How Many Times Should I Feed My Cat Per Day? | CAT NUTRITION GUIDE

You may be confused as to how often do cats need to eat. There is conflicting advice on the matter. Some would say you need to feed them three times a day or twice, while you may also read that one meal is enough.

[myvice]

"i want breakfast.
I want brunch.
I want lunch.
I want linner.
I want dinner.
Plus snacks."

-- Clifford Parker
The Orange Tabby

[eshaneogy]

Cat behaviorist Jackson Galaxy says that wet food is much better for cats than dry food, because dry food is more highly processed and has a much higher quantity of unneeded carbohydrates in it.

[jeanniibarrett]

I am 61 years old and have have had animals preferably cats and dogs my whole life I have never fed either one on a time schedule I have always left out dry food 24 hours a day never had a overweight animal and never had an animal that gorged they eat when they're hungry and the food is there,

[cosmicbrownie]

I have 2 cats and feed them twice a day. They are nibblers and have a water fountain ⛲️ which they love. They are picky and do not like raw meat nor like eating wet food daily. I feed them wet food 3 times a week (meaty Mondays, tuna Tuesday, and sardines Saturday). Their coats are nice & shiny and they’re super healthy overall.

[ronmueller]

My female cat was about 6 weeks old, wild, . Skin on bone starving
She never forgot the pain, she's almost 15. I feed her a can in the morning & a can at 5p. She's still afraid that there will be no food

[hallykat]

What a vet chooses isn’t always the best food. There’s even corn & by-products in some of their prescription food. Corn and by-products are 2 ingredients that shouldn’t be in pet kibble. When I searched online most articles said 2 meals were ideal. However, at 12 hours or more a kitty’s stomach could become hyperacidic, causing kitty to be nauseous. Easy solution: 3 meals a day. For the people who say just place a bowl of food down & kitty won’t over eat, especially if you get him/her as a kitten: this doesn’t work for all cats (if it did there would be no obese kitties). There are a variety of reasons why a kitty might need to be portioned meal fed, each kitty is unique so you just have to figure out what works for your kitty. As for their diet: all dry? All wet? A mix? Raw diet? Again, find out what’s works for your kitty. My 2 cats that will be 9 years old soon tend to get diarrhea if they get a wet food meal everyday, so they get a wet food meal every second day & kibble for the rest of their meals. To the people that say cats are carnivores: that is not really true anymore. Cats are actually omnivores but there should ALWAYS be meat in ALL their meals. Plant food like: sweet potatoes & pumpkin helps a kitty’s stomach & digestive tract by helping it pass hair, clearing up diarrhea, vomiting, & constipation (of course if these last 3 things don’t clear up in 2-3 days, or there is blood in the stool a vet visit should happen ASAP). Blueberries are also safe for cats and are rich in antioxidants, fibre, & 4 different vitamins. Just to name a few examples of plant food that benefit cats. I hope this helps someone 🙂

[myaachoom]

I have a 4 month old small eater lol initially I thought he just doesn't like the food I bought for him but after trying different brands, I realized that he's just naturally like that. It's partly why I ended up here. I'm trying to spread out his wet food meals through the day and would leave dry food. hopefully it works out and we get to that ideal weight soon

[nneichan]

If you start with a young cat you can leave dry food out all day, and supplement with wet foods periodically. I was lucky to get my cat at 6 weeks and he self regulates his intake and isn't fat at all. He is a big, tall cat at 11-12 pounds and he's stayed that size for the last year and a half. He also gets two wet treats per day to further supplement his fluid and pure enjoyment intake.

[clarenceyoung]

I’m raising twin sister kittens. I “free feed” them until full grown with food specifically made for kittens. They require special vitamins and minerals. Plenty of clean water. Small amounts of meaty wet food mixed with kitten safe veggies. And, they are growing like weeds full of frisky leaping, jumping, pouncing, playing, and sleeping safe and sound on my bed during the day and night. With me at night, always.

[neonarcade]

It's always good to learn about cats. 🐈🐈💜💜💜

[ecospider]

I had an orange cat and for his whole life I just left out a large bowl of dry food and lots of water. He lived for 18 years before going deaf and getting hit by a car. He was never overweight.

[PrimeObserver-]

A cat's style of eating must also be considered. Our 2 senior tuxedo cats are fed frequent, small portions of wet food because they are grazers, and will not consume the necessary daily calories in 1, 2, or even 3 servings. They are offered somewhat larger portions 3 times a day, but my senior boy needs several small portions to make his calorie quota. They also get some dry food given more as a treat/snack than a full meal. The wet food is never left out for very long either, but picked up when it is clear they have no interest. Neither cat is overweight, in fact we have to keep coaxing our boy because he's become even more picky over the past 2 years. I gauge their caloric intake both by how much I give them and by how much they actually eat. I also weigh the boy weekly because of his increased pickiness.

[alisonkovacs]

I love our skylar so much thanks so much for sharing this very useful vlog xx

[martinramirezmi]

Very informative video, thanks so much!

[Aljosef]

My 7 year old cat loves raw chicken livers every evening. In the morning she gets a tablespoon of cat tuna. She also has a bowl of unlimited pellets whenever she likes. She never abuses the pellets but grazes little bits throughout the day. She also jumps off the bed a few times at night to graze on the pellets. She has a garden to run around in. Her weight is perfect. She never ever cries for meals.

[jellyomelette]

My cat is a grazer. Food sets out, and she eats as she wishes. I can't feel her hunger. So let her eat as she wishes. She eats grain free dry n can food. Very healthy. One thing I need to add is, she is given 3/4 of a cup of dry food per day. And 1 can of wet food. She eats as she wishes. There is food leftover. So grazers aren't gluttens or pigs when it comes to food. They eat till they are full n then go do other things.

[robertc]

Depends on the food. premium foods will likely fill them up and keep them less hungry throughout the day. I usually feed a portion of wet in the morning, freeze dried treats in the middle of the day, a portion of wet in the evening and a bit of dry food out during the night. This allows them to get a variety.

[marioncampbell]

My cat has hyperthyroidism. She's a nightmare as she cries for food constantly. I've changed her diet from wet cat food to chicken, minced beef, liver and kidney and I feed her small portions but often. Dry cat food I use as a treat

[WeknowCoCo]

Dry food causes Dehydration; I've had cats that will not drink water regularly. I will give my cat a little dry food sometimes but most often it's wet food.

[Atheenah]

Feeding raw has worked best for us. The raw is dehydrated with veg and fruit to round out what she eats. It’s not as easy to feed since it does require breaking up the nuggets and adding water to rehydrate the food, but she has done well on it and she’s a senior now.