It’s an age old question: how often should you feed your cat? The answer may surprise you!
If you have a kitty you already know what its answer will be (“all day, please”), but do you know what the experts are saying?
Do you think that your favorite feline would be pleased with five meals a day? I know mine would! Believe it or not researchers believe that treating your fur-baby to five meals a day will actually combat cat obesity.
Felines in the wild eat little bites around the clock, and our modern-day practice of feeding our domesticated friends two large meals a day may be making cats fat.
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Some scientists reason that having a large amount of food available to them leads cats to devour it all, instead of just what satiates them.
According to Dr. Sarah Ellis, a feline behavior specialist, cats have retained an instinctual need to hunt. “The way we feed our cats generally does not match the lifestyle they were designed for…cats have undergone little in the way of selective breeding during the domestication process.”
Wild cats will spend up to 12 hours in search of food. Of course this activity burns more calories but it also means that they are consuming smaller amounts in a more distributed amount of time.
Researchers recommend mimicking other conditions in the wild for your own little lions in order to keep them mentally stimulated.
The idea is to make meal time a bit more like, “hunting,” time. But don’t worry, these suggestions call for a minimum of fuss and muss!
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You can make food time fun by hiding small bites in store bought toys, or make your own using an empty toilet paper roll.
They also suggest placing the food dish in different locations as a way of keeping your cat mentally alert.
So, which of these suggestions are you going to try for your favorite kitty? Let us know how your cat responds in the comments section below!
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I have never owned a cat, so I just assumed it was once or twice a day like dogs. Good to know if I ever get a cat.
I have never owned a cat, so I just assumed it was once or twice a day like dogs. Good to know if I ever get a cat.
This is great information. I don’t have any pets, but it sounds like it would be fun to make them find their food every day.
This is great information. I don’t have any pets, but it sounds like it would be fun to make them find their food every day.
I like the idea of moving the food around so they stay mentally alert. Our cats have a few of those food puzzles.
I like the idea of moving the food around so they stay mentally alert. Our cats have a few of those food puzzles.
My cats are not over eaters so I can just leave the bowl full. I had a cat before that would keep eating as long as there was food in the bowl.
I have 2 cats and i have always made sure that their bowl is always full. They don’t chow it all down all at once, they go in for little bites about 5-6 times a day. My cats are not over weight so this may be why! I am definitely going to try putting some treats in a toilet paper roll though, love that!
My cats are not over eaters so I can just leave the bowl full. I had a cat before that would keep eating as long as there was food in the bowl.
My Bella the cat eating 3-4 times a day, this is really helpful tips and ideas! I’m glad that I learned from you.
I don’t own a cat but I know someone who had her new cat last day!
I have 2 cats and i have always made sure that their bowl is always full. They don’t chow it all down all at once, they go in for little bites about 5-6 times a day. My cats are not over weight so this may be why! I am definitely going to try putting some treats in a toilet paper roll though, love that!
My Bella the cat eating 3-4 times a day, this is really helpful tips and ideas! I’m glad that I learned from you.
I don’t own a cat but I know someone who had her new cat last day!
Interesting information for cats! We have dogs but I think there are similar guidelines as well.
It is interesting that cats eat differently than dogs.
I do see a lot of fat cats around my area.
Interesting information for cats! We have dogs but I think there are similar guidelines as well.
It is interesting that cats eat differently than dogs.
I do see a lot of fat cats around my area.
I know nothing about cats! I have never owned one, so this is really helpful and interesting!
We feed our cats in the morning and we have 3. By night time theres still some in the bowl, so we just refresh their water. They are grazers and generally nibble all day on and off.
I know nothing about cats! I have never owned one, so this is really helpful and interesting!
I feed the cats 3 times a day but I don’t fill the bowl. I don’t have to move the bowl because for some reason my cats like to fling the food on the floor then go eat it…crazy I know!
that’s interesting that your cat flings his food. i have cats, they don’t, but my dog that sadly i recently lost to a seizure did that. she would fling her food around making quite the lil mess 🙂
if anyone knows what animals do that i’d love to hear from you.
thanks!
We feed our cats in the morning and we have 3. By night time theres still some in the bowl, so we just refresh their water. They are grazers and generally nibble all day on and off.
I feed the cats 3 times a day but I don’t fill the bowl. I don’t have to move the bowl because for some reason my cats like to fling the food on the floor then go eat it…crazy I know!
that’s interesting that your cat flings his food. i have cats, they don’t, but my dog that sadly i recently lost to a seizure did that. she would fling her food around making quite the lil mess 🙂
if anyone knows what animals do that i’d love to hear from you.
thanks!
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