how much wet food should I feed?

Question

DRY FOOD IS BAD! do NOT suggest I still feel dry food or else you don't know enough to answer this...

my cat loves dry food, I've finally found a wet food that he loves but I know he's still going to be miserable without his dry food for a while.

my question is how much should I feed him? he's 12-13 lbs and he won't eat a lot at once (about 1/8 of the can). the can says...

Feeding Instructions 5.5-oz Can: Feed 1 can per 5 lbs. to 6 lbs. body weight. Divide into 2 or more feedings per day. Refrigerate unused portion. Adjust feeding amounts to body weight condition.

that would mean he'd need 2 cans a day?! he'll never eat that much... I mean I expect when he doesn't have the dry food to eat anymore he'll eat a little more wet, but he'll never eat a whole can twice a day.

Answer 1

Ignore what it says on the can. They want you to use as much of their food as possible - even if you end up throwing it away - so then you can buy more.



You need to get an idea of how many calories your cat normally takes in and how many are in his food. Then feed accordingly.



If you look at food charts you will find that cat foods vary a lot in terms of calories. The high-end foods tend to be much higher in calories because there is more actual food in them. Plus, more of that is digested. You feed less of the premium foods.



You can probably transition your cat just fine without this information too. Feed him what you think is a reasonable amount 2 or 3 three times a day. It may take a while for him to realize that the wet food is all he is getting so he may hold out and there will be waste. But within a couple weeks or so you should have a good idea of what he really needs.



My cats are quite a bit smaller than yours. The combined weight of my three is about 22.5 pounds. They are young, active indoor cats. They eat both canned and raw and the total amount of food the three cats get is about 14-15 ounces a day.



I will update shortly with the Janet and Binky chart.



Update: Here it is:

http://binkyspage.tripod.com/CanFoodNew.html

Answer 2

I wouldn't go 'cold turkey' with the dry food, instead you can wean him off the dry until he's eating more canned. Cats will starve themselves rather than eat what they don't want, and then can make themselves sick. The best thing to do is to just leave out enough dry for snacking, and to feed him canned 3-4 times a day if you can manage that. You can easily do 3 (breakfast dinner and bedtime) but the 4 may be tough. Feed him what he'll eat at one sitting. It can be left out a while, unless you're feeding him outside it really doesn't spoil all that quickly. One cat his size will eat a can or so a day - you'll figure it out. It can actually take a couple months to wean what my vet calls a 'dry food junky' off their dry food, so have patience. in the mean time, be sure the little dry you are feeding is grain-free (EVO, Core, Wilderness, etc.)



ETA: Madona, you really need to get a bit more of an education here. 'Compare the protein content of Innova's EVO to a can of your wet food'. This is comparing those proverbial apples to oranges. One is expressed in dry weight, the other in wet weight. If you convert the wet weight to dry, you can compare - and due to the fact that a good canned food contains zero carbs, and even the best dry (EVO) is 7% carbs, you will find that the actual protein content of the canned food is higher than the dry. And more and more vets are now recommending a mostly-canned diet for their feline clients, at least the ones who've bothered to continue their education past what Hill's offers. Mine does - as well as a good friend who's a teaching vet and now has her Diplomat. Her cats are fed canned. So it's not the 'vocal minority' so much as it is the 'educated minority'.

Answer 3

Hi

He will eat what he needs. Leave it out all day a well as have different times (2x a day) when fresh cans are opened for him so he still has mealtimes. If you stay away from the high carb ones which mostly are the ones with gravy and sauces,you can feed him as much as he will eat whether it is a can in a half or 3 cans it doesn't matter. He will be able to regulate himself and be the weight he needs to be



Glad you have read up on proper nutrition

Answer 4

Not all kibble is bad. Innova and Innova EVO are high protein, grain free kibble that nearly always improve digestion, coat quality, and a host of other health signals. However, some people like you now feel that feeding canned only is more similar to a cat's natural diet, and helps keep a cat better hydrated.



Additionally, I hope you're feeding a good wet food. I'm sure you are, since you seem to be a wet food expert. But, I'd like to point out that not all 100% meat/95% meat canned foods will have adequate taurine. Without adequate taurine, your cat will experience heart, lung, and vision problems.



Compare the protein content of Innova's EVO to a can of your wet food. Then, be aware that the AVMA espouses a high protein, low carb diet for cats. Are you still sure about feeding wet only?



Finally, yes, your cat will eventually eat 1 1/2 or 2 cans a day, once you eliminate his kibble. He will be hungrier more frequently, and will probably need to be fed 1/2 a can 4 times a day. Do not leave wet food out all day due to the high possibility of contamination from flies and other insects, in addition to bacteria.



Most professionals will not recommend a wet-only diet, and it is in fact a vocal minority who does. I'd be interested to weigh your education vs. that of my veterinary nutritionist (doctorate and masters) and that which I've learned as a veterinary technician student (working toward bachelors). Most people who have studied canine/feline nutrition will feed a combination of high quality kibble and supplement 3-4 times a week with wet food meals.

Answer 5

Your the expert then you should be able to figure it out. Sorry I can't help you with that. You know your cats eating habits better than anyone else. You read the directions and now you can figure it out from the eating habits he has.



Good Luck!

R P CAT



20 years feeding a mixture of dry and wet food, so I don't know enough to answer.

Answer 6

(No, not all dry food is bad. Purina, Iams, Friskies, and other cheap brands are. But there are some healthy brands such as California Natural, Innova, Wellness, etc.)



I would put maybe 1/2 a can out for your cat. See if he eats it all. It might take a little time for him to get used to eating only wet food.

Answer 7

1. It isn't bad

2. about 1/2 of a can

3. decrease the amount of dry until there is none left

4. don't suddenly stop feeding him dry decrease it as said in #3

5. Good Luck

Answer 8

i suggest u give him half of the can food in the morning and the other half in the night.

and after u feed him his can food put him dry food just in case he gets hungry later.they should always have something to eat.:)

u should also give him different flavors.

i think it meant that u should give him 1 can food but 2 times a day.:)

good luck!

Answer 9

DRY FOOD IS BETTER THAN WET FOOD! Wet food can sometimes make your cats stomache upset! You know cats are only supposed to get 160 calories a day. Thats all they need! Try putting a spoonful out in the morning, and a spoonful out at night. You don't want your cat to get overgrown, because they can get diabetes. HOPE I HELPED!