How much to feed my cat?

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katie stanina

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​I have a monthly $30 budget for my Kitty or as needed. I'm willing to pay more or so for what would be best for her. I want her to be able to loose some weight because she's a big girl and because of her size doesn't try to sit on laps anymore. =(  I miss that. And she seems less happy. I want my Kitty to be happy and healthy. I love her so so much she means everything to me.
 

IndyJones

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Wellness is a good canned food. When my mom's cat who was like 20lbs overweight was switched to canned only she slimmed right down. I'd cut dry out altogether if you are trying to get her to diet.
 

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​I have a monthly $30 budget for my Kitty or as needed. I'm willing to pay more or so for what would be best for her. I want her to be able to loose some weight because she's a big girl and because of her size doesn't try to sit on laps anymore. =(  I miss that. And she seems less happy. I want my Kitty to be happy and healthy. I love her so so much she means everything to me.
For thirty dollars a month, it sounds like Sheba would be in your price range! You can find cans often that are on sale. They also sell it from Chewy.com
If you are looking for a budget friendly dry food, I recommend Taste of the Wild. It has pretty good ingredients, my cats ate it for about two years before I switched them over to canned food.
 

IndyJones

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The problem with any dry food regardless of whether it's Whiskas or orijin is they are all too calorie dense and thus promote weight gain this is why I say you're best to cut it out altogether from her diet. Dry food isn't really all that good for cats anyways. Someone on here said any canned food even friskies is better than dry food.
 

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The problem with any dry food regardless of whether it's Whiskas or orijin is they are all too calorie dense and thus promote weight gain this is why I say you're best to cut it out altogether from her diet. Dry food isn't really all that good for cats anyways. Someone on here said any canned food even friskies is better than dry food.
I agree, wet food also contains more liquid which will help to cut down a cat's appetite. Additionally, the way that dry food is prepared is that it is full of preservatives. Before packing the kibble, they are also sprayed with oil, also to preserve the food. Wet food is definitely the way to go if you're trying to put an overweight cat on a diet.
 
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katie stanina

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​If I do that the 3oz wet in the morning and 3oz wet at night and 1/4 of dry, combined with exercise will she loose some weight? I'm changing her diet because she needs to loose weight.
 
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katie stanina

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If I do that the 3oz wet in the morning and 3oz wet at night and 1/4 of dry, combined with exercise will she loose some weight? I'm changing her diet because she needs to loose weight.
 

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Probably, but every cat is different and you also don't want her to lose weight too quickly.  Your first step should be to try to figure out how many calories she eats per day now, and then feed her slightly less than that to start.  But most cats who eat canned food are thinner, in my experience.  The main reason is that you don't just blindly refill the bowl all the time.  There are timed meals and a specific amount, which is the key to keeping pet's weight in check.  
 

IndyJones

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May I ask why you feel the need to give any dry food at all? Dry food isn't really good for cats anyways it has too many calories.
 
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katie stanina

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​My parents had just always bought and gave her dry food. But now I buy her food. I ordered the Fancy Feast grilled variety 3oz. cans this evening they are around 45cal a can. So I guess I will do one at breakfast and one at dinner?
 

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Maybe divide that up more; many cats do better with more frequent, smaller meals.
 
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katie stanina

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​Is two 3oz. can's a day enough?
 

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I would certainly think so.

And for future reference, the Fancy Feast Classics are grain free and will promote even more weight loss.
 

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​Is two 3oz. can's a day enough?
Just the two 3oz cans with nothing else wouldn't be enough. Cats need to be eating around 20 calories per pound of cat each day. So for example my ten pound cat needs around 200 calories to maintain that weight. When you're trying to get a cat to lose weight you should feed them around 40 less calories than what it would take for them to maintain their weight. If my 10 pound cat needed to lose weight, I would have to feed him only 180 calories. 

If each of those cans is 45 calories, you would only be feeding the cat 90 total calories per day, so unless the cat weighs four pounds that wouldn't be anywhere close to enough and you'd be starving your cat. The cat probably needs at least 4 of those 3oz cans totaling around 180 calories. More if it weighs over ten pounds. 

How much does your cat weigh?

As stated above, in future Fancy feast classic pates are a lot healthier on the whole. Grilled versions are put in gravy and contain grains typically. 
 

dorimon

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​Is two 3oz. can's a day enough?
If it is only 45 calories per can, then, as @NewYork1303  stated above, that is definitely not enough.

The Fancy Feast Classic/Pates are higher in calories (90-105 calories per can).  Two cans of a higher-calorie food could be sufficient depending on your kitty's weight.
 
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IndyJones

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Fancy feast classic is not the best but better than most grocery store brands should be fine if your cat will eat it. Neither of my cats will touch it.
 

ashekitty

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Fancy feast classic is not the best but better than most grocery store brands should be fine if your cat will eat it. Neither of my cats will touch it.
I feed Sheba, which is also a grocery store brand. (The best I can afford) Their patés have just as good if not better ingredients than the Fancy Feast classic line, and they cost the same. Sheba might even be a little cheaper. Just trying to throw out more options! :)
 

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I feed Sheba, which is also a grocery store brand. (The best I can afford) Their patés have just as good if not better ingredients than the Fancy Feast classic line, and they cost the same. Sheba might even be a little cheaper. Just trying to throw out more options!
Very true. I feed both Sheba and Fancy Feast to my cats. 
 
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katie stanina

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​My parents have always fed her dry food, and now I'm getting her food and I've heard wet food is more healthy for her.
 
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