12/19 Sam Siam has more questions about food!

[donna & sam siam]

Thanks for all of your suggestions on optional food to buy so as to help the pocketbook. I know all cats are different, but about how much should I expect Sam to want each day? (haven't had a cat in years, only my big ol' 95 lb shepard/collie mix) Yes, he does tend to scarf, but I am thinking that's cause I'm not giving him as much as he would like so he's famished by the time he gets to eat. Before I changed over from dry food he would eat what he wanted and would sometimes leave a bit in the bowl for later, so I don't think he would over stuff himself...however he's told me that canned food is much more tasty! drinking09 Anyhow, I've been going by what the TJs can said for his weight (13 lbs) which was between 1 1/2 - 2 cans (5.5 oz) per day. Been giving him 3/4 can morning & night each, with a few meat or egg scraps as a snack later. Will admit I'm trying to save money, but I think I will up it to a full can for each meal for sure. So...any comparisons/suggestions with what y'all are feeding your kitties?

 

[MommaOfMuse]

Right now while Sam is still unregulated he is literally starving as insulin is what the body uses to process the food he is eating. So right now he probably is more hungry than normal. So you can let him have as much as he wants to eat. My Maxwell tried to eat me out of house and home when I first adopted him, he was putting away close to 3 (5.5oz) cans of friskies a day, then he went OTJ and dropped back to 2 cans a day and now that he has put all his weight back on and has been OTJ for over a year he is down to somewhere between 1 1/2 cans to 2 cans depending on how well he likes the flavor du jour...lol But then again Maxwell is a big boy, tall, long and just plain big, when I adopted him he was 10.5lbs and a walking skeleton now he is a lean 17lbs and looks great.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang

 

[ohbell]

Mr. Sam will probably calm down on the eating once his diabeties is in check.... hang in there, feed as much as he wants and you can afford hehehe. I know my 2 girls eat raw - about 3.5 oz per day and about 5.5-7 oz of canned per day. I am probably over feeding, but plan to monitor a bit better after the holidays. Pooor girls are just starving if momma dont have food down constantly! :shock:
Will he eat until he throws up? sometimes Bean will do that if she eats too fast or too much. That might pose a problem as you will want to make sure he keeps his food down for shot time. I try to put a bit out for Bean and hold off or pick it up in a few min. if it looks like she is eating too fast and too much. She will walk away and up it comes. She does not do this often, but she will.
She has finally gained to 10.10 from her 8 that she was after dx. She used to be 11.8! eeeks...mommy went to craigslist and bought a baby scale (lol), so we all get a weighin in every once in a while.

 

[MommaOfMuse]

Oh yeah you can also free feed wet food, just add a little water and make sure it isn't sitting near a heat source like a heater vent, so that it will stay moist longer. You can also freeze the canned food and put it out frozen so he can nibble at it as it thaws. Just want to make sure you pick up his food a couple hours before his preshot tests so you know you are getting a true number and not a food spike, but other than that let him eat.

All 13 of mine get fed 4 times a day with 3 of those meals straight out of the can with water added and then the last meal before I retire for the night is put out frozen so they can munch all night long if they like. Small frequent meals are better for diabetics.

Mel, Maxwell, Musette & The Fur Gang