My cat eats too fast. Should I free-feed dry food or portion it?

Question

Hi. I have a question about feeding my cat. I wanted to know if it’s best to leave a bowl of dry food out so he can pick at it, or give him handfuls at a time usually when he asks? That’s what I’ve been doing. I tried feeding him an entire bowl of dried food once hoping he’d graze off of it, but ate the entire bowl in one sitting. Now that’s not right. What do I do now? Pet's info: Cat | American Shorthair | Male | neutered | 15 lbs

Linda G, MS, DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello. Just for convenience, most folks just leave a bowl of food out for cats to graze on throughout the day. But if Maximus is overweight, or trending toward being overweight, you will need to control the amount of food he consumes in a day or place him on a metabolic weight control diet. As I see it, cats seem to get hungry, 10 minutes after I turn off the light for bed, so having some available will help me sleep all night. If Maximus is more considerate, & you do not mind feeding when he asks for food, you can certainly do this. Ideally, I would calculate the proper amount he needs daily based on what your bag of food recommends & divide this into 3 feedings, morning, noon or early evening, & the remaining amount for snacking overnight. Remember, if you are feeding for an ideal weight, or for Maximus to lose a little weight you will feed for that weight. In other words, follow the food amount recommendations for a 10 or 12-pound cat if he needs to lose a couple of pounds. Just divide the total daily amount into 3 separate meals. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

My cat eats too fast. Should I free-feed dry food or portion it?

Most Helpful Answer

Related Questions

What fish dog food helps dry skin if my dog eats Science Diet?

What's the best way to feed my hamster when I'm going on a trip?

Can chickens eat bell peppers daily and what about veggie salads?

Is Purina Layer Pellets good for chickens? What other feeds exist?

My newly adopted pet won't eat hay. What can I do to encourage it?

My mice eat all their food together from one bowl. Is this normal?

Share