how much should they be eating?

[JBalways2000]

My boys are now 9 months old and i was wondering how much they should be eating? they seem to be eating less then they were when they were babies which i think im right in thinking thats normal? at the moment they have half a pouch of natures menu in the morning each and then half at night each. as well as this they have a few handfuls of burns kibble during the day. does this sound about right?

they both look good and healthy(though Raven has always looked skinnier) neither seem underweight or overweight but just wanted to check im doing everything right. they do of course have the odd treats and usually end up licking out plates clean after every meal(thought it was dogs that were supposed to do that? )

now i know cows milk is a big no no but im assuming soya milk is ok? they usually drink whats left in my cereal bowl every morning and no problems so far but again wanted to make sure this was alright!

[Tanya]

In regards to food, I think it can vary considerably between cats. My Oli can eat up to four pouches of meat a day (Whiskas at the moment, but I have to change regularly because he gets bored!), dried biscuits and then chicken, cheese or tuna!

He is not obese and seems to be happy and healthy!

As for the milk, I am not really sure! I have always been advised against giving a cat cows milk - unsure about soya. Saying that, If your cats have been fine for months, I cant see that it is harming them.

Oli isn't a big fan of milk, but when he wants it he sits by the fridge and meows. The only milk he seems to like is Whiskas, its quite thick and creamy in comparison to others that he has tried.

Hope that makes sense and that I helped you a little bit!

Tanya

[random]

My adults always have dry down all day and are fed meat at morning and night.

The babies are fed meat 6 times a day and also have dry food down all day.

As long as they are not over/underweight, and are not gaining/loosing weight, and at 9 months they may still be growing (Tucker is still growing and he is a year old, he's a really big tom cat), they should be fine. All cats are different and it's hard to judge a moggy sometimes as you don't know how big they are going to grow, there is quite a diversity in the size/shape of my all my mogs.

As for the milk, it's not advised as it usually gives a runny bum, but if yours are fine then such small amounts won't hurt really as long as their poops are ok!

[JBalways2000]

so it does vary then? we have noticed lately that when we feed them their wet food they wont even eat it all at once anymore, but keep going back to it. i wonder if they are just getting bored yet again we get three different flavours of the natures menu so if they are bored they are fussy little things! the kibble is down nearly all the time, usually topped up when its empty.

[random]

Originally Posted by JBalways2000

so it does vary then? we have noticed lately that when we feed them their wet food they wont even eat it all at once anymore, but keep going back to it. i wonder if they are just getting bored yet again we get three different flavours of the natures menu so if they are bored they are fussy little things! the kibble is down nearly all the time, usually topped up when its empty.

That sounds fine, with the wet food though just make sure you don't leave it out too long, especially in this weather as it will get all warm and blergh!

[JBalways2000]

oh no when i say they keep going back to it i mean literally that its still eaten within about 20 minutes of putting it down, its just that they used to gobble it all up at once! lol

[shadylady]

I hope you dont mind me saying, but soya milk isnt really any good for cats either, if you want to give them milk would it be possible for you to buy kitten milk?

I dont think having a few laps of milk out of your cereal bowl will do them any harm

[catsinc4]

well mine vary hugely!lena comes in usually only every other day and stuffs her face will eat a whole tin in 2 sittings plus dried!!Tia doesnt really eat very much mAYBVE A 3RD of a tin and dried a day roxxi would eat until she popped!!!why is it they never look in their bowls before they come and demand feeding from me??????if i walk to the bowls they follow and tuck in daft cats

[Mags]

Cassie is 10 years old and eats two thirds of a tin of Whiskas a day.....

[Donna]

My two 3 year old cats share one tin of food a day plus maybe a handful of dried food.