A couple of questions from newbie owner

[Lawnneedsmowing]

Hi
Our cats are 8 mnths. Two neutered brothers.

1. Just wondering how much to feed them? They are having a couple scoops of james wellbeloved dry (adult usually but accidentally bought kitten, so theyre getting that at moment) with either 1 or half wet pouch....doing this morning and eve. They are very fussy on wet, have tried most kinds (posh, cheap, supermarket) and they pretty much only like felix good as it looks tuna or salmon which leaves all the other flavours a bit untouched!
   

If its this flavour they wolf down....they always clear dry food....

But...theyre always on beg for food...

Is this too much/too little? What about fussiness?

1. We are going away for a week about 3 times this year. Non of our neighbours will do feeding. weve got aquaintances (from school) who will but prob not in main hols or for more than a few days. Our cats have outside access and worried as one in particular is a rascal. So thinking cattery. We live semi-rural so internet search threw up some nice ones. However theyre still cages. Our cats were rescue ones as kittens., and now sleep on our bed and get carried around like babies by dc. Is this too mean?? Can i have advice, positive stories on this
   

Thanks

[Lawnneedsmowing]

Sorry should have said weve had them for nearly 5 months so theyre established members of pur family

[Toddlerteaplease]

Put them in a cattery so you don't worry about them. I have a cat sitter for mine, because of their background i don't think they'd cope in a cattery. But they are indoor cats and quite happy not going out. They don't go out much even when they can. If they were out door cats I'd never leave them at home. Have you seen some catteries, so posh I'd check in myself.

[Lawnneedsmowing]

Any thoughts on the food??

[Toddlerteaplease]

Sounds ok. I know a lot of people don't like giving their cats supermarket food. But our previous cat's were happy and heathy on whiskers etc.

[RubbishMantra]

Cats will usually self regulate, so I free feed them dry, and a wet meal a day. They get a tad portly in winter because they're not so keen on wet/cold weather, but it evens itself out during the warmer months, when they choose to go outside doing cat stuff.

I gave kitten food to them until they were a year old.

Re. cattery - I have a stay hospital soon, and I've decided the best thing is to place the boys into a cattery. Might piss them off, but I'll know where they are.

[ladyface69]

Hi Lawn

I give my girl 1 pouch of felix and a small handful of dry (harringtons) in the AM and again in the PM. She gets excited about half 3 for tea so I end up putting her outside before I trip over her, and she gets the idea and comes back later.

She used to be opportunistic re our food as well but this has calmed down a bit. She's quite small though. Maybe give them some dry to tide them over between breakfast and tea?

[Lawnneedsmowing]

Thanks

[shouldwestayorshouldwego]

We have people come to visit when we go away. Our view is that they are happy at home and they probably have more space in our house than they would sharing a cage in a cattery. We don't let them out when we are away but I am not sure how much time they would have to roam outside in a cattery anyway. You could harness train them so they could be taken for walks, although only one of ours tolerates a harness and she isn't so bothered about going out so we don't ask them to walk the cats.

[Tubbyinthehottub]

My 5 yr old has two pouches a day and a couple of tablespoons of biscuits. I don't like to feed too much dry because I worry about him not getting enough moisture. UTIs, bladder, kidney problems are quite common in males. Yours are still quite young at 8 months so maybe they are genuinely hungry.

[Tubbyinthehottub]

With the fussiness you just have to persevere and work out what they like. It's an expensive trial and error exercise but I eventually got to know my cat's preferences and got him to eat the food I wanted him to although he is particular about flavours, no fish for him!