Young Again Zero

Minxxy

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I just started my three cats on this food. They really like it. I spoke to the president of the company and he strongly recommends free feeding this food. He says it teaches the cat to control their food intake themselves. If the dish is always full they will learn that they don’t have to scarf n barf because the food will always be there.
My cats are doing good on the food . The free feeding makes me uneasy. How do I know they’re really eating enough?
Does anyone else feed YA food or free feed?
 

FeebysOwner

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I free fed my cat for years (well kind of). There was a point where she didn't just continue to eat it because it was there. But, frankly, I don't buy this president's theory. First, you could have one of those 3 cats that tends to want to eat everything in sight all day long, another one that doesn't eat enough, and even yet another who gets left out because that cat is the last on the totem pole of the cat hierarchy.

Do they each have their own bowl/feeding station, so you know what each is eating? My guess is not. To know how much each is getting, you would either have to feed them all separately at timed points of the day, or get microchip bowls/collars - one for each cat - to know how much each is actually eating.

Then, for hypothetical sake - let's say you put out 1/2 cup for each cat at the beginning of the day, you could then measure what is left let's say at 12 hours, chart how much they ate of that, and then replenish that amount back up to 1/2 cup again. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

What lead you to want to try something like this anyway? That information would play a great deal in trying to understand why you wanted to do this in the first place.
 
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Minxxy

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I free fed my cat for years (well kind of). There was a point where she didn't just continue to eat it because it was there. But, frankly, I don't buy this president's theory. First, you could have one of those 3 cats that tends to want to eat everything in sight all day long, another one that doesn't eat enough, and even yet another who gets left out because that cat is the last on the totem pole of the cat hierarchy.

Do they each have their own bowl/feeding station, so you know what each is eating? My guess is not. To know how much each is getting, you would either have to feed them all separately at timed points of the day, or get microchip bowls/collars - one for each cat - to know how much each is actually eating.

Then, for hypothetical sake - let's say you put out 1/2 cup for each cat at the beginning of the day, you could then measure what is left let's say at 12 hours, chart how much they ate of that, and then replenish that amount back up to 1/2 cup again. Repeat, repeat, repeat.

What lead you to want to try something like this anyway? That information would play a great deal in trying to understand why you wanted to do this in the first place.
Only because I changed them to Young Again and free feeding is the recommendation. I’ve always done meals.
 

FeebysOwner

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Well, on that note, I don't think it is worth it. Go back to what apparently was working before, or let them eat this new food - but on their old schedule. And, assuming this new stuff is dry only and they were getting some wet too, by all means re-add their wet back into their diet.
 

mizzely

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I think it depends on the cat. I give Lydia her daily ration of food in the morning and she'll eat it over the course of the day. She gets wet and a Tbsp of dry and takes her about 12 hours to finish it. My other cat Jasmine, may she rest in peace, needed meals because she could not pace herself and would eat until she threw up.
 
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Minxxy

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Well, on that note, I don't think it is worth it. Go back to what apparently was working before, or let them eat this new food - but on their old schedule. And, assuming this new stuff is dry only and they were getting some wet too, by all means re-add their wet back into their diet.
I decided not to do the free feeding even though it was strongly recommended. I don’t feel good about it.
I think my cats will do well with the meal feeding.
 

xdcat

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Free feeding became an issue with one of my 7 year old kitties as she became addicted to this food (which was meant for her brother) so she gorged. She gained weight (never issue beg) Have to do tiny 1/4C per day now, and she cries for more day and night. Not to mention the stinky stinky poo for all the kitties. So regret ever trying this, she was doing so well on homemade food, which she now refuses to eat. Makes me wonder what ingredient is so addictive, Brewers yeast? Always avoided it after her allergy test disallowed it, but didn’t think she would start stealing her brother’s food as she has never had food issues before.
 
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