Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Only the apps you allow.

Meet the Other Phone.
Only the apps you allow.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
The litter tray

Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

So, how much wet food should a good sized adult cat eat?

48 replies

katymac · 01/05/2017 19:05

The mighty Flynn seems to be over his 2 weeks of constipation but the vet has suggested wet food (it previously gave him diahorrea) but I have no idea how many pouches he should have a day - can any one advise as so far he has had 1.5 pouches, some dreamers & a whole tray!!!

Is he a piggy or do I believe him that he is still hungry?

OP posts:
isseywithcats · 01/05/2017 19:48

my three have one large tin between them in a morning and a bowl of biscuits in the afternoon they wheigh from 6kgs to 2.5 kgs , if feeding tinned one tin per day is average over three meals, if pouches mom cats who are feeding kittens seem to eat around three pouches per day over three meals, (with kitten biscuits too) , so one large cat would probably eat 3/4 pouches a day as theres not much in a pouch

Original poster
katymac · 01/05/2017 20:07

He dropped to 3.85 when he was ill from about 4.5 - so I guess 3-4 might be OK for a few days then cut down

He has special dry diet food normally as wet food upsets his tummy

So we might be back on that soon (I hope - one large tub he eats as much/as little as he needs this is way more work!!)

OP posts:
girlandboy · 01/05/2017 20:30

I'm always amazed at the 3 to 4 pouches guidelines on the box. We've just adopted a rescue cat and were advised to give her 1/3 of a pouch twice a day, so not even a full pouch a day. Added to this is 30g of dry food twice a day, which frankly she picks at and probably only eats half of that.
She weighs 4.5kg

Original poster
katymac · 01/05/2017 20:36

He is desperate for food- so vocal!!

That'll be Siamese for you Grin

We are at 2 pouches & a tray right now....& he was eyeing up my tea

OP posts:
tissuesosoft · 01/05/2017 20:38

My cat has half a wet pouch in the morning and half in the evening. Biscuits and water left down for her too. It may be the type of wet food you're giving her? A lot is full of wheat etc that bloats out their stomachs but doesn't fill them up

tissuesosoft · 01/05/2017 20:38

*giving him

Original poster
katymac · 01/05/2017 20:39

Maybe, it's Whiskers...... it will be lily's kitchen (I think) after the back holiday but he caught me on the hop

OP posts:
tissuesosoft · 01/05/2017 20:51

These cats are so picky! Mine likes to howl for food too- but not because she's hungry, she likes to try and wear me down to feed her more

Tigerblue · 01/05/2017 20:55

I think my girl is about 3.95kg, although she may have put on a little looking at her. She's been eating very well over the last 10 days, it could always be the stress of her brother being ill and losing him or her hyperthyroid medication needs increasing (although I think she'd look thinner), but by the end of today, she'll have had:

3 trays
1/4 chicken thigh
Approx 10 Dreamies
1 Webbox stick
She has Royal Canin 12+ dry, about the size of Dreamies, and has had about 20 pieces

girlandboy · 01/05/2017 20:55

Ours was on Felix pouches (the same as in the rescue centre). She didn't seem impressed, so I tried her on the Aldi own brand which she adores.

MrsLettuce · 01/05/2017 20:58

4.5 kg is a HUGE weight for a Siamese, even a large male. He sounds mighty indeed! Any chance of a photo?

Ollivander84 · 01/05/2017 20:58

Mine is 4kg or so and can eat anything from half a pouch a day to three pouches of natures menu. I just go off what he wants, if he demolishes half a pouch, I put the rest down for him
He doesn't tend towards fat and seems to self regulate. On average I would say he eats 1.5-2 pouches a day and no dry

Fluffycloudland77 · 01/05/2017 21:00

Ours is eating about 4-5 pouches a day.

Original poster
katymac · 01/05/2017 21:01

Is it? He is a bit of a lump!! The vet was so worried when he lost so much weight - he went down as far as 3.6

So, how much wet food should a good sized adult cat eat?
So, how much wet food should a good sized adult cat eat?
OP posts:
iPhoneAddiction · 01/05/2017 21:05

Mine has 2 pouches a day and dry food down all the time. Occasionally she has 3 pouches.

All anyone has to do is enter the kitchen and she will howl at you. Even if I've just put food down!

Eatingcheeseontoast · 01/05/2017 21:12

Ours is 6kg and eats 5 to 6 sachets a day. He's not fat, just big....

MrsLettuce · 01/05/2017 21:14

He's stunningGrin Looks about right weight to body size wise there, maybe a teeny touch slender. It's hard to say with him not being stretched out though!

But, yeah, a cat losing weight because of illness is always a worry, certainly when it's loads and quickly. 900g really is a massive loss. Terrifying TBH. he's lucky he had it to lose, IYSWIM. It's good to hear he's getting better!

MrsLettuce · 01/05/2017 21:20

Shockor are the photos from before he was ill?

Original poster
katymac · 01/05/2017 21:20

That is him fat - this week he looks more like (but again you can't really see him)

The vet said it was pretty much 25% of his body weight

OP posts:
Weedsnseeds1 · 01/05/2017 21:21

He doesn't look fat. Don't forget wet is much lower calorie, weight for weight, than dry.

Original poster
katymac · 01/05/2017 21:28

He was on tins of recovery until Sunday wn I ran out so hopefully he is a bit heavier now

I'll photograph him later when I find him!

OP posts:
MrsLettuce · 01/05/2017 21:28

Gosh. No. He wasn't fat before he got ill then, no. Poor, poor love. A massive loss.

its really good to hear he's happily eating though. I've often really had to coax my older two back into it again after a big weight loss through illness. IME weight does somehow go back on quite quickly.

MrsLettuce · 01/05/2017 21:30

Yy, wet is lower calorie but can be really helpful with increasing the stomach volume of cats who've not been eating enough. Sounds like the moisture is vital too with such awful constipation.

Original poster
katymac · 01/05/2017 21:33

So if he is after 4 pouches I shouldn't worry I imagine I can get more recovery tomorrow he just ate more than we expected!

He hardly ever yowls but has been very vocal since Thursday!!

Put it this way you know when he is asleep on your chest!!

OP posts:
MrsLettuce · 01/05/2017 21:37

Yy. Let him eat 4 until you can get back to the recovery. Well, as long as it's not upetting his stomach.