Cat Feeding/Food Issue

[Sera]

btw that box idea was actually not a bad one.

[Effluo]

Do you feed wet, dry or both for the blue buffalo food? My cat IS overweight but he also does nothing but sit around all day long (and he's old). My friends say he's not a cat - he's a baby panda.

We feed them strictly dry food. Wet food is a treat for them, same with the dog. We have found the card table to be a good idea too, as it at least makes them work a bit for their food. Occasionally they also get dry treats, like Whiskas or Pounce. Our fat cat sits around most of the time, but in the mornings, we make her exercise for lovin by holding our hand just above her head a bit, so she has to reach up and grab a hand a bit if she wants to be pet. We try to play with them about 30 minutes a day, just to keep them active. Granted, adding the third cat did get them more active, as the other two are sisters who are 9 years old, and our newest addition is only about 3 years old now. All the cats are rescues who were feral lol. The dog also likes to chase them around on occasion.

So the short answer is dry food only, wet food is a special treat. We feed ours the Blue Buffalo Basics duck and potato. The dog gets Turkey and Sweet Potato.

[Amelya]

I feed my cat Merricks Before Grain dry food, and she also gets a can of wet food at night (shit Fancy Feast, but she's 18 and that's all she'll eat). I've also used Wellness and Fromms, but my cat has a grain allergy and the Merricks has been the most successful at keeping her from licking her fur off, lol. Blue Buffalo and Taste of the Wild are good too I'm sure.

I always thought it was better to give a cat at least partial wet food for the extra moisture content, as cats generally don't drink enough water. Could you split up the food into smaller more frequent meals maybe?

[Guyverarmor]

I feed my cats Friskies Seafood Blend, they both like it. But Gizmo is starting to turn into a "Tank Cat". Taru ( our female cat ) tries to play with him
and he doesn't really chase her around, just lays there and sleeps.

[Ksandra]

I also feed my cats Blue. Someone touched on what is probably happening. Some cats go insane if they are only fed at certain times because they think "I gotta eat this all because I don't know when I'll get to eat again!"

This is probably what's happening to your cat. Get a small bag of dried food to test out and keep the bowl filled 24/7. Fat cat will probably gain weight initially but will settle down once he realizes food is always there.


Also, be prepared for them to have some diarrhea when you switch, try to mix some wet with the dried to transfer their stomachs to the new food.

Oh and sorry if this was mentioned, but are these indoor cats?

[Senji]

Wellness Core and Blue Buffalo Wilderness, wet and dry, those types of those two brands specifically. Some water in the dry because cats don't drink enough with dry food. With the better food that has no grain filler, they will eat less volume compared to the cheaper stuff.

You can also get five dollar off coupons from the manufacturers site.

[MaachaQ]

Our cats have free access to their food at all times, wet food is a treat and they only get it once a week or so. We've got 4 of them in this small apartment, but weight has never really been a problem for any of them. All are rescues; the 2 girls (Faygo & Fanta) were sisters in a shelter who we adopted together, the 2 males we found on the street near our apartment at different times and brought them in. The orange & white male (Ichigo) is still half feral; he bit me pretty good the last time I had to box him up to take him to the vet for shots, I ended up getting a series of shots myself >.>. The black & white male (Lucky) is the youngest, 9 months old, and is the most friendly.



We buy our food from online stores over here, since cats still aren't very common as pets compared to dogs and stores don't stock very much. We normally buy Royal Canin or Nutriwell, we've tried a few other kinds but had poop and throwup issues >.> Back in the US I used to feed my cat Iams, but she was fat as hell... I think having more cats in the same household helps them get more exercise, especially when they can't be let outside.

[Vandalhart]

Didn't read all the recommendations, but my sister feeds her cat Royal Canin(sp). I think it's supposed to be on the higher end so it might be pricier.

Jesus if I had only read the damn post just above mine :D

[richardd]

i;ve been buying those 10 calorie cat snacks for my own, but its obviously not satisfying him despite him being dangerously obese and only 3 years old any tips regarding that? i was thinking about buying a cat leash and taking him for a walk with me lol. a big scary looking guy taking his cute cat for a walk is a good look for me

[Guyverarmor]

Almost as good as the body builder that lives next to us. He goes out daily in running shorts, pink muscle shirt walking his Chihuahua

[Raldo]

i;ve been buying those 10 calorie cat snacks for my own, but its obviously not satisfying him despite him being dangerously obese and only 3 years old any tips regarding that? i was thinking about buying a cat leash and taking him for a walk with me lol. a big scary looking guy taking his cute cat for a walk is a good look for me

Good luck getting a cat to go on walks. Cats are all, "Bitch, I go where I want"! All I can think to suggest is to get another cat to chase it around or something. If that doesn't work though, then you're just stuck with another cat...

[Gadritan]

Good luck getting a cat to go on walks. Cats are all, "Bitch, I go where I want"! All I can think to suggest is to get another cat to chase it around or something. If that doesn't work though, then you're just stuck with another cat...

Ocicats do well with leashes.

[Pikarya]

Stop feeding wet foods. Move onto a high-grade kibble diet.

Rule of thumb, as absurd as people think it is.

If you're not spending at LEAST $32.99/15 pounds of dry food to felines. You're feeding your cat cardboard.

[Cyn]

Stop feeding wet foods. Move onto a high-grade kibble diet.

Rule of thumb, as absurd as people think it is.

If you're not spending at LEAST $32.99/15 pounds of dry food to felines. You're feeding your cat cardboard.

Shit, for that price you could be feeding them ground chuck.

We feed ours The Goodlife Recipe all ages because it's common enough that we can get it both in the grocery store or the pet store and seems a lot better than the cheapo stuff. I mix it with a little wet food (either Friskies chicken or beef bits, mixes with the kibble better than patte or shreds) and feed them moderate portions 3 and occasionally 4 times a day.

[Ddz]

I also only give my cat wet food as a treat, once a week on Sundays. She hears the can open and she's basically climbing up my leg to get at it right away lol!

[SephYuyX]

People who feed their cats expensive food, lol.

Ive had 4 cats my whole life.
One in 1990 which died just a few years ago.
Two from 1995 which are still alive (but now at my grandparents).
One from a few years ago which is obviously fine.

They were all fed the sub 15$ big bag of dry food their whole lives, and loved it every morning.

My cats are outdoor cats, and are superiour to indoor cats.

[Fhloston]

@Ksandra: They're indoor cats

Thanks for the replies. I'm leaning towards Blue Buffalo. From all the reviews I have read, I have not come across a bad one yet. A bit pricier, but if BB will help with their weight management and hairball control, I figure it's worth it.

[Cyn]

My cats are outdoor cats, and are superiour to indoor cats.

My cats are both white, and one of them is deaf, so fuck that.

[Pikarya]

Best cat food on the market bar-none.

http://harlotofthearts.org/blog/wp-c.../06/yeller.jpg

Rich in soy, grains, and every other preservative and dye your cat needs for a healthy/balanced diet.

[Kiehl]

Its weird to hear about so many cats that don't drink much water. Mine goes through at least 3 bowls a day. Bastard always has a brick in his litter box.