Category: cat

If your cat is anything like mine, he’ll come bounding into the kitchen and rub against your ankles, purring anytime he gets a whiff of food being prepared. When your cat does this, it’s easy to think that they must be hungry—but that’s not necessarily the case.

Overfeeding your cat can lead to obesity, which in turn, can result in illnesses, such as arthritis and a shorter lifespan. At the same time, a cat that isn’t getting enough food each day will quickly lose weight, which also leads to serious health problems.

So, how many times, exactly, should a cat eat each day? The answer will depend on various factors, including your cat’s age and health, but typically, an adult cat should only be fed two meals per day.

Keep reading for a more detailed feeding schedule!

How Much Should You Feed Your Cat?

When figuring out how much to feed your cat each day, consider your cat’s age, size, activity level, health, and body condition.

Feeding by Age

Kittens

Kittens must be fed more regularly throughout the day than older cats. They are growing at an incredible rate, and if they don’t get the correct amount of nutrients and calories, this could result in health problems when they are older.

Kittens under the age of six months should be fed 4–5 times per day. Between 6–12 months old, feed your kitten three times per day.

Bear in mind that every kitten is different, and if you’re uncertain whether your kitten is getting too much or not enough, speak to your veterinarian.

Adult Cats

You should aim to feed your cat twice per day—once in the morning, and once in the evening. Try to feed your cat at the same time each day. Cats are creatures of habit and they’ll appreciate the regular schedule, but there are other benefits too.

With a regular schedule, you’ll quickly notice if your cat’s feeding habits have changed, for example, if they aren’t eating as much as usual. This will alert you if there’s a health issue. Typically, an adult cat needs around 30 calories per pound of its body weight, per day. For example, an 8 lb cat would require around 240 calories—split over two meals.

Depending on your cat’s overall health and activity levels, it may need either fewer or more calories than the average cat.

Pregnant or Nursing Cats

Pregnant cats will need to consume one and a half times to double the amount of food they would usually need. You could even switch to kitten food at this time to help her get the extra nutrients she needs.

Nursing takes a lot of energy, and your cat could need up to quadruple the amount of food she usually consumes.

Pregnancy can cause cats to go off their food. If you notice your cat not eating properly, you should contact a veterinarian for advice.

Your Cat’s Health

Consider any health issues your cat has when planning out its feeding schedule.

Diabetes: If your cat needs insulin injections, you’ll probably need to schedule their feeding times around these. Speak to a veterinarian about how much and when it is best to feed your cat.

Hyperthyroidism: An overactive thyroid will cause your cat to feel hungry all of the time. It’s very easy for these cats to gain too much weight. You could try splitting their daily requirement of food into several smaller meals to see if it helps. Speak to a veterinarian for more advice if your cat is still begging for food.

Tooth problems: As your kitty ages, he may develop gum disease or other dental issues. If you find that your cat is going off dry food as he ages, try switching to wet foods—these should be easier to chew.

Activity Levels

When deciding how much food your cat needs, consider the activity level of your cat. Outdoor cats are likely to be more athletic than house cats. They spend most of the day roaming around the neighborhood—burning lots of calories as they do so!

If you have a house cat, the number of calories they burn throughout the day will differ depending on how active they are. Do they lay around sleeping all day? Or do they get plenty of exercise and play?

Do Cats Get Bored of Eating the Same Food Every Day?

The answer to this question depends on your cat! While some cats certainly wouldn’t mind a little variation in their meals, many would rather stick to what they’re used to. By sticking to what it knows, you and your cat don’t have to worry about sensitivities or stomach upsets.

On the other hand, I like to mix things up for my cat a little bit. Though his diet usually consists of wet food twice a day, I occasionally give him small pieces of cooked, boneless chicken or fish as a treat.

Feel free to treat your cat occasionally, but keep them away from harmful foods, such as grapes, raisins, alcohol, onions, and garlic.

Conclusion

You should try to feed your adult cat twice a day, while kittens will need feeding more regularly. Feeding your cat at the same time each day will help it get into a routine and alert you to any potential health problems if it deviates from its norm.

Whether you opt to go for wet food or dry food, make sure you read the guide on the back of the box and feed your cat the correct number of calories. A veterinarian will be able to tell you how many calories your cat needs each day.

Featured Image Credit: Elizabett, Shutterstock

The post How Many Times a Day Should a Cat Eat? (Feeding Schedule) appeared first on Pet Keen.

Have you ever noticed how, when you’re a bit (or a lot) under the weather, your cat seems to be magnetically drawn to you? You may have fancifully imagined that your beloved cat realized that you were sick and was trying to comfort you. Could there be some truth to that imagining? Does your cat know when you’re sick, or is there another reason for your kitty’s leech-like behavior when you’re ailing?

Interestingly, the answer is yes for both of these reasons. Cats’ amazing olfactory system can be credited for their seemingly prophetic insight. As for the clinginess, well, that probably stems from a desire for self-comfort. Read on to understand more about what this means.

Superb Sense of Smell

Cats’ extraordinarily sensitive olfactory receptors allow them to pick up on so much more than humans can. Although not as highly developed as a dog’s, a cat’s sense of smell is approximately 14 times better than a human’s. They can actually smell the hormone changes that take place when a person is sick. There is no doubt they’re aware when you are not in a state of normal wellness because they can smell the chemical changes that your body is emitting.

Keen Observation

Cats are able to interpret the observable changes in your habits or routine that accompany a period of illness in the same way that humans can. They can sense a change in your mood which, when coupled with a change in your routine, may signal to them that something is not right.

Cats are also able to read your body language and facial expressions in much the same way that we read those of each other, and of our pets.

Many of us are convinced that certain demonstrations of clinginess or “chattiness” on the part of our cat are an acknowledgement that they have noticed a subtle change in us. Of course, not all cats show these or other signs of acknowledgement. It is, therefore, difficult to know for sure whether all cats can make or even interpret their observations, making much of our current understanding and conclusions anecdotal.

So, Why the Clinginess?

Why is it that one of cats’ responses to us being sick is to smother us at every opportunity?  On the one hand, since you’re feeling a bit low and sorry for yourself, you may find this comforting. But, on the other hand, as you’re already uncomfortable and irritable, the clinginess can be frustrating. Are they really trying to comfort you, or could there be another reason for this behavior?

Well, it might be a bit of both. You are your kitty’s special human and it could be that they are unhappy that you’re unhappy and trying to remedy that by showing you affection. Another explanation is that they’re more drawn to you than usual due to the additional heat you emit when you have a fever. You’re like a giant hot water bottle, and we know how alluring that can be to even the most aloof kitty cat!

Do Cats Know You’re Sick Before You Do?

One of the things we love about cats is their aura of mysterious superiority. As devoted kitty owners, many of us suspect that our cats may have insights that we do not. But do these presumed insights enable them to predict impending illness?

This question needs to be broken down to be more accurately addressed. Firstly, do cats know about an undiagnosed but developing illness before you do? Secondly, can cats possibly predict an illness in your future while you are still healthy?

The answer to the first question is almost certainly yes. Before you exhibit outward physical symptoms of illness, there are almost always hormonal and chemical changes taking place while the illness is developing. A cat’s heightened sense of smell enables it to pick up on these changes when you still cannot. That might explain why the day after your cat is smothering you with love and affection, you suddenly find yourself bedridden with the flu! It already knew what you did not—that you were getting sick.

As for the second question, the answer is probably not. The odds are against cats being able to predict the future in this manner. There are many instances of reports where people have believed that a cat predicted illness, or even death, in a seemingly healthy individual. However, the most likely explanation is that the person was already ill, even though no one knew or suspected. The cat had simply sensed those physiological changes through its heightened sense of smell.

Can Cats Sense That You’re Depressed?

Depression in humans is a medical condition just like any other illness, and presents associated hormonal and chemical changes, as well as altered moods and behaviors. For this reason, just as cats can detect these changes in any other “physical” ailment, they can pick them up in a person who is suffering from depression.

Your kitty can sense when you are sad or having a tough time in life, and often will even try and comfort you. There are many anecdotal reports of cats seemingly just “knowing” which human in a room needs to be loved, and going to sit on their lap.

Can Cats Detect Cancer in Humans?

Reports of cats detecting cancer in humans are, once again, anecdotal. No formal studies have been conducted to conclusively prove or disprove this. Certainly, these studies would be challenging to conduct.

However, one could logically conclude, given the extra-sensory benefits possessed by cats, that they could probably pick up the sickness in a human before that person realized they were ill themself. It’s easy to see how cats may have gained a reputation for being able to detect cancer, viewed in this light.

Conclusion

Although your kitty may not be psychic, it certainly has access to senses that, at least to us, seem supernatural. Cats can certainly detect illness in humans and one another before obvious symptoms manifest.

So next time your kitty won’t leave you alone, it may be a good idea to take heed and load up on the Vitamin C and Echinacea, just in case!

Featured Image Credit: Kasefoto, Shutterstock

The post Do Cats Know When You’re Sick? Everything You Need to Know! appeared first on Pet Keen.