Measuring Food For Calculating Calories, And Timing Of Meals

[cheeser]

I know that foods are sold by weight and not by volume, but is there some general rule of thumb as to how many teaspoons are in a can of cat food? And what is the maximum amount of time you should allow between meals?

We usually just 'eyeball' how much Buddy has eaten when we record the info in his daily journal and estimate his calorie intake. But now that he's going through a bit of a rough patch, we're trying to be a little more precise to help us figure out when he needs to be assist fed.

Also, Buddy has been eating four times a day pretty much ever since we took him in, which presents all sorts of logistical issues. So we'd like to try cutting that back to maybe two or three times a day, and were curious about how long your cats go between meals when you only feed them wet food. :-)

Thanks much!

 

[maggiedemi]

I don't know about something as small as Teaspoons, but this is what I use to measure:
1/2 Cup is about 4oz
1/4 Cup is about 2oz
1/8 Cup is about 1oz (or 2 Tablespoons)

 

[cheeser]

I don't know about something as small as Teaspoons, but this is what I use to measure:
1/2 Cup is about 4oz
1/4 cup is about 2oz
1/8 cup is about 1oz (or 2 Tablespoons)

Cool. That's very helpful. Thanks!

It's usually easy to guesstimate Buddy's calorie intake if I can eyeball halves, thirds, quarters, etc. Anything other than that hopelessly confuses me.

 

[maggiedemi]

If you really want to do Teaspoons, there are 3 Teaspoons in a Tablespoon. I only use Teaspoons for powders and stuff like that.

 

[cheeser]

If you really want to do Teaspoons, there are 3 Teaspoons in a Tablespoon. I only use Teaspoons for powders and stuff like that.

This morning I tried to fill up an empty can with cornmeal and measure that to get a ballpark idea re: the volume in a 5.5 ounce can. But when I went back to double check the measurements, the cornmeal had fluffed up and I wound up with more than I started with. And shortening doesn't work either, because it melts the more you handle it.

 

[maggiedemi]

Do you usually feed him by the Teaspoon? I've never fed anything less than a Tablespoon, that would drive me crazy to have to measure that low.

 

[cheeser]

Do you usually feed him by the Teaspoon? I've never fed anything less than a Tablespoon, that would drive me crazy to have to measure that low.

Well...technically I guess you could say I feed him with a teaspoon. Buddy actually prefers to at least start eating each meal from a regular flatware teaspoon held up to his mouth.

However, since his recent food intake varies so much from day to day and we have to chase him all over the room to get him to eat, sometimes it's just easier to wait until he's eaten his fill, and then measure what's left and try to sort it all out.

 

[maggiedemi]

Well, don't quote me on this, but by my math there are 18 Teaspoons in a 3oz can? Does that sound right? It sounds like a lot, but that's what I come up with.

 

[orange&white]

You cannot mix ounces of weight with ounces of volume and get accurate results. For example, a cup of rocks weighs a lot more than a cup of feathers. So a cup of "something" usually does not weigh 8 ounces.

If you want to figure out how many tablespoons (volume) of food are in a 5.5 ounce can (weight), then open a can and physically measure out tablespoons into a glass jar or other container.

 

[maggiedemi]

I have measured with my measuring cups many times, and it's pretty accurate. Like I said, I've never used something as small as Teaspoons on canned food though, so it's probably not accurate. But 2oz of canned food is about 1/4 cup.

 

[orange&white]

I have measured with my measuring cups many times, and it's pretty accurate. Like I said, I've never used something as small as Teaspoons on canned food though, so it's probably not accurate. But 2oz of canned food is about 1/4 cup.

Well, that is a happy coincidence.

 

[MissMolly08]

This post has me curious now... when dry food bags say there is X amount of kcal/cup.... does that mean like a kitchen measuring cup? That's how I've been measuring dry food. I give Molly 1/4 cup split into 2 servings so it's 2tbsp. twice a day. Have I been doing that right?
With wet food, I estimate by visually breaking it into 1/4 or 1/3 or whatever. It isn't 100% accurate but it is pretty easy with pate style food. I open the can and actually use a knife to cut the big chunk of food into 2 or 3 even pieces, then scoop one of them out into her bowl.

 

[MissMolly08]

Oh... and as far as timing... I just recently went from free feeding my cat dry to doing set meal times and wet food. I was told on a post I made here that cats can go a max of 12 hours between feedings.

 

[maggiedemi]

That's how I measure wet and dry food, and it seems to be pretty accurate. It's much easier than weighing everything on a scale! I just get out my measuring cups and my Tablespoon. Even if it's not exact, it's almost exact.

 

[orange&white]

Yes, two meals at 12 hours is all right. The more meals the better for most cats though. I'm feeding 3 meals a day: before work, after work and before bed.

 

[cheeser]

You cannot mix ounces of weight with ounces of volume and get accurate results. For example, a cup of rocks weighs a lot more than a cup of feathers. So a cup of "something" usually does not weigh 8 ounces.

If you want to figure out how many tablespoons (volume) of food are in a 5.5 ounce can (weight), then open a can and physically measure out tablespoons into a glass jar or other container.

Okay, I just found an old expired can of cat food in the very back of the pantry, and measured that. For that particular brand and flavor, it worked out to 7 tablespoons for a 5.5 oz. can.

Of course, weight and volume are probably going to vary by brand and/or flavor. But that at least gives me a general idea for Buddy's needs. Thanks y'all!

 

[maggiedemi]

Okay, so my math isn't perfect when we get down to Tablespoons of wet food.

 

[orange&white]

That's how I measure wet and dry food, and it seems to be pretty accurate. It's much easier than weighing everything on a scale! I just get out my measuring cups and my Tablespoon. Even if it's not exact, it's almost exact.

I know for a fact that one cup of kibble does not weight 8 ounces. I keep my scale out on the corner of the counter and weigh the pets' meals...and a whole lot of other stuff just 'cause the scale is there and it's kind of fun to play with.

I pack the cats raw food mix in 24 ounce (3-cup) containers by volume. If I pack them as tightly as possible, they weigh 19-20 ounces of food in weight.

 

[cheeser]

Yes, two meals at 12 hours is all right. The more meals the better for most cats though. I'm feeding 3 meals a day: before work, after work and before bed.

Awesome! That's a huge help. Thanks much!

I don't exactly remember how we got into the habit of feeding Buddy four times a day. But since he's gotten used to being hand fed and taking up to an hour to eat each meal, that can often present some logistical challenges.

 

[maggiedemi]

Yikes, I might be way off then on the kibble. How much does 1/2 cup of kibble weigh?