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Old August 11th, 2009, 06:44 PM
adammo adammo is offline
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Questions on Cat Food

Hi all,

About a month ago we switched to wet cat food and so far the results have been great. Our vet thought it would be a good idea to give them dry food as well in order to help with their teeth. Right now we feed them twice a day: 8 AM and 5 PM. Here are my questions:

1 - How much wet food should I be giving them? One is 3 years old and the other is 7 months. Right now we give them about 1/4 can per meal. I'm just not sure if that is too little or too much as I think they'd eat the whole can if I left it for them .

2 - I tried finding Wellness is bulk but did not have any luck with any of the pet stores nearby. I was just wondering if anyone knew of any Canadian stores that may offer a discount when buying in large quantities?

3 - My oldest cat likes to eat from both bowls. When the younger one leaves, the older one will typically go to her dish and eat some of it. As far as I can tell the youngest still gets her fair share, but is there anyway to prevent the oldest cat from eating it all? I'm hoping that once she reaches her quota that she will give up.

Thanks!
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Old August 11th, 2009, 07:02 PM
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Love4himies Love4himies is offline
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Your cats shouldn't need any kibble what-so-ever, it doesn't help with their teeth. It would be like you eating crackers in the morning to brush your teeth, lol.

The best thing to keep your cat's teeth clean is for them to eat raw chicken backs with bone. .

Global here in Kingston will offer a slight discount on Wellness canned if you buy a case.

If your cats are a good, healthy weight then I would not increase their food, you don't want them to get overweight. I do have to feed Jasper, Puddles and Rose in seperate rooms because Sweet Pea eats all the food so maybe you can feed Clover in a separate room so she can get her fill before Pepper gets the rest?
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Old August 11th, 2009, 07:22 PM
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Love4himies is right, and your vet is wrong - dry food doesn't clean teeth. In fact it's quite the opposite. Those crunchy nuggets of cereal tend to just shatter (if they aren't swallowed whole) and the bits get trapped between teeth and under the gum-line, where bacteria feeds on the sugar and plaque starts to build up. More info here:
http://home.ivillage.com/pets/cats/0,,p8ds,00.html
and here:
http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.ph...dcleantheteeth

Quote:
Originally Posted by adammo View Post
1 - How much wet food should I be giving them? One is 3 years old and the other is 7 months. Right now we give them about 1/4 can per meal. I'm just not sure if that is too little or too much as I think they'd eat the whole can if I left it for them .
When you cut back the kibble, I would increase the canned to at least a 5.5oz can per cat per day and see how they do. Do you know how much your cats weigh? There's a rough guideline of about 20-30 calories per lb per day, more for cats under 8 months.
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Old August 11th, 2009, 08:16 PM
adammo adammo is offline
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Thank you for the help. I honestly can't remember the reasoning, but I think he was mainly concerned that my oldest cat still maintained crunchy food to prevent dental problems when she is older. I think I will confirm what he meant. He may have very well meant to keep them on it for a little while to transition. I'll call tomorrow .

Normally the young one eats until she is full or uninterested. That is when the older one sweeps in and has a nice chow . I think if I moved the dish that the oldest would still find it.

I guess i'm just wondering if they would eat more than what they need? It's hard to tell at work who is eating the food all day. Maybe I need to set up a kitty-cam
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Old August 11th, 2009, 08:17 PM
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If you are already doing fine with the wetfood then I wouldn't even bother with dry. It wouldn't hurt to buy a really small bag to just leave a few crunchies to nibble on between meals. Otherwise there's not really any reason to get dry food.

Wellness has become too expensive in my opinion. It's not really much better then any other foods that are more cost efficient. Try to find Natura Pet in bulk.. Evo, Innova, Cal. Nat.. etc... couple different flavors to use.

If you can find it where you live, my cats really like Merrick canned food. It's not a pate' style which makes them happy as they get annoyed by too much mush.

I'm not the best at figuring out how much cats eat. I have soooo many cats that I kinda just judge by how fast they eat and if they are still bothering me later I might give them a bit more food. I would feel comfortable giving each cat a half of can at a meal. 1/4 doesn't seem like enough for me if you aren't using dry at all.

I go threw about 2-3 cups of dry food a day for my indoor cats. They get canned food for dinner that adds up to roughly 12 1/2 ounces of canned food for the whole group (1 cats usually the canned for dinner)... so a little over an ounce each...

Eh. Just go by what seems right. If they seem hungry, give them a little more. If they are turning into little piggies, give them less., Consult with your vet and just see what works Cats are one of animals I've heard have fast metabolisms so you want to be careful about under-feeding them as it can quickly make them uncomfortable..
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Old August 11th, 2009, 08:19 PM
adammo adammo is offline
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As for weight, the oldest is about 9.5 lbs, and the youngest about 6.5 lbs.

So i'm guessing without dried food that both should get 1/2 can at each meal time (2 cans per day between them)?

Thanks again!
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  #7  
Old August 12th, 2009, 05:58 AM
adammo adammo is offline
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Ok so I have another issue. Up until we switched to Wellness a few days ago, both cats ate straight from the dish. The last couple of days our youngest wasn't eating at the regular time. She'd sniff it and walk away. So I tried different flavours, tried cold/warm and it didn't work. So I opened a new can and placed it in front of her. She ate right out of the can, and ate alot!

What does this mean? How can I get her to enjoy the dish??

I was reading that some animals don't like eating out of the dish, but I can't understand why she would all of a sudden stop. I also cleaned the dish yesterday but did not have much luck.

Last edited by adammo; August 12th, 2009 at 06:52 AM.
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Old August 12th, 2009, 07:44 AM
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Lots of good advice here. I don't have much to add, except I totally agree you should not bother with the kibble.

I feed mine Innova EVO. I recently switched them to the venison flavor and they all love it, even my finickiest one, Oksana. I buy a case of 12 of the 13.5 oz cans. I can feed my 5 with one can in the morning and one can in the evening. Each gets 2 tablespoons at each feeding. They'll eat, then wander off and come back throughout the day to munch. It's okay to leave it out a few hours.

What kind of dish are you feeding your kitty from? Maybe try to find a small stainless steel one. Perhaps she doesn't like the color of the dish or the depth
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Old August 12th, 2009, 07:55 AM
adammo adammo is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ancientgirl View Post
What kind of dish are you feeding your kitty from? Maybe try to find a small stainless steel one. Perhaps she doesn't like the color of the dish or the depth
I'll give that a whirl for sure. I tried two different plastic dishes. The weird thing is she had no problem before, not sure why now?? When I brought the can to her she just chowed down. Perhaps I should try a plate instead of a bowl?

Thanks for the help!!
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Old August 12th, 2009, 08:01 AM
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I have found the same thing with Wellness and my cats so I stopped buying it. It almost seems to be very inconsistant and I trust my cat's noses.

I now buy Nature's Variety Instinct, not Prairie and have had no problems.
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Old August 12th, 2009, 08:09 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adammo View Post
I'll give that a whirl for sure. I tried two different plastic dishes. The weird thing is she had no problem before, not sure why now?? When I brought the can to her she just chowed down. Perhaps I should try a plate instead of a bowl?

Thanks for the help!!
I feed mine on small dessert dishes. They don't seem to have a problem with them.
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Old August 13th, 2009, 06:36 AM
adammo adammo is offline
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So I think I have pinpointed my problem: the youngest likes her food very fresh

I went and got the wet food we were using before (Medical hairball formula - hypo something?). I placed it in the dish, no problems. I did the same thing at supper time last night and they both had a great feast. But this morning, same food (same can - had food left overnight in the fridge), she turned her head at it. When I opened up a new can, and placed it down on the floor, she ate directly from the can.

The cans I am buying right now are 6 ounces and the cats are approximatly 9.6 lbs, and 6.8 lbs. With two meal times a day, should I give them a quarter of a can at each meal or is that too little? If each can costs about $2 and each eats 1 can a day, is $4 for both cats per day ($1424/year) a bit expensive? I don't want to sound cheap or anything and will pay the price to keep the cats healthy but I was just wondering if that is normal???
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Old August 13th, 2009, 06:57 AM
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Perhaps try buying the 3oz cans. Those are usually cheaper.
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Old August 13th, 2009, 07:09 AM
adammo adammo is offline
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Would you serve 3 ounces per meal time per cat? I'm just trying to figure out how much they should get each day and then divide that into meal times.
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Old August 13th, 2009, 07:14 AM
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I'm trying to remember when I used to feed 3 oz cans. I think I split one between both cats, since I only had two at the time. But at the time I fed them 3 times a day. I don't know, you might start with half a can each and see if they seem hungry still.
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Old August 13th, 2009, 07:24 AM
adammo adammo is offline
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I just did some google searching as well and it looks like 1 can per day per cat would probably be appropriate.

As for cost, is $2.20 per can reasonable? Are there any cost saving tips for this? I really hate asking as it looks like I don't care about my pets, but I also like to save money when possible . If that is a reasonable price then so be it, we'll be fine either way.
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Old August 13th, 2009, 07:43 AM
Jim Hall Jim Hall is offline
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for food left over in the can if you seal the can , i use aluminum foil and out it in thre fridge right away make sure its rom temp or slightleuy higher wehn you serve it i just nuke mine for a few seconds and add some warm water cats wont eat cold food they cant smell it .
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Old August 13th, 2009, 07:49 AM
adammo adammo is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jim Hall View Post
for food left over in the can if you seal the can , i use aluminum foil and out it in thre fridge right away make sure its rom temp or slightleuy higher wehn you serve it i just nuke mine for a few seconds and add some warm water cats wont eat cold food they cant smell it .

I never even thought, but that may be the issue. I thought the cold might have made them fussy so I left one can out of the fridge last night wrapped in aluminum foil. Unfortunately, the youngest didn't eat it this morning - so maybe it lost it's freshness?. The oldest cat seems to like it no matter what - cold or warm. The youngest seems to need it to be canned fresh

thanks for the tip!!
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Old August 13th, 2009, 07:49 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adammo View Post
I just did some google searching as well and it looks like 1 can per day per cat would probably be appropriate.

As for cost, is $2.20 per can reasonable? Are there any cost saving tips for this? I really hate asking as it looks like I don't care about my pets, but I also like to save money when possible . If that is a reasonable price then so be it, we'll be fine either way.
We all try to look for cost savings, in this economy it's hard. But there seems to be a myth that good quality food is more expensive.

I buy my gang EVO venison, which is about 2.50 per 13oz can, but the cat and kitten formula which I was feeding is only about $1.98 per 13oz can. I remember when I used to feed Wellness it was just too much for me. I managed to do some looking around and found a great pet shop that sells only natural and holistic foods at really great prices. It would cost me more to feed my gang Fancy Feast for a week, than it does to feed them a better brand like EVO.
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Old August 13th, 2009, 08:21 AM
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With "leftover" canned food, I add a few drops of water and mix it up, that seems to make it more appetizing Gotta love being a cat slave
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Old August 14th, 2009, 07:46 AM
adammo adammo is offline
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Last question...how long does the freshness last? I tried the microwave technique and it worked well. both ate it right up this morning. I noticed that Wellness sells the bigger containers that are much more cost friendly. If I bought those, would the food be bad by the time we reached the bottom? Or will I still be able to "freshen" it up with the microwave?

And wow, does the food ever stink coming out of the microwave! I think I have to leave it in less time
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Old August 14th, 2009, 07:57 AM
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I have a glass container, so if I have anything left over when I feed my gang, I put it in there. Then, I just microwave it. You really don't need to give it too much time.

I'd suggest getting a couple of small containers, I prefer glass you can microwave. Then separate what you don't use, so you can just give them a container at each feeding. Maybe heat it up about 10 seconds, mix it a bit, add warm water, then hit it again with a few more seconds. It really doesn't have to be steaming, just slightly warm or room temperature.

I think you can probably have it in the fridge for a couple of days. Just don't ever store it in the can.
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Old August 15th, 2009, 10:09 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ancientgirl View Post
I have a glass container, so if I have anything left over when I feed my gang, I put it in there. Then, I just microwave it. You really don't need to give it too much time.

I'd suggest getting a couple of small containers, I prefer glass you can microwave. Then separate what you don't use, so you can just give them a container at each feeding. Maybe heat it up about 10 seconds, mix it a bit, add warm water, then hit it again with a few more seconds. It really doesn't have to be steaming, just slightly warm or room temperature.

I think you can probably have it in the fridge for a couple of days. Just don't ever store it in the can.
This was my solution as well. I have one who is a gobbler (Yeti) and one who is a picky little nibbler (Sparks). Sparks would take a few licks and walk away and then Yeti would swoop in, finish up his second helping and promptly bring it all back up!

I now buy the large cans of Wellness and scoop out a couple of tablespoons each, twice a day (about the equivalent of 1/3 cup per day). The rest goes into a wide mouthed glass canning jar. The whole can lasts about 3 days -give or take. Yeti eats whatever you put down; warm, cold, fresh, not fresh, etc. Sparks still just nibbles if you just give her wet so I mix about a dozen pieces of kibble into her serving and that seems to get her to finish the serving before Yeti gets to it.

*sigh* if we weren't cat slaves what WOULD they do, huh?
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Old August 15th, 2009, 01:36 PM
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Old August 15th, 2009, 04:45 PM
adammo adammo is offline
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Haha, ya so far this is working out great for my young one. Very happy that there wasn't another problem
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Old August 15th, 2009, 05:57 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by adammo View Post
The cans I am buying right now are 6 ounces and the cats are approximatly 9.6 lbs, and 6.8 lbs. With two meal times a day, should I give them a quarter of a can at each meal or is that too little? If each can costs about $2 and each eats 1 can a day, is $4 for both cats per day ($1424/year) a bit expensive? I don't want to sound cheap or anything and will pay the price to keep the cats healthy but I was just wondering if that is normal???
Too funny!! I guess you don't want to start paying for my cats' food then huh? I don't even want to think about my food bill in a year.
As has been mentioned, please don't store the food in the can in the fridge.
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Old October 4th, 2009, 01:06 PM
adammo adammo is offline
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Just an update on this. Clover stopped eating her wet food again recently! This is by far the pickiest cat i've ever seen.

We began trying many methods including giving only fresh food (instead of microwaving saved stuff). Anyways we finally figured it out, it was the bowls we were using.

Anyways in case anyone else experiences a very picky cat, try putting the food on a plate or a different bowl. Worked for us !
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