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I would like to hears form cat owners who only feed dry kibble

48 replies

IWillSurviveHeyHey · 12/02/2018 07:42

My 2 cats, brother and sister, are nearly 2 years old. The boy is a lovely shape, spot on I think, but the girl is definitely fat. There's no definition of her ribs and when I feel her body there's definitely a lot of bulk there. When she runs (rare) I can see the wobble on her tummy swinging from side to side. Thing is, I feed them both exactly the same in micro chipped feeders and she is a shy timid lazy homebody who doesn't venture far, so I doubt she's eating elsewhere.

Anyway my question, what exact quantity of dry food do you feed your cats per day? Please don't confuse me if you also feed them wet food, only answer if you feed dry in the morning and dry in the evening as their only source of food. Thank you!

OP posts:
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DragonsAndCakes · 12/02/2018 07:45

What the recommendation is on the pack, for James Welbeloved. It’s half a cat food measuring cup, which is about 1/4 to 1/3 of a mug I’d guess.

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dementedpixie · 12/02/2018 07:46

What sort of dry food is it? Does it have a high meat content or is it full of cereals? What does the feeding guide say? It doesn't matter what other people feed as other cats may be bigger or smaller than yours

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DragonsAndCakes · 12/02/2018 07:47

Oh but our not fat cat also has a swingy saggy belly, it might just be what happens on some cats? Maybe ask the vet’s opinion about whether she is actually overweight as it’s quite tricky to put one on a diet when you have two cats.

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dementedpixie · 12/02/2018 07:47

My cats free feed dry food so it isn't measured but also get wet food twice a day.

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PaperdollCartoon · 12/02/2018 07:50

I feed my cats the same and one is chubby and the other skinny

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Freddiesgirl · 12/02/2018 07:50

I feed my cat only Ian's dry food and she gets what's recommended on the pack, I can't remember what it is now as I've found the perfect sized container and just put a scoop of that in the bowl in the morning.

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Freddiesgirl · 12/02/2018 07:50

Iams Blush

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Broken11Girl · 12/02/2018 07:55

My Madam is a bit chubby rn, won't go out much in the cold.
Females do need less food. Usually on the pack it has recommended amounts for various weights/ sizes of cat.
Do you play with them? It at least gets them moving.

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Pleasebeafleabite · 12/02/2018 07:55

My vet told me to feed 25% less than the recommended portion size set out on the packet for the cats weight and my dcat lost weight gradually over 3-4 months

But the vet had weighed her first

If she is lazy think about a kibble specifically for hungry (greedy) cats

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Pleasebeafleabite · 12/02/2018 07:58

I should have added now she has about 15% less than the recommended portion and she is maintaining the healthy weight.

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AnnaMagnani · 12/02/2018 08:02

I've had 2 cats that ate dry food only. Ignore what it says on the pack, never let them graze, monitor so one isn't eating the other's dinner too and feed enough so they get hungry and eat it all with no kibble left over.

Different cats may need different size portions, esp if one is a homebody lazybones

Spent years with one on diet food and one on normal food.

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JackieReacher · 12/02/2018 08:03

I feed hills and put them on the neutered cat then 7+ and now senior cat- each of them reduced calorie. They both still have saggy bellies despite being active for their age (16) as they have long supplemented with mice etc! They are ok weight wise and have passed their geriatric cat blood tests with flying colours and have had no dental issues. Am convinced it's the hills (& when they go on Iams sometime , their coats are noticeably less soft)

The hills portions do seem very mean

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JackieReacher · 12/02/2018 08:05

And yy never let them graze - they get fed twice/ day on measured amount and eat it. That's it.

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mimibunz · 12/02/2018 08:11

I have found that regardless of food, playing is important for keeping their weight stable.

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Toddlerteaplease · 12/02/2018 08:31

I use a royal Canin measuring cup. And they get 2-3/8th of it twice daily. One is chunky the other skinny.

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Toddlerteaplease · 12/02/2018 08:32

Mine have breed food as it's lower calorie and reduces furballs etc.

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IWillSurviveHeyHey · 12/02/2018 09:22

They have always been fed Royal Canin and I give them the recommended amount on the packet. They can't eat each other's food as they have microchipped feeders. Perhaps the girls just needs to be given less...

OP posts:
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dementedpixie · 12/02/2018 09:26

I don't know if royal canin is that great tbh considering the price. I think it has added cereals too that cats don't need. You could just feed a bit less if you feel she is too heavy

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Toddlerteaplease · 12/02/2018 09:34

I tried microchip feeders with my pair. I could work out how to use it, let alone my not very bright Persians!

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hlr1987 · 12/02/2018 09:36

Isn't it the neck you're supposed to check to get a feel for how overweight the cat is (obviously weighing them is better lol), but I thought looking at the tummy was wrong because it can be bloated/ worms/ pregnancy that changes it? Does she drink less water, because that would make her bloated as well

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Marcine · 12/02/2018 09:37

If one is more sedentary they may need less. The feeding guide on the stuff I feed gives a range 40g-60g and says to adjust for activity levels.

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Remote1candles · 12/02/2018 09:43

We feed only dry food, one of our cats was very greedy and overweight. We took him to the vets, who weighed him and said to feed him the amount of food for the weight that he should be. I bought chip activated food bowls, as otherwise the big cat would eat the other cat's food.

It worked - big cat is down to a better weight and we can see that his joints are less painful. Big cat has Hills Prescription Diet Metabolic solution, little cat has Hills Science plan Adult or Neutered cat or sometimes Iams.

My husband measures out a few day's worth for big cat into old takeaway boxes, which we feed half in the morning and half at teatime. Teatime keeps moving forward though as big cat is very very keen on having it! He drives me mad sometimes, jumping up every time I move in case I am going to feed him. But it is worth it to have him healthier and more active.

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dementedpixie · 12/02/2018 09:46

Score your cat according to this

I would like to hears form cat owners who only feed dry kibble
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Pleasebeafleabite · 12/02/2018 09:48

Mine has royal canin OP

Do you give the indoor cat/ hungry cat variety?

If normal size cat give 23g twice a day instead of 39g

Worked for me

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Pleasebeafleabite · 12/02/2018 09:48

30g not 39g

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