How much canned food per cat per day?

[crickets mom]

I know this question is probably annoying as Im sure you guys have answered it a million times.  I figure though it would be best to get a personalized answer than try to pour through posts about other peoples cats. 

I currently feed my cats dry kibble (I know, bad mommy!).  I would like to switch to canned, as I know its better for them.  I currently have 3 cats.  Cricket is about 2 I think, and about 12 lbs.  Hex will be 1 August 12th, and hes about 12 lbs also.  Cicada is Hex's litter mate, so same age, and shes about 8 lbs (she was the runt, and just stayed small). 

I currently feed them 1/4 cup of dry 2x per day.  They are all in good shape.  Cricket suppliments her diet with what she catches (She was a stray, and Im sure survived on her kills before I got her, so she eats what she kills).  She catches at least 1 small mole per day, and sometimes a rabbit or something bigger.  The two kittens do not eat what they kill. 

So, my question is - how much canned food should I give them per day to keep them at their current weight?  Or, what is the canned equivelent to 1/4 cup of dry food 2x per day.  (I understand Crickets hunting is an X factor)

Thanks for any input!

 

[Willowy]

My cats are "free fed" canned (as in, I don't feed them individually and they eat as much as they want), and the total consumption averages out to about 5-6 ounces per cat. Of course, larger, younger, active cats will need more and smaller, older, more sedate cats will need less, but it seems like 5-6 ounces is pretty normal.

 

[sweetpea24]

My 10 pound cat gets 1.5 cans per day. He eats solely canned. Look on the can. It should have recommendations of how much to feed. Feed accordingly then adjust depending on if you see your cats gaining or losing weight. I am assuming that your cats are at an ideal weight.

 

[kittylover23]

I feed about 5.5 oz per day to my adult cats. I give my kitten about 4 oz per day spread out about three meals. I feed them dry food as a treat occasionally as well, and it surely hasn't done them any harm. For my ferals, I free feed dry and feed them wet two times a day. They come and eat the dry food as they please.

The best advice would be your vet's, though, hope I helped!

 

[otto]

It depends on the food fed, and it depends on the cat, age, weight, build and activity level.. Mazy, 8 years old, is 10 pounds, active, but eats only 3.75 ounces a day. Queen Eva, 2 years old, active as in kitten behavior still, is 6.5 pounds and eats 6 ounces a day, if I can coax her into it. Jennie, 6 years old, is 9.5 pounds, prefers to be sedentary, and eats 4-4.5 ounces a day.

I try to feed a variety rotation of brands, though Mazy and Queen Eva are greatly limited due to digestive problems and ingredient sensitivity issues.

Congratulations on your pending switch to a canned diet for your cats! I recommend you get in the habit of keeping a cat journal. Record what you feed them, what they eat and when. Eventually, with this record to find patterns, you will be able to determine how much each cat needs to remain at a healthy weight.

(I weigh my cats weekly, also)

 

[txcatmom]

Just chiming in to say that my adult, average sized cats also eat 5-6 oz of canned food per day (good quality canned that is mostly meat.)  I couldn't tell you exactly how much each cat eats because I don't separate them when they eat so they eat from each others' bowls sometimes.

 

[emilymaywilcha]

When I was feeding two cats canned food, Wilbur ate more even though I gave Patricia the same amount because he ate hers after she left. I don't know why, but Patricia often joined him in the kitchen and did not eat anything. So it also depends on your cat's eating habits.

 

[crickets mom]

Ok, Thanks guys!  That gives me something to go by.  I havent gotten any cans yet, but im planning to soon.  I need to look into them and find out which one seems best.  I definatly will get a high quality, mostly meat food. 

My cats are very active, as they are all young, and indoor/outdoor. 

My kitties, and I, all really appreciate the help! 

 

[emilymaywilcha]

Ok, Thanks guys!  That gives me something to go by.  I havent gotten any cans yet, but im planning to soon.  I need to look into them and find out which one seems best.  I definatly will get a high quality, mostly meat food. 

My cats are very active, as they are all young, and indoor/outdoor. 

My kitties, and I, all really appreciate the help! 

Rules for finding the best canned cat food:

1. REAL MEAT - not "chicken meal" or "chicken byproducts," etc.

2. NO GRAINS - For a cat, they are nothing but extra calories.

3. No corn, milk, or soy either because many cats have allergies.

Also, remember unlike humans, cats DO NOT need fruits or veggies and just get fat on them.

I can't recommend a specific company because Wilbur was required to eat d/d and Patricia liked it too, so I only know what a vet told me. The regular vet suggested Wellness and Fancy Feast Classics, so I have to assume those are not bad like Science Diet.

 

[crickets mom]

Thanks Emily!  Yeah, I will certainly be doing some research.  Right now they are on Pro Plan kibble, which certainly isnt the best, but its not the worst either (and certainly not the cheapest).  Real chicken is the first ingredient, but then there is rice, and some corn products.  I know I need to switch.   Thanks again.

 

[Willowy]

It's probably not best to recommmend against by-products, but then recommend Fancy Feast in the same post :tongue2:. Fancy Feast has many by-products. The "classic" formulas are grain-free, but not the others. And some formulas have milk/cheese.

 

[emilymaywilcha]

It's probably not best to recommmend against by-products, but then recommend Fancy Feast in the same post . Fancy Feast has many by-products. The "classic" formulas are grain-free, but not the others. And some formulas have milk/cheese.

I know it does, but can't lie about what my vet said. She was the lady who recommended Fancy Feast Classic, not me.

Actually, it is true FFC is not as bad as Science Diet. SD is loaded with grains no matter what type you get.

 

[Willowy]

Well, sure. And I think Classic Fancy Feast is a perfectly fine choice. I was just thinking that saying "avoid by-products. . .try Fancy Feast!" sounded a little funny .

 

[kittylover23]

Well, sure. And I think Classic Fancy Feast is a perfectly fine choice. I was just thinking that saying "avoid by-products. . .try Fancy Feast!" sounded a little funny .

LOL :lol3:.

Anyways, I have my adult cat on Weruva and Wellness, which are both high quality grain free foods. You could feed Natures Variety Homestyle, which is another high quality canned food. I have my kitten on Royal Canin, which is a pretty okay food without any byproducts. They have that for adult cats, too and it isn't very expensive.

You'll find lots of brands when you go to your local Petsmart. You could always ask a sales associate there to reccomend you some real meat, grain free canned foods, as well.

:nod:

 

[emilymaywilcha]

Wilbur was put on Royal Canin d/d (rabbit and pea) until he did not like it anymore. I don't know how good the regular stuff is because my cats switched to that from Blue Buffalo.

 

[crickets mom]

Ive heard good things about blue buffalo.  Ive never really checked it out myself though.  What do you and your cats think about it?

 

[orientalslave]

Agree the only way to get it right is to start from recommendations, weigh the cats and adjust if, that is, you can control what each cat eats!

Just wanted to mention that a cat that hunts and eats it's prey needs worming on a regular basis, with something that gets both roundworms and tapeworms.  In the UK that would probably be a Milbemax every 3 months but I gather that's not available in the US.

 

[otto]

Agree the only way to get it right is to start from recommendations, weigh the cats and adjust if, that is, you can control what each cat eats!

Just wanted to mention that a cat that hunts and eats it's prey needs worming on a regular basis, with something that gets both roundworms and tapeworms.  In the UK that would probably be a Milbemax every 3 months but I gather that's not available in the US.

Drontal is the oral broad spectrum de wormer used in the USA. Or Profender, the topical, used like the flea preventatives.

Revolution (stronghold to you) will take care of hook and roundworm but not tapeworm. So if Revolution is being used on the cat, the cat should be given Droncit (for tapeworm) only, as using drontal or profender on a cat who is on revolution might cause an overdose.

I agree with you that any cat allowed outside should be dewormed regularly. Just another reason to keep them inside.

 

[orientalslave]

Drontal - yuck!  They are huge - I wouldn't like to swallow one.  Maybe the US will catch up and make Milbemax available.  They almost as small as a large grain of rice.

 

[redvelvetone]

Ive heard good things about blue buffalo.  Ive never really checked it out myself though.  What do you and your cats think about it?

I rotate grain-free wet foods for my cat amongst Blue Buffalo, Wellness CORE, Weruva and Before Grain.

He likes them all (he's an active 1-year-old, currently around 12 lbs.). He gets one 5.5 oz can a day, with some treats. I did notice that the Weruva Grandma's chicken soup has a lot more water in it than other brands (and calories too I think) so on the days I give him that, I also give him the whole can plus a little bit extra from a pate style can (like Blue Buffalo or Wellness) because he seems extra hungry (say like a quarter of a can).

I can't 100 percent tell for sure but I think he likes the BB and the Weruva the best as he seems to eat them the quickest. But your cat may be different.

I know when I originally went on blue Buffalo my cat's coat got very shiny (he had formerly been a stray).