How Much And What To Feed Them?

[Ninipow13]

Good evening!
I’ve had cats most of my life but I guess I never really properly researched how much to feed them and what are some good foods most supermarkets sell at affordable prices?
I have 2 5-6 wk old kittens that were eating wet foods when I got them. I got every type of wet kitten food at Petco to see if they liked or disliked a certain food and they seemed to like all of it. But in all reality, I cannot afford $1.50 for one small can on a long term basis. I found a pack of 12 cans at Walmart for $6 something. They had 2 different brands at the same price so we bought both. They seem to like it but it may not be quality food. I didn’t read anything about it being grain-free on the package. Then I have my 5month old kitten who usually eats dry kitten food, the yellow bag. He seems fine with it. He may sometimes get a can of wet food or tuna too.
My husband was feeding the kittens 3 times a day (3cans for both) but I feel that was so much for their tiny bodies. They would wabble around with their fat bellies lol (they may have worms, they were too young for their first vaccine/dewormer). But I thought twice a day would be sufficient but maybe I’m wrong?
I remember my other cat would eat twice a day and still cry and beg for food but we weren’t sure if this was normal behavior.
Is there a difference with how much you feed an adult cat vs. a kitten? A baby kitten and a big kitten?
But give me some recommendations!
And also, one of my kittens throws up once in a while. He seems ok otherwise. Could this be a sign that he has worms or would it mean he is not tolerating his food or possibly overeating?

 

[Ninipow13]

I just looked up the names...
The dry cat food is Purina kitten chow.
The wet food we got now is fancy feast kitten food and special kitty kitten food.

 

[ArchyCat]

You can not over feed kittens. If there is no leftover food, feed them more until there is. kittens and young growing cats require more food than a grown adult cat. Kitten kibble and kitten wet.

 

[mizzely]

Kittens it is usually 3-4 times a day and as much as they will eat!

Adults usually prefer smaller, more frequent meals too

Cheap wet foods are better than cheap kibble, because it gives meat protein vs protein from corn, etc, is lower in carbs, and higher in carbs. If possible, I would switch your older kitten to a similar diet as the younger kittens

Kitten Chow ingredients start:
Poultry By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Brewers Rice, Soy Flour, Animal Fat Preserved with Mixed-Tocopherols, Wheat Flour, Fish Meal,

Fancy Feast Kitten Chicken:
Chicken, Liver, Meat By-Products, Chicken Broth, Fish, Milk, Egg Product

 

[Ninipow13]

I was just thinking about trying to get the babies on a wet food diet because the fancy feast seems to make their booboo runny and then they step in it, the litter sticks to their paws and they track it all over the room. It’s quiet annoying. My cats on dry food never had that issue?
Is kibble just another word for dry food or is this a brand?

 

[mizzely]

Kibble is just a standard dry food

I have never had a cat with runny poo regardless of diet so I can't help there. If you want to stick to a kibble, look into one with more meat and less to no grains.

One way to think about what a cat needs is to remember that the mouse is a perfect food for a cat. They contain high protein, moderate fat, and low carbs. They are also full of moisture (approx 70%).

 

[Ninipow13]

They actalually “eat” mice? I though they just catch them for the fun of it, kill them and let them be.
What about the IAms brand? They seem to have good ingredients and good reviews.

 

[mizzely]

Haha most of the ones that catch mice in our homes don't need to eat the mouse because they are well fed! But yes, domestic housecats have similar needs to their supposed wild ancestors, African Wildcats, which definitely DO eat mice.

At the end of the day, cats can't really utilize grains. Their bodies are not equipped with the necessary things that make them usable sources of food (namely, they don't have enzymes to break down cellulose in plants). So while they fill the belly, they don't nourish the body. Grain free kibbles usually just swap in other starches for binders that are similarly not needed - potatoes and peas for a lot of them. This is so that the kibble can hold it's shape through production and transit. There are a few exceptions to this rule (Young Again, Dr. Elsey's Clean Protein, and Wysong).

Cats are not omnivores, they are obligate carnivores, which means they need meat. They would only get 5-10% vegetable matter in their prey.

 

[mizzely]

Here is a good resource for cat foods: CatFoodDB - Cat Food Reviews to help you find the best cat food for your cat

For Iams Kitten:

Chicken, Chicken By-Product Meal, Ground Whole Grain Corn, Corn Grits, Corn Gluten Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Salmon, Powdered Cellulose, Natural Flavor, Dried Egg Product

So there is more meat than in the Purina but still quite a bit of corn too

 

[Willowy]

Cats do eat mice! Not every time, if they're spoiled housepets, but farm cats do and of course ferals do. And sometimes even a housecat wants a little fresh meat.

I've had fine success with Purina ONE kitten dry food and Fancy Feast kitten canned food. These aren't the best foods available but if you're on a budget they're just fine. I prefer Purina ONE over Iams.

For little kittens I keep dry food out all the time and feed canned food 3 or 4 times a day. I'd say 4 times a day until they're about 4 or 5 months old, then 3 times a day until they're 8 or 9 months old, and stick to twice a day when they're grown.

Now, Fancy Feast is a bit expensive. But I recommend feeding it at least until they're 3 months old. Baby kittens really need the extra nutrition. After that you can also feed canned Friskies classic pates, but make sure it says "for cats and kittens" on the label. Some flavors say they're for adults only; I don't know why. Special Kitty canned food is OK, but I prefer Purina products as a daily diet.

My adult cats get canned Friskies (and occasionally Special Kitty for some variety) only, no dry food except for treats. Kittens don't need dry food either, but it's easier that way. Up to you, and their digestive systems.

 

[ArchyCat]

Cats eat mice, plus rats, squirrels, and rabbits. Squirrels, if they can catch them.
And young rabbits, before they reach adulthood. I have seen a adult wild rabbit stare down a large tom cat on several occasions. An adult rabbit can deliver a very powerful kick with their hind legs. And those legs have claws. Not like a cat's, but still hard and sharp enough to cause flesh wounds if they catch the predator in the right place.

 

[Willowy]

Oh, yeah, I meant to mention---if they're really only 5-6 weeks old, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a can of KMR and add that to their canned food for a few weeks. They're very young to leave their mother, so a little extra nutrition would only be beneficial.

 

[EmersonandEvie]

Dexter (5 months) gets 2 cans of kitten fancy feast a day. On days where my husband and I are at work, we leave out Nature's Variety Instinct Kitten food for him.

Instinct by Nature's Variety Original Kitten Grain-Free Recipe with Real Chicken Dry Cat Food, 4.5-lb bag - Chewy.com

One the weekends/days I am off, he gets a third meal of FF Kitten around noon, or half of a big can of all stages wet food (my older cats get the other half). I try to keep him at about 100 calories per meal. He also gets a serving of dry kitten food before my husband comes to bed. So he totals around 400 calories per day.

 

[Ninipow13]

Oh, yeah, I meant to mention---if they're really only 5-6 weeks old, it wouldn't be a bad idea to get a can of KMR and add that to their canned food for a few weeks. They're very young to leave their mother, so a little extra nutrition would only be beneficial.

What’s that? Formula milk?

 

[mizzely]

What’s that? Formula milk?

Yep, KMR = kitten milk replacer

 

[ArchyCat]

Yes, KMR. --> kitten Milk Replacement. Typically you can buy it at the pet store. I've bought it at Pet Smart. It comes in two forms, liquid and powder. I've seen preferences on TCS for the powdered form. It's cheaper and you only mix what you need. for each feeding. So you don't need to worry about the remains KMR spoiling. It also does not require refrigeration. The liquid form can spoil and does require refrigeration.

Kittens need more than the adult cat's nutrition requirements. They are growing for at least a year, and as a consequence, need more calories and protein. Most casts are not considered full grown until they reach one year of age. Some breeds continue to grow for several years, Such as the Maine Coon Cat and the Norwegian Forest Cat.

 

[daftcat75]

Up until about a 100-125 years ago, cats fed themselves. It’s a misconception that they are domesticated or that anything you buy in the supermarket is superior to the diet nature designed for them. That said, there are some wet foods (and raw diets) that are much better for your little carnivore than a cereal (dry food or kibble) diet. Fancy Feast Classic Pates are actually highly appropriate for cats and presumably kittens. Their other lines like broth and gravies are not so appropriate as they contain extra carbs or other ingredients that can cause the runny poo you are seeing.

Cats used to be employed in granaries because they would eat the mice but not touch the grains. So it seems odd and ironically cruel that now that we have taken to feeding them, we skip the mice and feed them grains.

 

[Ninipow13]

Up until about a 100-125 years ago, cats fed themselves. It’s a misconception that they are domesticated or that anything you buy in the supermarket is superior to the diet nature designed for them. That said, there are some wet foods (and raw diets) that are much better for your little carnivore than a cereal (dry food or kibble) diet. Fancy Feast Classic Pates are actually highly appropriate for cats and presumably kittens. Their other lines like broth and gravies are not so appropriate as they contain extra carbs or other ingredients that can cause the runny poo you are seeing.

Cats used to be employed in granaries because they would eat the mice but not touch the grains. So it seems odd and ironically cruel that now that we have taken to feeding them, we skip the mice and feed them grains.

Feed the kittens fancy feast classic pâtés? Isn’t that designed for adult cats? Right now they have the kitten wet food. Actually, just checked the box, they’re classic pates too. But poop is still runny (& stinky)when they eat this.

 

[daftcat75]

I haven’t had a kitten myself. Krista was two when I got her.

It could be the “made with real milk” that’s not agreeing with the kittens. Or your kitten could be sensitive to a particular protein. Salmon gives Krista the runs. I would take one flavor out of rotation and see if the runny poop clears up. If not, add that one back in and take another out of rotation. Or because fish is not really ideal for cats, I would try only the poultry flavors (chicken and turkey) and see if the runny poops firm up.

I have also heard that runny poops is just what kittens do and that they grow out of it. I don’t know about this. I haven’t had a kitten of my own and the last time I shared a home with a kitten was too long ago to remember.

I looked at the ingredient list for the Fancy Feast Kitten and that’s still a good ingredient list except maybe the milk. But I’m not sure you’re going to find better. A lot of other brands add inappropriate amounts of carbohydrates or vegetables which can absolutely cause digestive issues with kittens and cats alike. If a vegetable shows up in the first five ingredients of a food, put it back. Vegetables, if you choose to include them at all (which is not what nature intended for cats), should be at the end of the ingredient list.

 

[Ninipow13]

This morning I found a normal stool in the litter box and they just finished the last can of kitten Fancy feast.