How To Feed A Cat is Just as Important as What you Feed
Updated: Feb 9, 2022
We often do not consider how cats would eat naturally, small but frequent feedings. By offering a natural schedule, it often impacts their behavior in a positive way.
There's always a lot of discussion over WHAT to feed cats, but how you feed your cat is just as important. Some things to consider are:
Clean dishes - just like you would not eat off one dish all week, your cat doesn't want to either. Clean your cat's dish with each meal and the water dish should be cleaned daily with fresh water provided;
Location - Test out different spots to see what your cat prefers including vertical spaces. For multiple cat homes, try giving each cat space so he/she can eat without another cat close by. I like to have one cat on the counter, one in the living room, another in a cat tree. None of them have to look over their shoulder wondering if another cat is coming to take their food;
Shallow dishes are best - whiskers shouldn't be squished against the sides;
Food puzzles for dry food can give your cat something productive to do and keep them occupied in a fun game;
Feed multiple times per day - cats bodies are designed to eat small meals throughout the day. Break up wet and dry food meals into 5 servings per day, if possible - they don't have to be perfectly spaced out time wise. Give your cat enough time to digest food from the previous meal, at least 3 hours. This can help a lot with maintaining a healthy weight.
Need help feeding your cat? Contact me for a consultation.