Indoor bred cats love being around their favorite people and enjoy their surroundings, but their movement is limited. Since they are a little less active, careful consideration needs to be put into their feeding routine, which would otherwise pose a problem to their health and weight.
What to feed?
Depending on your cat breed, you may choose to go with complete homemade food or commercial cat food. Some owners want to feed their pet only home prepared meals, because the packaged food may come with preservatives and other synthetic additives. Some prefer only commercial cat food and others may go for a combination of homemade as well as packaged food.
When it comes to commercial food, there’s an array of options available in the market. Dry, wet, semi-solid and canned food. Each product differs in ingredients, calories and nutrients. Choose one that is high in protein and other essential nutrients. The packaged food may also comes with instructions on how much you need to feed. Know more about cat foods and nutrition for different ages here.
How much to feed?
As a first time cat parent, you may have this question about the right quantity of food to give to your pet. It is not easy to determine it, as many factors need to be considered, such as cat breed type, cat’s weight and age. You may choose to free-feed your cat and if your cat stays healthy and in good shape, then you may continue to do so. Some cats also do well, when they are given smaller feedings, multiple times in a day. This routine also ensures they stay fit and healthy.
How to measure?
The measurements depend on the type of food and how dense the food is in protein or calories. You may go with the feeding guidelines on the cat food products, which may mention that an 8 lb. cat requires about 4/5 cup of food. You may slightly adjust the measurements according to how your cat is doing. If he is thin, then increase the quantity slightly more than the given range and if he is a bit chubby, slightly decrease the amount in the given range. It is always better to measure and keep the amount of food to be given for your cat for the entire day separately. You or other members can feed him, as and when needed throughout the day. This will also give you a clear idea on what adjustments need to be made to the quantity and how much is being wasted.
