Am I over feeding my kitten?
Okay so I recently got a new male kitten. He is about 11weeks old and verry lazy. I have been giving him about a cup and a half of food a day. (Around 10am each morning) He eats the whole bowl of food by like 3, and he is getting very fat and I have only had him for three weeks.
My questions are….
Is this too much food for him? If it is too much food how much should I give him a day? And do kittens need to be fed more then once a day?
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“I work for an animal hospital and I am the unofficial nutritional guru. Iams is a good quality food and it will tell you on the side of the bag how much is appropriate for his age and possibly weight. Early in life a kitten needs good nutrition and a balanced diet. Feeding as much as he would would like to eat may lead to an obesity problem later. ‘Free feeding’ ( leaving dry food in a bowl all day) is usually the problem. Meal feeding is feeding a specific amount so many times a day will reduce weight gain. 1 cup of food for a 4 month old kitten sounds reasonable but reduce that closer to a year of age to about ½ to ¾ cup. It doesn’t sound like much but cats requirements are no more than a ½ cup daily. I have 5 and they all look great because of meal feeding. Congrats on using wet food as treats only. I use it as a treat for my guys as well, they get about a teaspoon once weekly.”
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070116065528AAezXXk
Kitten Feeding Guidelines: 4 – 19 Weeks Of Age
1 lb. kitten: ¼ cup per day
2 lb. kitten: ½ cup per day
4 lb. kitten: 1 cup per day
6 lb. kitten 1½ cup per day
8 lb. kitten: 2 cups per day
Kitten Feeding Guidelines: 20 – 29 Weeks Of Age
2 lb. kitten: ¼ cup per day
4 lb. kitten: ½ cup per day
6 lb. kitten: ¾ cup per day
8 lb. kitten: 1 cup per day
10 lb. kitten: 1¼ cups per day
Kitten Feeding Guidelines: 30 – 39 Weeks Of Age
4 lb. kitten: ⅓ cup per day
6 lb. kitten: ½ cup per day
8 lb. kitten: ¾ cup per day
10 lb. kitten: 1 cup per day
12 lb. kitten: 1¼ cups per day
Try giving your kitten only ¼ of a cup at a time so that he doesn’t eat it all at once. Make sure to include wet food as well.
Kitten Feeding Guidelines: 40 – 49 Weeks Of Age
4 lb. kitten: ⅓ cup per day
6 lb. kitten: ½ cup per day
8 lb. kitten: ⅔ cup per day
10 lb. kitten: ¾ cup per day
12 lb. kitten: 1 cup per day
your first mistake was not posting pictures of an 11 week old kitten
@Trillian My kitten was getting too fat when I was “Free Feeding” dry food.
She told me Iams was good, but canned food was better for my then adult cat, (to prevent feline diabetes) and that I should be feeding her one 5.5 oz. can a day. Half in the AM and half in the PM.
Babies should be fed several times a day: at 11 weeks, I would feed at least three times a day. Feed as much as he’ll eat in about 10–15 minutes and then pick it up until the next feeding. Make sure that you feed a good quality kitten food.
@papayalily
From week 50 on pussycats need not be fed anymore? ~
Get a food ball for your kitten. Put the food in the ball and the kitten will have to work for his dinner. This will help keep your cat active and entertained.
If he is getting fat, that is a good sign that you are overfeeding him.
@rebbel No, that’s just the age at which they are considered adult cats and you go by the adult cat chart.
@rebbel Oh. I’m a little sarcasm impaired today..
As far as I’m concerned, if it’s still alive, then you’re overfeeding it.
No, I’m not a cat person.
Should he be getting kitten food? I have been giving him the same food that I give my two oldest cats. Is that bad?. One is 17(YUP 17yrs old! Lol) and one is 7..
Yes, he should absolutely be on kitten food. Has he had his first visit to the vet yet? A large belly can also be a sign of intestinal parasites (worms).
@papayalily Are you an expert, or do you have a source for your answer?
@syz No he hasnt been to the vet yet.. My mom doesnt want to pay for it.. So im not really sure what to do about that part.
If he were to have worms what should I look for?
@Brenna_o Part of being a responsible pet owner is giving a pet the medical care that it needs to live a happy, healthy life. According to the ASPCA, the cost for the first year of a cat’s life is $1035.00. Part of that cost is a series of vaccinations to prevent disease (of which, rabies vaccination is required by law), spaying or neutering to prevent pet overpopulation (that results in the euthanasia of millions of animals each year in shelters), and providing a good diet.
If your mom does not plan to have the cat properly cared for, I would strongly urge that you find it a good home with a family that has the ability or the willingness to give it proper veterinary care.
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