Anyone know how many calories

[SpiritFngrz]

a 10 lb. cat should get each day? Or a good website where I can find out that's not going to give me an excessive number so I run out of food quicker...

[a-bull]

Does this help??

Age Body Weight Ounces of Dry Food Ounces of Canned Food
10 weeks 2.0-2.4 lbs 2.5-3.0 oz 7.3-8.9 oz
20 weeks 4.2-5.5 lbs 2.8-3.7 oz 8.0-10.5 oz
30 weeks 5.5-8.4 lbs 2.8-4.2 oz 8.1-12.4 oz
40 weeks 6.4-8.4 lbs 2.6-3.4 oz 7.6-9.9 oz
Adult Active 4.8-9.9 lbs 2.0-4.0 oz 5.7-11.8 oz
Adult Inactive 4.8-9.9 lbs 1.7-3.2 oz 5.0-10.3 oz
Senior Adult 4.8-9.9 lbs 2.3-4.3 oz 6.7-7.7 oz
Pregnancy 5.5-8.0 lbs 2.8-4.4 oz 8.1-13.0 oz
Giving Milk* 4.8-8.8 lbs 6.1-11.1 oz 17.8-32.4 oz

(from http://www.2ndchance.info)


I've been scrounging around for info., too, because I have one that's major fat and I'm getting worried about diabetes because he's older, too.

[mnp13]

It all depends on the food you are feeding. My friend switched from Eukanuba to Wellness and kept feeding the same amount... her cats about doubled in size.

[SisMorphine]

Wait you're supposed to feed cats?! Good thing you told me now. These buggers have been here for 5 days.

This world of feline nutrition is new to me. These two are completely rejecting the raw I'm offering up. Little bastards.

[a-bull]

Wait you're supposed to feed cats?! Good thing you told me now. These buggers have been here for 5 days.

This world of feline nutrition is new to me. These two are completely rejecting the raw I'm offering up. Little bastards.

Just remember what cats eat in the wild, and work from there---mice, birds, etc. They're not running around eating berries. They're also not eating cows or pork.

Canned catfood is probably your best bet. No kibbles, if possible. (Cats get alot of their fluid intake from their food).

[SpiritFngrz]

Cleo does love the Merrick, so I am keeping her on that. She gets no kibble anymore. And because of that, you're right, she is drinking a lot less water too because she's getting it from the can. Her chubbiness (except for her hang-belly) is pretty much gone. She actually has a "waist". I was feeding her about 1/2 of the can a day but I don't know, that seemed like too little. Now I am feeding her 2/3 of a can a day, and I don't know if this is too much! The recommended on the back of the can seems definitely too much.

Her favs are Grammy's, Thanksgiving Dinner, Ocean Breeze, and Turducken

[a-bull]

I have one fat boy that I just can't get the weight off of. I may have to seperate him from the others when he eats so he doesn't steal their chow.

Multi-cat homes, especially feral, are tough.

[SpiritFngrz]

yah I'll bet! For 2 years I've struggled with the crap weight food the vets were recommending me. Switched her to Merrick canned and within a month already noticed a difference in her body.

[a-bull]

I'd switch food, but they get mad sick (vomit city!! ) whenever I do.

You haven't lived until you have a multi-cat home on a vomit jag.

[SisMorphine]

Wait you're supposed to feed cats?! Good thing you told me now. These buggers have been here for 5 days.

This world of feline nutrition is new to me. These two are completely rejecting the raw I'm offering up. Little bastards.

Just remember what cats eat in the wild, and work from there---mice, birds, etc. They're not running around eating berries. They're also not eating cows or pork.

Canned catfood is probably your best bet. No kibbles, if possible. (Cats get alot of their fluid intake from their food).

Well they will eat a tiny bit of wet food and will mow on dry. So per my nutritionist I'm switching them to Evo (since it's the closest to natural you can get with dry food) and continuing to offer the raw (chicken), perhaps mixed with their normal canned food until they develop a taste for it. These little bastards are picky! Eventually these cats will be on raw, damnit! Even if it takes me years to accomplish it!

Though I will say, even though they're confined, just having them in the house has sent the mice in the kennel a runnin'. I haven't seen evidence of a mouse down there since Monday. Amazing!! But if the mice come back they'll be let loose on 'em

[SisMorphine]

Just remember: when feeding an all mush diet (ie: canned) your cats have no way to clean their teeth so you have to do hand brushing. This is where the kibble comes in handy if the cat isn't going to eat whole raw.

My cat (that lives with my parents . . . my first pet ever!) is 18 years old and has every single tooth in her head, and the vet said that none of them need to come out. This cat is CRAZY and she despises wet food, will only eat dry period and has been that way since the day we brought her home at 8 weeks. I tried to switch her to raw when I switched Wally and she licked the chicken neck and went back to her IVD. Brat. But either way, when I worked at the vet's office we used to have young cats, 7-12, coming in and having 4 or 5 teeth removed because they were rotting out of their heads. There was a 13 year old cat that had only 3 teeth left. Due in part to genetics and in part to improper dental care. It's a big thing.

[a-bull]

Oh, even one cat is great for keeping rodents at bay. I think they smell the cats and just don't even dare.

If your guys don't get fat on the dry and don't vomit, no biggie, as long as they're getting what they need and they have access to fresh water all the time.

Cats are tough. They will seriously starve themselves before they'll eat something they don't like.

If worse comes to worse, all cats seem to like Friskies wet food---any of the chicken flavors---and they get what they need out of it.

[a-bull]

Just remember: when feeding an all mush diet (ie: canned) your cats have no way to clean their teeth so you have to do hand brushing. This is where the kibble comes in handy if the cat isn't going to eat whole raw.

My cat (that lives with my parents . . . my first pet ever!) is 18 years old and has every single tooth in her head, and the vet said that none of them need to come out. This cat is CRAZY and she despises wet food, will only eat dry period and has been that way since the day we brought her home at 8 weeks. I tried to switch her to raw when I switched Wally and she licked the chicken neck and went back to her IVD. Brat. But either way, when I worked at the vet's office we used to have young cats, 7-12, coming in and having 4 or 5 teeth removed because they were rotting out of their heads. There was a 13 year old cat that had only 3 teeth left. Due in part to genetics and in part to improper dental care. It's a big thing.

I feed some kibble, but not much at all. It's high in carbs, not easily digested, they don't get enough fluid from it---which is critical in cats (mostly male) that are prone to crystals---and it doesn't really have the ingredients most cats need.

You'll be interested to know I've seen a difference in what diet works for my domestics and what diet works for my ferals.

[Magnolia618]

all cats seem to like Friskies wet food

All dogs seem to like gravy train!

[SisMorphine]

I feed some kibble, but not much at all. It's high in carbs, not easily digested, they don't get enough fluid from it---which is critical in cats (mostly male) that are prone to crystals---and it doesn't really have the ingredients most cats need.

You'll be interested to know I've seen a difference in what diet works for my domestics and what diet works for my ferals.

That's the good thing about switching them from Royal Canin to Evo. The Royal Canine is filled with corn and other crap. The Evo is no grain, low card, high protein. Best you can get as far as kibble goes (unless there's one with even less out there . . . let me know if there is but I do trust the opinion of my nutritionist). But like I said, the ultimate goal for these little monsters is to eventually have them eating raw. I think I'm going to get some mackarel when I get home from my weekend away and try that with them. Eventually we'll work up to a whole prey model for them. I can't stomach it for the dogs

And very interesting about the house cats vs. the ferals. I'd assume it's because the ferals do more hunting??

[SpiritFngrz]

What kind of raw are you trying to feed the Sis? Chicken? Maybe if you mix some with Grammy's Pot Pie or Thanksgiving Dinner they will eventually get used to it.

[a-bull]

I feed some kibble, but not much at all. It's high in carbs, not easily digested, they don't get enough fluid from it---which is critical in cats (mostly male) that are prone to crystals---and it doesn't really have the ingredients most cats need.

You'll be interested to know I've seen a difference in what diet works for my domestics and what diet works for my ferals.

That's the good thing about switching them from Royal Canin to Evo. The Royal Canine is filled with corn and other crap. The Evo is no grain, low card, high protein. Best you can get as far as kibble goes (unless there's one with even less out there . . . let me know if there is but I do trust the opinion of my nutritionist). But like I said, the ultimate goal for these little monsters is to eventually have them eating raw. I think I'm going to get some mackarel when I get home from my weekend away and try that with them. Eventually we'll work up to a whole prey model for them. I can't stomach it for the dogs

And very interesting about the house cats vs. the ferals. I'd assume it's because the ferals do more hunting??

I have no idea. My guess was just that their habits are closer to their 'wild' kin rather than the domestics, who love luxury, .

I'll be curious to see if your guys like Mackerel. None of mine really like fish.

You're lucky to have a nutritionist for your animals. Where does one find such a person??

[a-bull]

all cats seem to like Friskies wet food

All dogs seem to like gravy train!

Is that true??? I can honestly say that's one that I don't think I've ever fed my dogs.

[SisMorphine]

I feed some kibble, but not much at all. It's high in carbs, not easily digested, they don't get enough fluid from it---which is critical in cats (mostly male) that are prone to crystals---and it doesn't really have the ingredients most cats need.

You'll be interested to know I've seen a difference in what diet works for my domestics and what diet works for my ferals.

That's the good thing about switching them from Royal Canin to Evo. The Royal Canine is filled with corn and other crap. The Evo is no grain, low card, high protein. Best you can get as far as kibble goes (unless there's one with even less out there . . . let me know if there is but I do trust the opinion of my nutritionist). But like I said, the ultimate goal for these little monsters is to eventually have them eating raw. I think I'm going to get some mackarel when I get home from my weekend away and try that with them. Eventually we'll work up to a whole prey model for them. I can't stomach it for the dogs

And very interesting about the house cats vs. the ferals. I'd assume it's because the ferals do more hunting??

I have no idea. My guess was just that their habits are closer to their 'wild' kin rather than the domestics, who love luxury, .

I'll be curious to see if your guys like Mackerel. None of mine really like fish.

You're lucky to have a nutritionist for your animals. Where does one find such a person??

Well my nutritionist now was my nutrition instructor in school. There is also another nutritionist in the area that half of the training center uses. I have not yet met her (just an fyi: everyone who works for the training center feeds raw) but she is on our list of recommended in the area.

I would go ask around at training centers and higher end pet stores about nutritionists in your area.

[Magnolia618]

all cats seem to like Friskies wet food

All dogs seem to like gravy train!

Is that true??? I can honestly say that's one that I don't think I've ever fed my dogs.

The dogs at the shelter I worked at went nuts for it

That stuff is EVIL.