Feeding Routine?

[TBTF]

Hello

New 6 month old cat has been with me for 10 days.

Would like to ask about feeding routine, because cat seems to be hungry.. as when he finishes his meal , he still meows and comes in between my feet as if he is expecting another bowl.

Current Routine

8 AM: 1 3oz can of Fancy Feast Chicken Hearts and Liver feast in gravy

6PM: 4 treats from the Friskies Party Mix treat pack, which I give him when I come home from work

8PM: 1 3oz can of salmon and shrimp feast in gravy.

Fresh Water Bowl is always there.

Any suggestions as he seems to be hungry (will meow at night as well, the same meow as the one he does when he sees me getting ready to put his meal out)

Should I just ignore and force him to get acclimated to this routine

 

[susanm9006]

Fancy feast just isn’t that nutritious and he probably is still hungrey. Try supplementing his wet food with kibble. Either free feed or as much as he will eat at several feedings.

 

[Ardina]

6 month old kittens have quite a bit of growing to do. Two cans of Fancy Feast isn't enough. Kittens also have smaller stomachs, so I would feed him at least 3 meals per day - you can do morning, evening when you get back, and then before bed - and feed him as much as he wants to eat at each meal. You really can't overfeed a kitten.

 

[TBTF]

Fancy feast just isn’t that nutritious and he probably is still hungrey. Try supplementing his wet food with kibble. Either free feed or as much as he will eat at several feedings.

i experimented quite a bit the first couple of days with different brands and products. These were the ones he seemed to like. I think I will just add 1 meal in between dinner and before, and work on doing 1.5 cans per meal.

What are some of the nutritious brands you use?

 

[LTS3]

It's not uncommon for kittens to eat as much as 8 oz of food a day. You may need to feed 3 or 4 or more cans of Fancy Feast a day and / or include some dry food.

Look in pet stores for better quality foods that are available in larger sized cans. Wellness, Nature's Variety, Blue Buffalo, Merrick, and many others are good. Some brands are pricey and doesn't always mean a higher quality food.

You can feed both "kitten" food and "for all life stages" food to a 6 month old kitten.

Limit seafood to once in awhile meals. Feeding too much seafood can result in a cat who is addicted to eating it and refuses to eat anything else, soem types of fish may contain mercury, it may cause urinary issues in some cats. There's a recent thread that dicusses this: No Fish For Kittens? Why?

For affordable canned foods, see these threads:

Healthy but affordable canned food
Affordable canned food?
Cheapest/Most affordable Grain free or healthiest canned food
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/330459/...conomical-way-to-buy-friskies-canned-cat-food
New Affordable PetSmart Brand! =D
4health now has affordable grain-free wet food

 

[Yanaka]

Yup. Kittens can sometimes eat even more than 8oz a day. They're small in size, but big in energy and appetite! Your buddy isn't being fed enough. You're right in giving him cans, though!

 

[TBTF]

It's not uncommon for kittens to eat as much as 8 oz of food a day. You may need to feed 3 or 4 or more cans of Fancy Feast a day and / or include some dry food.

Look in pet stores for better quality foods that are available in larger sized cans. Wellness, Nature's Variety, Blue Buffalo, Merrick, and many others are good. Some brands are pricey and doesn't always mean a higher quality food.

You can feed both "kitten" food and "for all life stages" food to a 6 month old kitten.

Limit seafood to once in awhile meals. Feeding too much seafood can result in a cat who is addicted to eating it and refuses to eat anything else, soem types of fish may contain mercury, it may cause urinary issues in some cats. There's a recent thread that dicusses this: No Fish For Kittens? Why?

For affordable canned foods, see these threads:

Healthy but affordable canned food
Affordable canned food?
Cheapest/Most affordable Grain free or healthiest canned food
http://www.thecatsite.com/t/330459/...conomical-way-to-buy-friskies-canned-cat-food
New Affordable PetSmart Brand! =D
4health now has affordable grain-free wet food

Many thanks for the suggestions. Will check them out. What is certain is that I will add a meal to make it 3 per day, and regarding the choice of brand, I will see what the store I usually go to has of the ones listed.

thanks again

 

[TBTF]

Yup. Kittens can sometimes eat even more than 8oz a day. They're small in size, but big in energy and appetite! Your buddy isn't being fed enough. You're right in giving him cans, though!

Noted and will increase the meal offerings for the little fella

 

[Yanaka]

What’s the fella’s name?

 

[TBTF]

What’s the fella’s name?

Sammy

 

[lookitsria]

I read things like this and it boggles my mind. When I adopted Sasha a month ago the shelter told me what she was eating - fancy feast kitten and dry kitten food. She is 7 months now and gets only 1/4 a 3 oz can in the morning and 1/4 can at night. I add a little water each time because she seems to like the 'gravy' part of it. In the morning I fill her bowl with about a half cup of dry food that she eats throughout the day and night. If it's gone by my bedtime then I give a little more dry food for her to eat through the night. If I give more wet food she doesn't eat it all and it sits there, which is bad because it shouldn't sit out too long. She doesn't beg for food and she doesn't scarf it down like she's starving. And she's definitely not skin and bones! haha I guess that goes to show how different every cat is.

 

[Ardina]

I read things like this and it boggles my mind. When I adopted Sasha a month ago the shelter told me what she was eating - fancy feast kitten and dry kitten food. She is 7 months now and gets only 1/4 a 3 oz can in the morning and 1/4 can at night. I add a little water each time because she seems to like the 'gravy' part of it. In the morning I fill her bowl with about a half cup of dry food that she eats throughout the day and night. If it's gone by my bedtime then I give a little more dry food for her to eat through the night. If I give more wet food she doesn't eat it all and it sits there, which is bad because it shouldn't sit out too long. She doesn't beg for food and she doesn't scarf it down like she's starving. And she's definitely not skin and bones! haha I guess that goes to show how different every cat is.

The difference is that you're also giving her unlimited dry food. It seems that the OP was only feeding her wet food, which tends to be lower in calories anyways than dry (which isn't a bad thing! Moisture is really important, and wet food is generally better for cats).

 

[lookitsria]

The difference is that you're also giving her unlimited dry food. It seems that the OP was only feeding her wet food, which tends to be lower in calories anyways than dry (which isn't a bad thing! Moisture is really important, and wet food is generally better for cats).

She doesn't get unlimited dry food. I measure it out. But that is def. the difference.

TBTF If you're not against dry food, maybe try working a little bit of that into your routine. People here tend to go on and on about wet food and while yes, it's very good, that doesn't make dry food bad. Especially if your kitty is crying for more and more, I think it's worth adding in. And remember, you're the one cleaning the litter box so you'll know if the kitty isn't going normally.

 

[Ardina]

She doesn't get unlimited dry food. I measure it out. But that is def. the difference.

TBTF If you're not against dry food, maybe try working a little bit of that into your routine. People here tend to go on and on about wet food and while yes, it's very good, that doesn't make dry food bad. Especially if your kitty is crying for more and more, I think it's worth adding in. And remember, you're the one cleaning the litter box so you'll know if the kitty isn't going normally.

Sorry, should have been more careful with my wording - you give her as much as she needs because you add more if she finishes up what you put down. Which is important with kittens!

 

[TBTF]

The difference is that you're also giving her unlimited dry food. It seems that the OP was only feeding her wet food, which tends to be lower in calories anyways than dry (which isn't a bad thing! Moisture is really important, and wet food is generally better for cats).

That is correct, but I do have dry food on hand. However the first couple of days when I was experimenting with the stuff that I had bought to see her likes and dislikes in terms of food, she would only go for the wet food (albeit maybe because I put them out together). Today is the first day will I will increase her meals from 3oz to 4.5 oz per meal, and also from 2 meals to 3 meals per day. If you are suggesting to put out a bowl of dry food whenever she cries for more or just keep one out at all times near the fresh water bowl, I will give it a try as well.

Many thanks!!

 

[TBTF]

Update: Feeding Sammy 2 meals of 3.5 oz and his third meal is 4.5 oz, plus free feeding a bowl of dry food which is barely touched. Seems to be doing much better in terms of crying after his meal is finished, still the occasional meow after he's done but then it's back to grooming. I'm still also giving 4-5 treats per day.

Sammy is a happy camper now

 

[Ardina]

He's adorable! Look at that floofy belly!