My cat is healthy free-feeding. Should I switch to scheduled meals?

Question

For the past 5 years my cat has been free-fed. I know there are chances of obesity, diabetes and more if you free feed them. But my cat is not overweight, seems pretty healthy. Should I change it to meals or keep the free-feeding if my cat is doing fine? Pet's info: Cat | British Shorthair | Male | 5 years and 8 months old | 9 lbs

Andrea M. Brodie, DVM · Accepted Answer

if your cat is of normal weight and gets enough exercise, you can leave it at that. If you prefer to feed individual meals (2-3 times a day) you should slowly transition to wet/canned food and slowly reduce the dry food. Wet food overall is better for your cat, especially when a cat gets older. It contains less carbohydrates (cats are obligatory carnivores, so mainly need protein, not carbs), lessens the chance of your cat becoming a diabetic, and ensures that your cat gets more moisture with its food rather than having to drink more. If you feed canned food, stick with pate-type food, as cats tend to only lick off the gravy in chunky type foods. They prefer the ground mouse approach :D

My cat is healthy free-feeding. Should I switch to scheduled meals?

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