Free feeding or timed ration
From nature, wild cats usually eat their prey in multiple portions. Therefore, from the perspective of cats’ wild habits, free feeding allows them to eat less and more meals every day, which is more in line with their habits. In addition, free feeding can save time and effort, and you don’t have to worry about cats getting enough to eat (many old parents and mothers are always afraid that they won’t get enough).
But again, there are 3 obvious problems with free feeding. First, some cats do not know restraint, and free feeding causes them to eat a lot and become obese. Second, cat food is exposed to the air for a long time, and there is a risk of getting damp and breeding bacteria (although I have never found a cat food that has been broken in a basin).
In addition to free feeding, many cat parents now choose regular and quantitative feeding methods. To save trouble, I think it is the biggest advantage of timed quantification. An automatic cat food feeding machine, set the time and the number of grams, it solves the problem of feeding every day, and mom and dad no longer have to worry about sleeping in or working late and delaying feeding cats.
In addition, regular ration can well control the daily feeding amount, reducing the possibility of cats eating too much and becoming obese. At the same time, you can also intuitively see the daily feeding situation, how much you eat at each meal, and whether the daily food intake is normal.
The above are the advantages and disadvantages of free feeding and regular quantitative methods, everyone can refer to their own situation.
How much food to feed each day
How much food to feed each day, there are 2 reference methods. Feeding cat food can refer to the body weight method, and feeding dry food can refer to the calorie method.
The weight method is based on the cat’s age and weight to determine the approximate amount of fresh meat that needs to be fed every day. In general, kittens eat more and adult cats eat less.
In addition, you can calculate the total amount of calories your cat needs every day to calculate the weight of dry food that needs to be fed every day, that is, the calorie method.
For example, if a certain cat food is 400kcal/100g (usually marked on the dry food packaging). A 5kg adult cat needs calories per day: 5×70=350Kcal, grams of dry food required per day = energy required per day ÷ cat food calories = 350/400*100=87.5g
However, there are differences among individuals. The above standards are only for reference. Remember that they are only for reference. Cat parents can observe the appropriate amount of daily feeding according to their own cat’s fatness, appetite, activity level, and health status. The cat is fat and thin, in good condition, the fur is smooth, the body is healthy (not sick, there are few tears in the eyes, etc.).
Summary
1. Both free feeding and regular and quantitative feeding have their own pros and cons, personal suggestions Regular and quantitative practice, if possible, it is recommended 3-4 times a day.
2. The amount of food the cat feeds per day, cat food can refer to the cat’s age and weight, and cat food can refer to the age and calorie.
3. In general, kittens need the most energy per kilogram of body weight, followed by adult cats, and neutered cats the least.
4. There are big individual differences in cats, how much to feed, parents please observe and try more by yourself. The parameters are dead, subject to the actual situation of the cat.
