1 big meal or 2 smaller meals?

ladytimedramon

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Delilah seems to be putting on more weight. I adopted her at 7 pounds in April, last weighing with me on the scale was 10.5. She also seems to be more hungry.

Usually I feed her 1 "perfect portion" (Crave, Sheba, or Nutro) for breakfast, she has 3 spaced out kibble snacks (Crave Indoor) during the day in her timed feeder, a "perfect portion" for dinner, then she's ready to eat again 2 hours later, a few kibble at bedtime, and a late night snack (to keep her from waking me too early). Her kibble total is no more than 1/4 cup per day - I divide a measuring cup into her timed feeder.

Now, I did try wet in her timed feeder and she wouldn't eat it.

I'm wondering if perhaps she would be better with a larger wet portion (small can or pouch instead of a "perfect portion") for breakfast, cutting her daytime kibble to 1 midday (since she's mostly napping when I'm not home), a larger wet portion for dinner, and her late night snack. I would reduce her kibble to about 1/8 cup between midday and late night.

Would a larger wet portion keep her more satisfied?
 

verna davies

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It's worth a try, if she eats more in one sitting maybe she will feel fuller for longer. Have you worked out how many calories she eats daily?
 
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ladytimedramon

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Probably close to 225. According to other people I've read here that's too much.

My vet isn't much help. I'm changing as soon as my Banfield contract is up.
 

FeebysOwner

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Hi. I would try the larger wet portion in the morning, and maybe even at the evening meal - with reduced dry food in between. I say that because if you reduce the dry, the wet can be increased since it is generally less calories. When you give the current amount of wet to her, does she seem to be satisfied? Does she eat all of her mid-day timed feedings of dry? Just curious since you said she is sleeping most of the time?

There may also be an 'interaction' factor with the wet feedings since you are present with her when that happens; she may not be as inclined to want to take them from a feeder for that reason. If all she had was wet during the day in the timed feeder, she may adapt, as long as she has your presence with the morning/evening feedings as well. It's a guessing game to find the right balance in what/when/how she will eat; so I am thinking you will have to play around a bit to find the right set up for her.

On the very basic guideline, 225 calories per day should sustain a cat that weighs between 9 - 11 pounds, depending on their personal rate of metabolism, along with activity level and age. So, 225 would be on the high side for a cat that should weigh less than that range. Do you have any idea what she 'should' weigh? Although weight is helpful to know, the size/shape of Delilah can sometimes be a better indicator.
 

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ladytimedramon

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She's definitely heading towards a 4.

Sometimes after eating she does look at me and meow, but that's the serving size I've always given her. She doesn't really beg when I eat... unless it's green beans. I swear last night she smelled them cooking because usually she sniffs my plate and is done with it, but she was actually sitting and staring (not something she normally does).

My guess is somewhere closer to 9 is better for her, but the vet wasn't very specific.

Since I'm at work full time I think she's become more sedentary. I've noticed on the weekends she's more likely to just nap most of the day on my bed or wherever I am. Unless she's in the room where her feeder is she doesn't necessarily get up and go running for it. But when I come home, and I know her feeder went off at 4 and it's only 5, she's acting hungry. I'd almost rather skip 4pm and feed her a large meal when I get home. If I feed her a portion at 5:30/6, she's ready to eat by 7:30/8.
 

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I would do less snacks and more meals. Add in play/ exercise time, or even exercise meal time where you toss the kibble and make her chase it. Does she have a cat tree and window views and such so she has entertainment to not be bored and want to eat all the time?
 
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ladytimedramon

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She has 2 cat trees, one in the front and one in the back but I think the cold is making her avoid windows.

She is weird with toys. Little interest in chasing wands and stuff but she goes berserk for pipe cleaners and plastic springs.

I picked up some cans of Weruva to try to transition her since tomorrow I work from home and can monitor her better. For dinner I put a spoonful of one along with her regular to see if she'd eat it. What's really surprising is my pate hating princess went crazy for a mousse like "hydrating puree".

I reset her timed feeder to just give her kibble at 3 am (only 1 tbsp) and at 12 pm (when I'm at work).
 
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ladytimedramon

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So I reset her timer today. Breakfast was a little late because there was no school and I didn't need to be on till 9. I gave her one of the little portions and half a can of Weruva (again the "hydrating puree" - this time chicken and beef and she licked the bowl - and lately she's been avoiding anything beef). She didn't seem to look for food until just after 12, and she didn't start really bugging me until 12:30. Her timer went off at 1 with 1 tbsp kibble. Dinner she didn't start until about 5:45, and we'd both been napping. Tomorrow I'll try her again with half her food, half Weruva then fully switch her over.
 

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Can you try a putting her kibble in a dispensing treat ball that she can bat around ? Eating and entertainment at the same time,my two enjoy it.
 
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ladytimedramon

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Can you try a putting her kibble in a dispensing treat ball that she can bat around ? Eating and entertainment at the same time,my two enjoy it.
I did try that. When she figured it out, she finished it in the first hour and ate the rest of her cat grass by the time I got home.

She seems to be adjusting to the changed timing and portions. If she doesn't finish it all immediately she comes back to it later. I'm also gradually reducing the kibble to 2 tsp. She's getting a large wet portion when I leave for work, 2 tsp kibble midday, a large wet portion for dinner, 2 tsp kibble bedtime, and 2 tsp kibble about 3am when she's thinking about waking me up.

With her kibble and new wet, she's averaging about 190 calories per day. I'm also trying to make her new toys. She's just not into the dangly stuff on strings. She prefers the sticks themselves.
 
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