Caloric needs for the cat??

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Julia Rae

Julia Rae

Member Since 2015
Up till now I have been feeding Magellan aka "the brat" 1 can of fancy feast in the am and 1 at night or half a can of friskies am and pm with no snacks am I under feeding the guy??? If so what is his caloric needs or where can I get a ball park idea???
 
One can of FF twice daily is the norma for a normal cat. However, each cat is different. The key is weighing the cat. If losing weight and that is not wanted increase amount. If gaining weight then reduce.
 
A lot depends on the size of your cat. My 11.5 lb cat eats a little under 2 cans of Fancy Feast each day, and I let her eat as much as she wants during three meals (and a fixed amount for a fourth meal). As Larry and Kitties said, the best way to tell how something is working is to get routine weights. I weigh once/week to watch for any upward or downward trends. Be careful if using a human scale and weighing yourself then yourself + cat, your readings may not be very accurate, so you might see some jumps up and down, but it's the overall trend that matters. A lot of people here like to get baby scales for more accurate readings.
 
I am SO glad this question was asked because I am having one heck of a time with Morrigan. She was at 15.8 lbs pre-diagnosis then, went down to 14 lbs at diagnosis, then hovered around the 14.4 lb mark for most of the past 6 months. Ten days ago, she was examined by our vet because she lowered her eating amounts. I had done an EVERY HOUR curve (vet instructed as HIS choice, NOT my choice for sure with a snarly kitty). He looked at both and then, weighed her. She'd gained a pound and was at 15.4. Now...she's not wanting to eat much at all (lucky to get in 180 cals the past couple of days). Of course, being a holiday, they're closed now until Jan. 4th and her regular vet is not back until Jan. 7th. So, now I'm concerned, of course. He checked everything 10 days or so ago (teeth, blood work etc.) and it was all fine...except for wanting the numbers a bit lower still but, we agreed upon trying a diet change SLOWLY (colitis for her in any changes) and see if we can't lower that number before upping the dose again. I'm a wreck, of course.

Julia Rae...Magellan is the same weight as Morrigan (roughly) and seemingly, the same build. Are you restricting his eating or that's as much as he wants?
 
Larry and Kitties said:
One can of FF twice daily is the norma for a normal cat. However, each cat is different. The key is weighing the cat. If losing weight and that is not wanted increase amount. If gaining weight then reduce.
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Larry and Kitties, roughly, how many calories per day would you say FF would amount to at 2 cans/day (Morrigan can't eat canned food).
 
One can of FF can vary in calories depending on the flavor, but roughly 80-95 calories in a can. That is pretty low for a 15lb cat unless you are trying to get him to lose weight. I believe FF recommends a can per 6-8lbs of cat.

There are a lot of questions in the forum about feeding based on "a can" of food. The calories in the can is what matters and the size of the cat. A 3.5oz can of Wellness Chicken is 120 calories, a 3.5oz can of Fancy Feast Chicken Classic is 91 calories. HUGE difference in the calories and could be the difference between not enough and gaining weight.

Some cats will gain weight on far less calories that others. The usual starting point is 20cals per pound and adjust up or down from there depending on weight gain and if it is desired or not.
 
Larry and Kitties said:
The calories in a 3 oz can of FF varies between 90 and 70. See the seventh page of
http://catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf
Also, see the feeding instructions here:
https://www.fancyfeast.com/gourmet-cat-products/wet-cat-food/classic/chicken-feast

SUGGESTED DAILY FEEDING
Feed an average size adult cat 1 can per 3 ½ pounds of body weight daily. Feed up to twice this amount to kittens. Pregnant or nursing cats may require two to four times their normal feeding.
Click to expand...

Wow, that's a lot.
That would mean my 11.5 lb cat should get 3.25 cans/day. I don't restrict her food right now, and she eats just under 2 cans, and is maintaining her weight.
My 10.5 lb cat should be getting 3 cans according to that. But he is also fed unrestricted 4 times/day, and eats about 1.5 cans total. No weight change.
 
I'd like to add my voice to the recommendations about regular weighing.

I keep a log of how many pouches of food Saoirse gets every day (one product, so straightforward). I also got an inexpensive digital baby scales and it's brilliant! I weigh her every 3-4 days. If her weight starts trending downwards I increase her food allowance; if it trends upwards I reduce the allowance.

The food log and regular weighing have made it much, much easier to manage Saoirse's weight.


Mogs
.
 
Louellen said:
I am SO glad this question was asked because I am having one heck of a time with Morrigan. She was at 15.8 lbs pre-diagnosis then, went down to 14 lbs at diagnosis, then hovered around the 14.4 lb mark for most of the past 6 months. Ten days ago, she was examined by our vet because she lowered her eating amounts. I had done an EVERY HOUR curve (vet instructed as HIS choice, NOT my choice for sure with a snarly kitty). He looked at both and then, weighed her. She'd gained a pound and was at 15.4. Now...she's not wanting to eat much at all (lucky to get in 180 cals the past couple of days). Of course, being a holiday, they're closed now until Jan. 4th and her regular vet is not back until Jan. 7th. So, now I'm concerned, of course. He checked everything 10 days or so ago (teeth, blood work etc.) and it was all fine...except for wanting the numbers a bit lower still but, we agreed upon trying a diet change SLOWLY (colitis for her in any changes) and see if we can't lower that number before upping the dose again. I'm a wreck, of course.

Julia Rae...Magellan is the same weight as Morrigan (roughly) and seemingly, the same build. Are you restricting his eating or that's as much as he wants?
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LOL Luellen if I let him eat as much as he wanted he would be back at the weight he was when I got him... 25 lbs! I have settled feeding Magellan and Artemis 1 can of friskies shared in the am and 1 for dinner and a can of fancy feast at the 6 hour marker to share. That seems to keep his hungrys under control and he is less aggressive. He still of course wants more but that is a fact of his life and I dont do that game I want a healthy cat not a fat cat!
 
Larry and Kitties said:
The calories in a 3 oz can of FF varies between 90 and 70. See the seventh page of
http://catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf
Also, see the feeding instructions here:
https://www.fancyfeast.com/gourmet-cat-products/wet-cat-food/classic/chicken-feast

SUGGESTED DAILY FEEDING
Feed an average size adult cat 1 can per 3 ½ pounds of body weight daily. Feed up to twice this amount to kittens. Pregnant or nursing cats may require two to four times their normal feeding.
Click to expand...

That would be 5 cans for Magellan no way can or will I do that!
 
Critter Mom said:
I'd like to add my voice to the recommendations about regular weighing.

I keep a log of how many pouches of food Saoirse gets every day (one product, so straightforward). I also got an inexpensive digital baby scales and it's brilliant! I weigh her every 3-4 days. If her weight starts trending downwards I increase her food allowance; if it trends upwards I reduce the allowance.

The food log and regular weighing have made it much, much easier to manage Saoirse's weight.


Mogs
.
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Mogs I might have to try that but for me getting a used one would be the path as new well lets say outa my budget.
 
I feed Sheba a home prepared diet of 120 calories twice a day. She is 6 kgms (2.2lbs / kgm) and has been that weight for over a year...except a couple of times when she had a pancreatic flare and dropped down a bit, but soon came back to 6 kgms once she was well again.
 
Bron that would not work for me as my living space is too small and my kitchen nearly non existent.
 
Julia Rae said:
Bron that would not work for me as my living space is too small and my kitchen nearly non existent.
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I am not suggesting you home feed!:)
I was just showing you the number of calories I give Sheba a day.....120cals x 2 times. So what you need to do is check how many calories in a can and then make sure Magellan is getting around 120 calories twice a day or a bit more if he weighs 15 lbs. Sheba weighs 13.2lbs. So you could try for 130 calories twice a day. Have you tried adding some warm water to the food...it will make Magellan feel fuller and add fluids to his diet ........a double winner!
 
Cats are supposed to get 20 calories per pound of weight...My cat is 12lbs. I feed him 1 & 1/4 cans of Friskies turkey & giblets pate (split into 4 meals). 1 can of that is about 187 calories
 
Bron and Sheba said:
I am not suggesting you home feed!:)
I was just showing you the number of calories I give Sheba a day.....120cals x 2 times. So what you need to do is check how many calories in a can and then make sure Magellan is getting around 120 calories twice a day or a bit more if he weighs 15 lbs. Sheba weighs 13.2lbs. So you could try for 130 calories twice a day. Have you tried adding some warm water to the food...it will make Magellan feel fuller and add fluids to his diet ........a double winner!
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I am liking the idea of adding a bit of warm fluids as Magellan does like his food "mouse" temp tried Barri;s suggestion and it came out to 300 cal per day!
 
Julia Rae said:
If so what is his caloric needs or where can I get a ball park idea???
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Dr. Lisa Pierson, feline nutrition expert, says that "the average 10 pound cat only needs about 200 calories per day to maintain their weight." That would be 20 calories per pound. More active cats could possibly need more. My little 9 pound Hannah eats approximately 1 1/2 to 2 cans of Fancy Feast per day. Fancy Feast calorie content varies with different flavors. Most of her favorites recommend 1 can per 3 1/2 pounds of body weight. That means Hannah should be getting more than 2 cans per day. With her finicky appetite, that never happens. But she seems to do quite well on her current intake, even though she could definitely use a little extra weight. So I guess it really does pretty much depend on the individual kitty. Hope this helps and good luck.
 
Shenandoah said:
Wow, that's a lot.
That would mean my 11.5 lb cat should get 3.25 cans/day. I don't restrict her food right now, and she eats just under 2 cans, and is maintaining her weight.
My 10.5 lb cat should be getting 3 cans according to that. But he is also fed unrestricted 4 times/day, and eats about 1.5 cans total. No weight change.
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I totally agree with you @Shenandoah! That IS a lot!

At that rate, Morrigan would need about 4 to 5 cans per day and that would mean about 350 or more cals per day. She can't eat that much and doesn't...even if it's food she loves and is in "eating mode".

Of course, they always say that the feeding directions on cans/packages are "guides only". I think weighing our cats is the only way to truly tell if what they are getting is enough or too much.
 
Julia Rae said:
LOL Luellen if I let him eat as much as he wanted he would be back at the weight he was when I got him... 25 lbs! I have settled feeding Magellan and Artemis 1 can of friskies shared in the am and 1 for dinner and a can of fancy feast at the 6 hour marker to share. That seems to keep his hungrys under control and he is less aggressive. He still of course wants more but that is a fact of his life and I dont do that game I want a healthy cat not a fat cat!
Click to expand...


If this is any consolation, my vet tells me that a SLOW weight loss is a healthy weight loss for a cat. Of course, a lot of our cats were overweight before they were diagnosed but, were dropping weight rather rapidly by the time they were diagnosed. That said, it's so hard to tell what is a weight loss due to the diabetes and what is due to limited caloric intake, isn't it?

The other thing our vet tells us is that when feeding solely low carb canned foods, it's considered a "Catkins Diet" so weight loss WILL occur but, should level off as their bodies adjust to the new diet and the diabetes is more under control.

So, given the above, if you're seeing Magellan's weight stable...you've got nothing to worry about. You *may* be able to give him a "bit" more if he's really driving you nuts and not have a real weight issue??? Talk to your vet and get his/her opinion though. :)
 
Critter Mom said:
@Louellen - I'm sorry to hear that Morrigan is off her grub a little. Sending special appy stimulant vibes for her, and :bighug::bighug: for you.


Mogs
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Thanks Mogs. I think she has been a little depressed since the weather has changed and she's not able to go outdoors comfortably like she was doing (supervised in the fenced in backyard). I think they are also like us...they get down with the lack of sunlight (it's been cloudy for weeks up here now).

I am making extra effort to play with her (she's never been a playful cat) and keep her entertained. My laundry looks like Mt. Everest though! LOL ;)
 
Louellen said:
Thanks Mogs. I think she has been a little depressed since the weather has changed and she's not able to go outdoors comfortably like she was doing (supervised in the fenced in backyard). I think they are also like us...they get down with the lack of sunlight (it's been cloudy for weeks up here now).

I am making extra effort to play with her (she's never been a playful cat) and keep her entertained. My laundry looks like Mt. Everest though! LOL ;)
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I know the feeling about the laundry with everyone feeling under the weather but the cats! For some reason my attempts to teach them to do the laundry does not stick... I wonder what I am doing wrong? As for his weight being stable yes it is and once the auto feeder arives he will be getting is late night/early am snack as well as his mid day snack and that seems to help keep the aggression down and his sugars under better control too!
 
Julia Rae said:
I know the feeling about the laundry with everyone feeling under the weather but the cats! For some reason my attempts to teach them to do the laundry does not stick... I wonder what I am doing wrong? As for his weight being stable yes it is and once the auto feeder arives he will be getting is late night/early am snack as well as his mid day snack and that seems to help keep the aggression down and his sugars under better control too!
Click to expand...

Sounds like a plan to have the timed feeder and keep him on "snacks" so that he's not always hungry and ornery. :)

As for the laundry...yeah, I'm having the exact same problem. I just cannot get Morrigan to learn to do it either. And, we won't talk about the dishes. I gave her rubber gloves and everything but, she refuses to even try. She flicks her tail and walks away as if to say, "yeah, right. Hasn't anyone told you that I'm Princess?"

So, I guess we scullery maids will have to continue doing dishes, vacuuming and laundry, huh?
Where's the batteries for her automatic toys?
Mama here has a LOT of laundry to catch up on! :banghead: :rolleyes: :woot: :confused:
 
Louellen said:
Of course, they always say that the feeding directions on cans/packages are "guides only". I think weighing our cats is the only way to truly tell if what they are getting is enough or too much.
Click to expand...
Yep, so true! The feeding directions on the cans sometimes make me wonder if they're really all that credible. After all, kitty food companies are in business, like pretty much everyone else, to make money. It makes sense that they would recommend feeding more than required... that's how they turn a profit, right? I agree... get the baby scale out and monitor. If kitty is dropping weight and needs to put a little back on, up the food and hope your fur baby cooperates by eating it. If kitty is starting to tank out, a reduction might be in order. You may have to deal with some begging for awhile, so good luck with that, too. Like everything else, it's somewhat of a balancing act. Everyone here with a diabetic kitty knows about that! And for those who might not want to shell out big bucks for a digital baby scale, check out the thrift stores. They might have just what you're looking for. Also, ask friends who don't plan on having any more children. They could have a scale sitting around that they'd like to give away to a good home or sell at a bargain price.
 
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