# Kittens Eating but Not Recommended Amount



## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

I have had two kittens in the past and they ate the recommended amount per day sometimes a little more.

These two Sooty and Sweep almost 5 months old although they are gaining weight and growing aren't eating anywhere near the recommended amount which is 4-5 pouches a day. They are only eating about a pouch a day. I do leave dry food down too but again I am throwing loads away when I refresh their dishes.

I am not too concerned at the moment but I am keeping an eye on them.

Is it normal?

Sue


----------



## Guest (Aug 25, 2008)

How much dry are they eating?

Not familar with pouches per day to dry ratio so is 4-5 pouches the recommended amount without taking into consideration the dry food?

If they are growing and putting on weight as you'd expect I wouldn't worry too much.


----------



## bee112 (Apr 12, 2008)

5 pouches?! 

My 2 dont eat an awfull lot to be honest.. I leave a complete dry kitten food down all day for them to snack on and a tin on Applaws between them in the morning and evening.

Cats wont let themselves starve, so I wouldnt worry about it, some eat more than others


----------



## Lumpy (Jun 5, 2008)

My five fur babies were 12 weeks on Saturday and eat five to six pouches a day between them and have dried food down all the time. I did wonder if I was over-feeding them as they are quite plumpious but the vet was happy with them when they had their first injections. They have their second on Friday so I will check with her again then.


----------



## Angeli (Jun 2, 2008)

I think some of the recommendations on the back of cat food can be a bit exaggerated. It doesn't take into account the size, breed or lifestyle of a cat. If your cat or kitten is putting on or maintaining its weight, then there is nothing to be concerned about.


----------



## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

My kitten is about 4 months old and she has a pouch in a morning and 1 at night and will nibble on dry food very occasionally. She is fine growing well so i wouldnt worry 2 much. 1 of my persians went for his booster a couple of weeks backand he had lost a bit of weight but vet said this was to be expected as they dont tend to eat as much when its warm.


----------



## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

ajshep1984 said:


> How much dry are they eating?
> 
> Not familar with pouches per day to dry ratio so is 4-5 pouches the recommended amount without taking into consideration the dry food?
> 
> If they are growing and putting on weight as you'd expect I wouldn't worry too much.


They only pick at dry food, I only change the dry dish twice a day, morning and evening. I did leave it a little long but changed my mind in case the reason they weren't eating it was because it was stale. Got to admit they eat the yellow bits I think thats cheese.

I'm not too worried its just that my other cats sat and ate almost everything in the dish. I only put half a sachet in each dish for them at a time.

i did think this was the period in a kittens life when they ate you out of house and home. They can't all be the same.

Sue


----------



## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

Thank you for all your replies. I'll have to accept they don't have a big appetite. 

I usually give them supplements like a tin of sardines, I think they had mackrell yesterday. I end up letting Duke our dog finish it off, rather than throw it away.

They are active in spurts usually as soon as we get up and from late afternoon until bedtime. This morning they were asleep but they have become active now. They play in their pen and fly in from time to time like now one is in my arm, whoops he back off again.

There is always food available for them so as you say they will be fine. Its just nice to check with other people, just in case I'm missing something.

Sue


----------



## Siamese Kelly (Jan 6, 2008)

Sue,some kitts are massive eaters and then they can calm right down,our 2 Bobby and Cordy(from our Angels litter) have gone from with their siblings eating us out of house,home and the garden furniture to little on occasion thru the day but a good couple of hearty suppers thru the night plus bicciesAlso at certain times of the yr some eat differently,like our girls don't eat as much wet thru the summer,but coming into Autumn they eat shed loads of biccies and chickenThey looked healthy and more than happy enough on your last pics,they're probably just like teens..mostly they're always staarrvviinn,but they have little phases where as they're parents they don't eat nearly enough


----------



## Troo (Aug 26, 2008)

I too am intrigued at the 4-5 sachets per day guidelines. Is this each, or for the pair?

My kitten eats around two sachets a day, and tops this up with a little dry food now and then. She's ten weeks old.

My adult cat eats, at most, three sachets a day, and also about a fistful of dry food in a day. She occasionally gets a pinch of cheese, tuna, salmon or bacon as a treat (or some Whiskas treats), but that's about it.

I would say cut back on the amount of fish you give them. It's very fatty and oily, and is extremely high in calories - certainly not a food they should be eating every single day, and definitely not a whole tin of. It's extremely easy to get cats obese this way, because their hunger is geared to the calorie content of a dead mouse; Packing more calories in to the same amount of stomach capacity will just fatten them up. It's like swapping your healthy mixed diet for a diet of Mars bars and battered sausages.

Note that dry food is also usually a lot denser in calories than meat, so it's best to ensure the cat food is either mostly sachets / tins, or that the dry food is specifically formulated for being the main calorific intake.

Alas it's impossible to explain to a cat that they just need to eat a little less because they've gained a couple of pounds


----------



## sskmick (Feb 4, 2008)

What a clot, cheers for the advice guys, I was reading the wrong line although they still are eating under the recommended amount.

4-6 months 3-4 pouches each per day
6-12 months 5 pouches each per day

They are only eating not quite one pouch a day and nibbling dry food.

I am used to my cats eating till there's nothing much left in the dish. Not these but they are getting heavier and growing although they are still lanky bless em. 

Thanks again I really appreciate it. I check them on the scales they are around 8lb so they are definitely gaining weight

Sue


----------



## redd (Jul 31, 2008)

I think as everyone says all kittens are different.

I worried about my wee fella to start with as he wouldnt touch anything but dried food and seemed really scrawny compared to my older boy at his age.

However as he has watched CJ he has started to eat wet food too and now has a braw wee pot belly - my vet saw him for his 2nd vacc last week and was chuffed with him!

4-5 sachets as well as supplements is a lot though so try not to worry!! I know easier said than done!!!


----------

