Anyone who has read any literature about cat feeding would probably have come across "free choice" feeding - whereby owner leaves the recommended amount of dry food for the cats to eat throughout the day, as most cats like to nibble that way. This approach seems to work for most kittens and cats that were reared indoors. However, I am still wondering if it really works for stray cats that are now brought home for fostering, without them turning into severely overweight fur balls.
Stray cats usually gobble up the food that's been given by their caregiver, since they only get fed about twice a day, and they've got to quickly eat before their food get stolen by another.
When Jackie first came, I notice that she did not gobble up her dry food immediately, but would nibble it every now and finish the whole thing over several hours, or not finish everything in her bowl. Since introducing some Solid Gold dry to her food, Jackie's been gobbling up whatever dry food that I leave in her bowl. This happens even after she's had a couple of scoops of wet food beforehand.
Afraid that she may become obese if I continue the free choice feeding, I've started to give her snacks several times a day during the weekends, so as to pace her eating. The result is that she seemed to be always unsatisfied and always waiting for the next round of dry food.
I wonder if I should go back to free choice feeding, and hope that Jackie will automatically stop eating once she gets satiated by eating all that she wants. This approach did not work with an ex-foster cat Billy, whom not only gobbled up his food, but also that of another foster cat who was rescued together with him.
Any ideas or suggestions? What are your experiences with cats at home?
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8 comments:
I think it is the food you feed.
I was told Solid Gold has a higher salt content, which maybe makes the biscuits tastier that ones you fed previously.
The same thing happened to me. I used to feed Beauty on Solid Gold & Nutro & her weight ballooned to a horrifying 9kg. My goodness, I needed a trolley to ferry her around then!
Now she's on Avoderm. She is still eating but she doesn't gobble her food + the exercise she's getting chasing Junior & Carma around the flat, her weight has dropped to around 6.5kg. Phew ...
I intend to switch to Natural Balance soon, which I heard is even better, especially for cats with a sensitive tummy (aka Alex).
Hi Cat. Ahh...that might just be it. I thought it was the high lamb content in Solid Gold that appeals to Jackie.
Are you referring to Natural Balance Ultra Premium? I did consider that but there seems to be quite a lot of "xxx meal" in the ingredients (as opposed to fresh meat), so I chose solid gold instead. But if it causes Jackie to overeat, then I'll have to do something. Thanks for the suggestion.
Calling Vegancat: does Natural Premium (Ultra Premium?) cause your cat to gobble up the food all at once? I know Chinky is rather chubby. :)
I think its Natural Balance - Veal & Peas or something like that.
I can only find 2 types in the shops: Natural Balance Ultra Premium and NB allery formula, and not all shops stock it.
Wow. I have tried many things with the 3 amigos, natural balance ultra premium, avoderm and they would only eat nutro for dry food.
Well what I do with Bujang and the 2 cats is this. I give them a little wet food in the am and the pm. Then I weigh out their dry food. So if they get 60 g per day for eg, I weigh out 20 X 3. Then that is all they get, no matter how many times I feed them, it would still be the amt that they should get per day. I just dole it out several times a day.
But now that I have 3 cats I weigh out 10 per time since they all eat from each other's bowl. It works out the same in the end and no one gets overly fat. Even Bujang has a waist now.
It gives them the illusion that they are eating an endless supply. Hahaha.
San, but you can't be at home always to dole out the food rations, right? :)
Haiz...jackie still likes to gobble up the dry food at once, so no more free choice nibbling.
free feeding will NEVER work in my household. I tried once after moving to our new place, and they just hang around the bistro (the food container) all day long.
nibble.. nibble.. nibble.. more nibble..
then i tried to cut down on the portion i feed by giving less per session. think it fooled them? fat hope ah! they started to demand for food after an hour..
My cats would nibble...nibble then go someplace to play or hang out and usually after 30 minutes or an hour will be back to nibble nibble again. :)
Maybe they are small eaters. There is always some food left in the bowls, so they think it doesn't run out and so they don't have to gobble up everything.
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