How do you know if a cat is getting enough food?

[MonaLyssa33]

I feed my cats the same amounts every day (Remy gets a handful of dry food twice a day (right now he's getting Iams because he goes through phases where he gets sick of the dry food I give him), Flora gets half a handful of dry food and a Sheba Perfect Portion tray twice a day, and Maisie gets a can of Fancy Feast (3oz) in the morning and Friskies (5oz) in the evening). None of them are overweight, but Maisie (who avoids people as much as possible) comes and sits by me when she wants her dinner and it's been happening earlier and earlier every day. She's even resorted to what I call "rage-eating" dry food because she will not eat dry food unless she is desperate. How do I know if she's getting enough to eat? I know Remy and Flora also snack on Maisie's food when she's done, but that's never really been a problem.

 

[maggie101]

I have one cat that knows when to stop. Another that wants more food but doesnt need it. It is hard to know what they want. Pull out a wand toy. Maybe that's all he needs or some attention

 

[She's a witch]

It depends how calories dense is the food you’re feeding and how much they weight, but if she’s not a big cat, I wouldn’t feed her more than one big and one small can. My guys don’t really eat more than one big can a day each, although pretty caloric food. Maybe you could split her feeding into three meals, and give half of big can earlier in the afternoon, and then the second portion later in the evening?

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

How old is she, and how active is she? Cats can burn up to 35 calories per pount if they are young and active. So you need to figure out how many calories she needs based on her weight and activity level, and how many calories you are feeding. Also, is she losing weight? If you don't have a baby scale, you can stand on a scale, weigh yourself, then pick her up and weight the two of you together and subtract your weight. It's not perfect, but fairly close. If you can easily feel her ribs and spine, hips, etc. then she may be too thin. .

 

[MonaLyssa33]

How old is she, and how active is she? Cats can burn up to 35 calories per pount if they are young and active. So you need to figure out how many calories she needs based on her weight and activity level, and how many calories you are feeding. Also, is she losing weight? If you don't have a baby scale, you can stand on a scale, weigh yourself, then pick her up and weight the two of you together and subtract your weight. It's not perfect, but fairly close. If you can easily feel her ribs and spine, hips, etc. then she may be too thin. .

She's not losing weight. I think she's been fairly steady in weight. She has never let me pick her up or hold her, so I can't actually weigh her, but I'd say she may actually be a little overweight, but definitely not skinny or obese. I'm not sure how old she is either. My guess is 6 or 7. Her activity level is fairly sedentary. She'll play sometimes, but definitely not as much as my other two who are 6 months and 3 years.

 

[MissClouseau]

Did I get it right, Maisie gets fed twice a day? That's too long without food. It's not good for their digestive system and they are much more likely to get food obsessed with this schedule. (Probably even more so when there are other cats in the house, so more "food competition.") Is it possible to split her wet foods into minimum 3 meals a day? Better if you can try 4 with half can each time.

Is she up to date on deworming? If there are worms, they get less nutrition and might stay hungry.

What is her Body Condition Score you think?

 

[MonaLyssa33]

Did I get it right, Maisie gets fed twice a day? That's too long without food. It's not good for their digestive system and they are much more likely to get food obsessed with this schedule. (Probably even more so when there are other cats in the house, so more "food competition.") Is it possible to split her wet foods into minimum 3 meals a day? Better if you can try 4 with half can each time.

Is she up to date on deworming? If there are worms, they get less nutrition and might stay hungry.

What is her Body Condition Score you think?

I could do 3 times a day since I'm currently working from home, but once I go back to work, that will be harder to do. She hasn't been to the vet in 2 years when she had to have 8 broken teeth removed. Because she does not let me hold her or pick her up, getting her to a vet is almost an impossibility.
As for her body condition score, I'd say she is a 7.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

What is Maisie's backstory? Was she a feral cat? Is that why you cannot hold her, even pick her up, and why you do not know her age? This could be why she seems insatiable. Ferals, and even strays never know when their next meal might be so emotionally might always think they need to eat as much as possible.

Anyway, in answer to your original question, if she is a little overweight and not losing, I think you are definitely feeding her enough.

 

[MonaLyssa33]

What is Maisie's backstory? Was she a feral cat? Is that why you cannot hold her, even pick her up, and why you do not know her age? This could be why she seems insatiable. Ferals, and even strays never know when their next meal might be so emotionally might always think they need to eat as much as possible.

Anyway, in answer to your original question, if she is a little overweight and not losing, I think you are definitely feeding her enough.

I'm not entirely sure what her story is. She was at the shelter for 2 years before I adopted her because she is skittish. I think she was at least semi-feral. I was told they found her on a farm with her litter of kittens. The shelter said she was about 3 years old (2.5 years ago), so I've tended to round up and say she's 6 or 7.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

Alrighty then. She is a mystery cat! Well, I stand by the fact that if she is not losing weight, she is probably being fed enough, unless she has some sort of health issue, which may be hard to detect if you cannot pick her up to have a Vet look at her. And with most health issues,they tend to lose weight, rather than gain, so it's probably behavioral.