QUESTION: How do you know how much to feed your cats?
We don't measure. We have an automatic feeder and a few food bowls we just keep full. We feed them Pro Plan Weight Management food so hopefully that helps. Princess is the only fat one.
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We feed our cats dry food twice a day. I have a scoop that is...hmm, I think probably either a 1/2 cup or 3/4 cup scoop, so they each get one scoop in the AM & another in the PM. Most days they don't eat quite all of it before the next feeding.
Lately, since our older cat has kidney problems and is always dehydrated & has lost weight, the vet wants her to eat some canned food. So we give that to them a few days a week in addition to their normal dry food amounts. But we only serve about 1/4 cup of canned to each of them at a time, I'd say.
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I use the little grid on the side of the bag and adjust from there. I just switched from Hill's to Spa Blue and the girls (10 lbs and 12 lbs) seem to need a little more of the Spa Blue although the tables are similar for both. I use a measured scoop and put a smidge over 5/8 cup in each bowl. Of course, it's tough to say who eats what since they share bowls, but they both seem content and both are a good weight for their build, per the vet.
Hi tenofcups. I saw your question about feeding and I would strongly recommend canned food. I have done a lot of research on this and canned food is much better for cats than dry food. It's a myth that cats don't need canned food and dry is better. Dry food has a lot of carbs and filler in it. Cats are obligate carnivores and need protein and fat in their diets. They don't need a lot of grain at all. However, dry food is full of grains. Because of this, cats need to eat more dry food to get the nutrients they need. Many end up overweight because of this. Wet food also provides moisture to cats and helps keep them hydrated.
I actually went to a seminar recently where the vet told us that even the worst wet food was better than the best dry food. If you must feed dry food, definitely buy a high quality one. The brands you will find at the grocery store (Friskies, Meow Mix, Purina) are typically the lowest in quality. Brands you find at PetSmart, like Eukanuba or Science Diet, are better but still contain a lot of filler. Your best bet is something you typically find at a speciality pet store. Brands like Innova, Wellness, California Natural, Felidae, Natural Balance and Newman's Own are brands that are considered high quality. Innova EVO, in particular, is grain-free. Things to look for on a cat food label are listed in the last article posted above.
As for how much to feed, I generally follow what the labels say, and adjust it as necessary. If my cat seems hungry, I give her more. I wouldn't cut back on the amount listed on the package without talking to a vet first.
I have to laugh as I read these responses because I literally never thought to just *check the bag* and see what they recommend! I swear I am generally a competent person, but wow... that's pretty dumb on my part. I'm also laughing that I asked you all how much you feed and I don't even know how much we give them (a bowl's worth, but bowl sizes vary of course). Off to do some homework...
And thanks for those links and the info Peppy. I'll check it out this week. I felt good about our original decision not to feed them canned food, but I'm certainly open to new or different information.
FWIW, the ONLY thing that doesn't give our little girl cat horrible gas has been Purina Kitten Chow. We tried every expensive and good brand there was -- and this is the only one that works for her sensitive stomach. And it's a noticeable difference. Go figure.
You have to be careful with canned food though. It is not good for their teeth. Princess has really bad teeth because of all the canned food I used to give her.
You should ask you vet what they think. I tried all sorts of different foods (Science Diet, Nutro etc...) but I've found Pro Plan sits best with all of my kids.
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Dry food isn't really any better for teeth, though. Apparently they used to think it was because the hardness of the dry would "clean" the teeth, but it turns out that cats chew their food in such a way that it doesn't clean the teeth and therefore there is really very little, if any, benefit to dry food.
Cats really need regular dental cleanings. If they will let you, you should brush their teeth.
My male cat (neutered, indoor, approximately 4 years old) gets a mix of wet and dry food. Last year the vet recommended we add wet food as he was getting a bit heavy. His suggestion was exactly for the reasons that Peppy provided.
He gets about a 1/4 cup of dry in the morning (Science Diet Indoor formula) and about a 1/3 of a can of wet in the evening (Innova Reduced Fat formula). He has slimmed down a bit and seems to enjoy the variety. I think it's a good compromise.
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Originally Posted by tenofcups
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I swear I am generally a competent person, but wow... that's pretty dumb on my part. I'm also laughing that I asked you all how much you feed and I don't even know how much we give them (a bowl's worth, but bowl sizes vary of course). Off to do some homework... 
