Cat Owner's Manual › Chapter 5: Cat Food & Nutrition › How to Feed Your Cat ›

How to Feed Your Cat

In general, it is inadvisable to "free feed"—that is, to leave a bowl of food sitting out all day so the feline can serve itself. While younger cats tend to regulate their intake, overeating and obesity become greater concerns as the feline ages and its activity level declines. Also, in multi-cat households it is difficult to determine which unit consumes how much.

The best approach is to select a standard time to offer a meal (it should not vary from day to day), then present the food. In most cases there will be no question of leftovers; once the cat understands the system, it will polish off each portion rapidly. Two meals a day, one in the morning and one in the evening (to correspond to the feline's traditional hunting times), are sufficient for an adult cat. Make sure, however, that its total portion does not exceed the unitís recommended daily caloric intake.

Very young kittens can have as much food as they care to consume, usually provided in three- or four-times-a-day feedings. As the kitten ages, gradually decrease the frequency of feedings. A 6-month-old cat should be ready for the standard two-a-day regimen.

expert tipEXPERT TIP: Feeding the cat during family mealtimes may prevent the feline from milling around the table, begging for scraps.

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Chapter 5: Cat Food & Nutrition

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Quirk BooksThe Cat Owner's Manual is a basic guide to cat care.
The book was written by a celebrated veterinarian and an acclaimed author. It provides cat owners with well-researched and helpful information presented in a lighthearted manner. The creators chose to write the book in a style similar to what you'd find in "operating instructions" for a car or computer. Of course they--and we--respect the fact that our beloved pets are not products or machines!