lower the calories a bit.

BTW, she is quite active even though she's an indoor cat. I play with her often during the day and if I don't have time when she wants to play, she zooms all over the house and expends energy that way! I haven't weighed her at home because my scale isn't digital so it would be impossible to get an exact weight. Thanks for your advice and suggestions.

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My boy is five and still is eating 30-35 calories per pound. Calorie recommendations are really just general. If she notices the reduction, go back to normal and just monitor her weight. As long as she has a pinch between her ribs and hips (looking from above) and you can feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat, she is fine. I’ll try to remember to come back and post a picture from above of my crew to demonstrate what I mean.

When my cats turned adult, they ate less. my cat Maggie stops when she has had enough, peaches throws up her food if she eats too much. She used to eat twice the amount. Coco wants to eat all day but I only give my cats wet 3x a day

Kieka said:

As much as you don’t want her to be fat, you also don’t want her to be too skinny. Calorie estimates is not an exact science but a guideline that adjusts throughout your cats life time.

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Agree! I also agree about maybe cutting back a tiny bit on the dry food.

I don't count calories for our cats but suspect they're still eat above their weight class... and they're over six now! We adopted them at ten months and they ate unlimited calories for a couple years after that. Not only did they come to us underfed but they were very, very active. And they're still fairly active for their age.

We find that our cats' appetites wax and wane a little, depending on weather, the seasons, and who knows what all else. We just watch how they look -- are they gaining or looking thin? -- and act, maybe feeding a little more or less if their appetites seem to change.

It also has to do with metabolism with each cat I think. My two cats are total opposites. They were eating the exact same amount - Binx stayed very lean and Kaia just started packing on the pounds. I think I could even feed Binx more than I do and he’d still stay lean. I did cut out one feeding as they both turned a year this spring.....so now they get wet food 3x a day, no dry. Binx continues to maintain his lean figure, lol....and Kaia is looking just a touch thinner than before.

I haven't yet cut back any of Gracie's food and today (and every day) she lets me know when she's hungry. If I don't feed her when she thinks I should, she zooms all over and chirps and generally "reminds" me she's waiting! She eats every single morsel of the wet food the minute I put it down and the dry I put in her dish late in the evening and it's always gone by morning. I think I'm going to get a digital scale and just keep tabs on her weight, maybe I won't have to cut back because she will definitely not be a happy camper if I do (but I will if I have to). The vet also suggested that I put her dry food in a treat ball and let her work for it. Guess I'll try that and also keep an eye on her weight. I appreciate all the comments, it's so great to be able to talk about my concerns and get helpful answers. Thank you all!

Do you have pictures you could post, Coolgram ? A photo from above of Gracie might be especially helpful. You might also find this body condition chart (below) helpful. One of our cats is about a 4 and the other (who's fluffier, making it harder to determine) is a 5+ or 6.

Erin80 is so right about metabolism: our two cats, who are littermates, eat roughly the same amount of food, with the skinnier cat usually getting a bit more, but the plumper cat still stays plumper. I think the fact that the skinnier cat is also pretty high-strung and the plumper cat is so relaxed probably has a lot to do with the differences in their bodies.

One other question, Coolgram: Is your cat a rescue/stray cat? That's another factor that can influence appetite a lot. Our cats came from a situation where they were very underfed. Our plumper cat may be relaxed about most things but she'd not relaxed about her food: she still has food anxiety, more than five years later so always wants to eat.

I also agree about metabolism. Maggie eats the same amount as Coco. Maggie is bigger in size. 9 pds.Her walk is funny. Curvy hips! Coco 8 pds. Same weight for 3 years. Both very playful.

Cats, like people, are different. I maintain my 9 lb indoor, still fairly active just-turned-four-year-old in 180ish calories a day. Although she knows when it's meal time, she is fairly happy with that. She will leave a bit of food sometimes, but not usually. My sister had a cat, about 8 years old, who was indoor/outdoor and if she was eating she was gaining weight. ALWAYS hungry. My sister kept her on a pretty strict diet, but she was still overweight. Not a whale, but weighed more than she should have. Go figure.

I would go by how she looks, not by what you/vet think she should have. If she is not big in the belly and you can still feel her ribs on the sides by pressing slightly, she is fine. I have had many cats who eat the exact same amount and some are thin and some are fat. It truly depends on the cat. I have had one ot two that eat a tremendous amount and still stay slim, it's genetics just like in people.

Treasure and Shaman look so different. Eat the same but when I pet Shaman I can feel her ribs like stated above. Certain breeds look stockier then other. I think Shaman is British Short hair which is a stockier breed. Not sure of the breed of Treasure though.

Mr Poe and Domino, 9 years old, indoors only, each get two 3-ounce cans of Fancy Feast classic pate divided up into four meals / day. That's half a can / meal. One weighs 9.5 pounds, the other 10 pounds, and they look real good to me.

Last night I happened to read the label (dang but that's tiny type) which suggests one 3-ounce can per 3 pounds adult weight. That's cuckoo. The boys are doing fine on what they currently get. I have no intention of upping it to the recommended amount.

I count calories, I admit it ...

Of course it can vary depending on the age, activity level and individual metabolism of the cat but that sounds about right. The Fancy feast is just under 100 calories per 3 oz. can (for the Turkey pate). So about 200 calories for an older, indoor cat that weighs 9.5 or 10 lbs. seems to be in the realm of realistic. My boy is 12 years old and is maintaining a weight of just a little over 12 lbs. on about 230 - 235 calories per day.

lisahe said:

Do you have pictures you could post, Coolgram ? A photo from above of Gracie might be especially helpful. You might also find this body condition chart (below) helpful. One of our cats is about a 4 and the other (who's fluffier, making it harder to determine) is a 5+ or 6.

Erin80 is so right about metabolism: our two cats, who are littermates, eat roughly the same amount of food, with the skinnier cat usually getting a bit more, but the plumper cat still stays plumper. I think the fact that the skinnier cat is also pretty high-strung and the plumper cat is so relaxed probably has a lot to do with the differences in their bodies.

One other question, Coolgram: Is your cat a rescue/stray cat? That's another factor that can influence appetite a lot. Our cats came from a situation where they were very underfed. Our plumper cat may be relaxed about most things but she'd not relaxed about her food: she still has food anxiety, more than five years later so always wants to eat.

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I don't have a photo of Gracie taken from above, but I can tell you that she looks very slender from above, no tummy sticking out on the sides(!). She is beginning to look fuller in the abdominal area, but I think some of that is because she's almost an adult and also she's getting a lot more fur there. I mean, she looks just fine right now, but she seems to be hungry always before I'm ready to feed her and she absolutely inhales the food. The only thing that slows her down a little is if I give her the Fancy Feast grilled food because it takes her longer to chew. I also discovered that the grilled options are fewer calories than the pate. I ordered a treat ball as the vet suggested and will put her dry food in it and see if that slows her down some.

Yes, she was a rescue, but from what I was told, she was rescued at age 4 weeks and had been in a foster home until I adopted her at age 6 months, so she was being fed well before I got her. Some said that as an adult, her appetite might decrease a bit. I'm skeptical, but time will tell.

I'm finding there are as many answers as there are cats, no two are alike. I think for now I'll keep things as they are, with the exception of using the treat ball, and I'll weigh her periodically - just keep an eye on it. Thanks so much for you reply!

catapault said:

Mr Poe and Domino, 9 years old, indoors only, each get two 3-ounce cans of Fancy Feast classic pate divided up into four meals / day. That's half a can / meal. One weighs 9.5 pounds, the other 10 pounds, and they look real good to me.

Last night I happened to read the label (dang but that's tiny type) which suggests one 3-ounce can per 3 pounds adult weight. That's cuckoo. The boys are doing fine on what they currently get. I have no intention of upping it to the recommended amount.

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I've also read that 3 oz. can per 3 pounds of body weight thing, and you're right, it's crazy! I might add, that's the way they sell lots of cat food, right? And it IS tiny type! I had to get a magnifying glass out to read it!

Coolgram said:

I'm finding there are as many answers as there are cats, no two are alike. I think for now I'll keep things as they are, with the exception of using the treat ball, and I'll weigh her periodically - just keep an eye on it. Thanks so much for you reply!

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From everything you said, yes, it sounds best to keep feeding her as you are but keep an eye on her and adjust when/if necessary. Some cats keep growing well past a year and/or continue to fill out, in a good way, beyond that.