Author Topic: Feeding times debate  (Read 2516 times)

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Offline Shadow

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Feeding times debate
« on: June 30, 2011, 02:15:03 PM »
So we all know that cats in the wild do not have a smorgasboard of food available to them 24/7.  So why should a domesticated cat have food available to them 24/7 (free feeding)? There are two sides to this issue. 
Cats that are free fed a kibble diet will only have problems in the long run, it is just to hard on their pancreas, and other organs, thus resulting in obesity, kidney problems, UTI'S and diabetes.
Cats that are fed a wet or raw diet should they be fed a couple times a day, or several times a day?
Quoted from catinfo.org
"It is also important to note that diet is not the only factor involved in determining urine pH.  The timing of the cat's meals is also a factor.  'Post-prandial alkaline tide' refers to the fact that urine pH will become more alkaline after eating a large meal. Therefore, it is suggest that cats eat multiple small meals throughout the day to help keep the pH in a normal range.  Small cats in the wild eat 8-10 small meals per day"

8-10 small meals a day??(refering to wet food) Now is this for cats that just have UTI'S? how can we do this for our cats, we cant leave wet food out 24/7, or be around to offer that either.

What are your opinions on this subject?
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Feeding times debate
« Reply #1 on: June 30, 2011, 02:38:04 PM »
By feeding small portions more often.  For instance breakfast around here takes about 1 1/2 hours, with .68 oz  to 1.36 oz doled out at a time, depending on the cat. A snack mid day is fed in two portions, and supper is spread out throught the remainder of the evening with their last snack at 11, before I go to bed.  I keep a cat journal of every bite each cat eats (and output, also)

Here's a pic of the journal:



Offline Shadow

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Re: Feeding times debate
« Reply #2 on: June 30, 2011, 02:50:38 PM »
Wow good on you Middlechild... I feed wet food about 3 to 4 times a day. with a treat in between sometimes.
This is what I am able to do with my schedule as of now.
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Offline Lola

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Re: Feeding times debate
« Reply #3 on: June 30, 2011, 08:41:08 PM »
We have had a LOT of different experiences concerning meals.   pullingouthair  We would have a working routine, and then another feline would get added to the bunch and throw things off.  lol 

Fast forward to our current routine, without all the mannnnnnnnnnnnny details of how we got to this point.

3 small wet meals a day.  Everyone eats their meals as meals..slow and steady.  Meaning none nibble and walk away and none "inhale" their food either.  No food is left out for any length of time.  (ewwwww)  Everyone is maintaining a healthy weight.  I weigh all 7 once a week, to make sure all is going well.  I would GUESS, if a person had just one or two cats, there would be less worry about who is eating what amounts. 

PS  Our routine has also kept our one male free of any urinary blockages for years now.  (knock on wood) 

Middle Child:  A journal...you need to start a new topic, so you can fill us in on the details! 
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Offline Middle Child

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Re: Feeding times debate
« Reply #4 on: June 30, 2011, 09:18:38 PM »
I started keeping a cat journal back in 1985 when my then cat developed asthma, and then cystitis.  I just kept the habit up, even when I did have a stretch of a few years when all cats were healthy and all ate the same diet. I can barely remember what that is like, I have had special needs cats and special diets now going on 10 years.

But I have always schedule fed.

I currently have four cats on four different diets. I am fortunate these days my working life is such that I am able to come home for lunch most days, but even when I can't, or even in the days when I was gone for many hours a day five or six days a week, I fed in the manner described above, (sometimes without the mid day snack though) I have a weird compulsive need to know how much food each cat is getting every day.

I get up 2 1/2 hours before I have to leave the house, regardless of what time I have to leave, I need that much time to make sure everyone is properly fed and medicated in the morning.

Each cat has his or her own Meal Spot, and (mostly) they wait at that spot for their dishes to be put in front of them.  Actually three of the four cats have more than one meal spot, because they are slow eaters.  My gobbler eats in one spot only.  She is fed last of the four, but is always finished first, which is why the other cats have alternative spots they get their dishes moved to, to keep her from barging in.  I feed her even smaller amounts, more often to slow her down, but even so, she still manages to barge and steal if I am not vigilant in being The Dreaded Cat Food Police.

Offline Lola

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Re: Feeding times debate
« Reply #5 on: June 30, 2011, 10:49:24 PM »
I started keeping a cat journal back in 1985 when my then cat developed asthma, and then cystitis.  I just kept the habit up, even when I did have a stretch of a few years when all cats were healthy and all ate the same diet. I can barely remember what that is like, I have had special needs cats and special diets now going on 10 years.

But I have always schedule fed.

I currently have four cats on four different diets. I am fortunate these days my working life is such that I am able to come home for lunch most days, but even when I can't, or even in the days when I was gone for many hours a day five or six days a week, I fed in the manner described above, (sometimes without the mid day snack though) I have a weird compulsive need to know how much food each cat is getting every day.

I get up 2 1/2 hours before I have to leave the house, regardless of what time I have to leave, I need that much time to make sure everyone is properly fed and medicated in the morning.

Each cat has his or her own Meal Spot, and (mostly) they wait at that spot for their dishes to be put in front of them.  Actually three of the four cats have more than one meal spot, because they are slow eaters.  My gobbler eats in one spot only.  She is fed last of the four, but is always finished first, which is why the other cats have alternative spots they get their dishes moved to, to keep her from barging in.  I feed her even smaller amounts, more often to slow her down, but even so, she still manages to barge and steal if I am not vigilant in being The Dreaded Cat Food Police.

OH MY GOSH!!!!  No wonder you have a journal.   :o

None of ours (other than our one male...past urinary issues) have any medical issues.  Thank goodness. 

Everyone gets extra water added to their meals, because of our one male.  No one minds though.  BUT...too much water and one's (often referred to as Poopy Pants) stools get loose for some reason.  Haven't figured that one out.  So, everyone gets the same amount of water added to their food. 

Only two eat from "their" plates and have to have their places in a certain order of the line-up.  The others, pick a seat and eat.  The larger cats "clean-up" what the smaller ones leave behind. (That's the reason everyone is weighed every week, at this time.)

One can't tolerate the beef flavors I have tried, so no one gets beef.   

One brand/flavor may give, one or two, constipation issues (even with added water).  Or one brand/flavor may give one or two loose stools.  Those brands/flavors get removed from the rotation entirely.

Basically, any brand/flavor that creates any issues...gone!

My goal is to feed everyone the same brand/flavor...without any consequences.  That is the reasons it is been such a loooooong road finding 3 brands/flavors that I can rotate. 

Maybe I should "lighten up" a bit.   :)

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Offline Tasha

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Re: Feeding times debate
« Reply #6 on: July 01, 2011, 10:01:24 AM »
We do four small meals per day~ I am able to get home for lunch so that helps a lot  ;D

It's easier for me with only 2 to feed  :D

I also add a little water to each plate & weigh them frequently.  thumbsup1

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