How much is enough or too much?

[Mme. Defarge]

My 2 8–year-old Snowshoe sisters, which is a fairly large domestic cat breed, have recently started wanting more food. Perhaps because because they were rescued cats and may have experienced real hunger during their 1st year, they have hardly ever left food in their dishes. Not wanting to over feed them, I have been giving them each a total of 1 can of Fancy Feast per day along with 1/2 cup of dry food in the morning in a common bowl. Plus a small amount of treats or dry food right before bedtime.

As the weather has gotten colder this season, however, they’ve started wanting more food before setting down for the day. So, my question is, how much is enough, or too much?

[secondwind]

1. I wouldn't know how to respond, but it seems to me that

a can of food each plus half a cup of dry sounds like plenty to me. I’ve had both dogs and cats. Just my two cents.

[piddyprints]

2. Go by their weight and body condition.

Bigger cats will need more food than smaller cats. Feel their ribs. You should be able to feel them, like the back of your hand. If they feel like your knuckles, they are too thin and need more food. If they feel like your palms, they need less food. If they're perfect now and are hungry, try a little more food and see if they stay somewhat the same.

Of course, they may disagree and keep us guessing all the time. I mean, they're cats.

[SheltieLover]

3. Fancy Feast put a lot of weight on my Snowshoe.

She is a rescue as well, who has always had food issues, presumably from being food deprived as a stray.

I originally began feeding Fancy Feast Classic Pate because it is supposed to be a good "diet" food at only 99 cal per can. She is now up to 16 lbs from eating that. 😓

I've recently switched her to Evanger's organic chicken at the rec of another DUer. (TY!) as it's real chicken vs Fancy Feast's byproduct & meal protein. Ick!

Grains & carragenan can affect cat digestion, I've found from researching her weight problem.

Also, cats must lose weight very slowly for health reasons, so please be careful.

Weight gain can also be causal to idiopathic urinary tract infections, which she has had in the past.

My girl will not play with anything, so I've bought her a very tall kitty tree to increase her activity level. She loves her tree! Took to it immediately & at least is getting a bit more exercise.

I can't say she has lost any weight yet, but within 2 days of beginning to feed the Evanger's (about 1 month ago), her coat is once again very shiney! A good indication that I'm on the right track here.

Every 3 hours, she demands food. If shd doesn't get fed, she gets very frantic - banging cabinet doors, trying go knock my phone ouf of my hands, etc., then she throws up.

I also feed her tiny amounts of Blue Indoor dry formula when she demands food.

I also bought Doc & Phoebe's feeding system. These are 3 plastic mice-shaped plastic food holders, covered with fabric that she is supposed to hunt for. No luck yet, but I haven't been digent in transitioning her dry food to this system (again, in hopes of increasing activity level).

Here are links to these products, if they are of interest:

Tall heavy duty cat tree (on sale now for $114. I paid $132 a couple of months ago - 5 star reviews)

https://www.chewy.com/frisco-76-in-xxl-heavy-duty-cat-tree/dp/240966

Doc & Phoebe's Indoor Cat Feeding System (4 star reviews)

https://www.chewy.com/doc-phoebes-cat-co-indoor-hunting-cat/dp/179102

Evanger's organic chicken (4 star reviews - a bit more expensive, but these are much larger cans than Fancy Feast & still 24 cans - $49.39 with 5% autoship discount.)

https://www.chewy.com/evangers-organics-braised-chicken/dp/44998

I hope this helps. It's an ongoing struggle here with her weight. I've bought every type of cat toy known to humans. She will not play.

I also bought her Japanese Silvervine to try to get her to play as she is not affected by catnip, but have yet to try it.

Please let us know how your babies are doing.

I hope this info is helpful.

[Mme. Defarge]

5. Wow!

Thank you so much for all of your great information and suggestions. The first order of business is looking into the cat tree! My girls are indoor cats and, like yours, other than dragging stuff around at night, they want nothing to do with toys.

[2naSalit]

4. Hmmm...

Indoor cats, I'm assuming. They probably could actually split a can of wet food a day but you probably should leave dry food available to them at all times. Cats are sporadic eaters so leaving them dry food available, something with nutritional value, and cut the wet food down, be gradual, they may settle down. They eat to stay warm and they may sense the current conditions and have a response by asking for more food since you mete it out. There is also a psychological security in having something available at any time. It's kind of a trade you may with them for keeping them from being hunters.

Just my 2 cents.

[Mme. Defarge]

6. Yes, they are indoor cats.

And I agree with you that staying warm could be a factor. In the fall I took Gracie in for a lion cut - her first one - to deal with her excess of matted fur. And discovered she’s much leaner than she looked! Her increased appetite started after that, leaving less food for Katie.

In case you wanted to know, because Snowshoes are an American breed from Philadelphia in the 1950’s - a blend of Siamese and American shorthair and characterized by vivid blue eyes - I named them after two blue-eyed actresses from Philadelphia of that era, Grace Kelly and Katherine Hepburn, aka Princess Grace and Kate the Great. Yes, I go back…

[2naSalit]

7. I like the names!

And I remember those actresses, too.

I'd gradually rebalance the wet/dry food amounts. Cats get fat on wet food not dry food. The idea that there is something there is a big thing for them, I have found. My mom had a couple snowshoes in her day, sweet cats. If they always have the dry food out, they will need less wet food.

[Ziggysmom]

8. I'd prefer to go by weight. Have they been to the vet recently where a weight was

recorded? I hop on the scale while holding my kids, and then just subtract my weight each month to see if they have gained or lost any weight.

[SlimJimmy]

9. Funny story.

I took our rescue Havanese in for his annual physical, and the vet said that he was not at his "optimal" weight. I asked directly if she thought he was a "fat boy", and she said with a smile, "Well, yes, that's one way to put it." So, it's a bit of a diet for him - the voracious eater that he is. Bottom line, just watch their weight and adjust accordingly.