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-   -   Feeding furbabies (https://www.quiltingboard.com/general-chit-chat-non-quilting-talk-f7/feeding-furbabies-t124707.html)

gunny148 05-22-2011 04:57 AM

Got 3 cats and they cet dry food, 2 come and co out as they want but 1 i have has never been outside since birth, she blind in one eye. The shelter had her on the "to go list" so we took her to go. they all get dry food. Now the mixed chauihuihui, they hard and they love it.

QuiltinCats 05-22-2011 06:06 AM

3 times a day - canned food only

We have 4 indoor cats. They get supervised outdoor visits since we live in our RV full time. They get in their grass eating, tree climbing, chase bugs, and hunt (no catching) during our leashed walks.

Over a year ago, 3 of the 4 cats had urinary tract infections. According to our Vet, it was the dry food we were feeding them. They had dry food all day with two can food feedings during the day.

After a lot of research, we started giving our cats only canned food – 3 times a day. We decided it was worth spending the money on the canned food if it kept all 4 cats out of the Vet's office.

We were amazed at the difference in all of them. One of our long-haired cats always had clumps in his fur. They were so bad; I had to cut them out. Now his fur is beautiful, thick, and soft! Another older cat now acts like a kitten. Two have lost weight.

Baloonatic 05-22-2011 06:45 AM

[quote=jeaninmaine]Right now my cats are strictly indoor cats. When we move out of the city I intend to let them outside.
Our dog is a different story! She hates everything I put down for her and I've tried most of them. Right now she's getting half a package of Pedigree moist food (which one of my cats eats most of)... quote]

I gave a beautiful feral kitty I'd tamed to some friends who lived a couple miles out of town. She lasted less than a week. Something got her in the night, dragged her away. My friends later got 2 more kitties, they were both gone within 2 weeks. They finally gave up on cats (thank God!!). Its no safer out in the country for a kitty, it just has different dangers...hungry and with teeth.
Here in my own yard, 7 short blocks from downtown, I've had skunks, deer, rats, opossums and raccoons, most of which could carry rabies and ALL carry fleas and ticks. Raccoons can be very nasty and aggressive toward people and pets. And skunks...well, no need to go there, right? And all my kitties, especially my black ones, had to be indoors at Halloween time! The occasional cat fights with neighbor cats in my yard usually ended with one of MY kids at the vet's! My furbaby Jason was chased down in my own yard by a neighbor's pit bull.
You may want to check with your vet about letting your cat eat dog food as there are different nutritional needs for dogs and cats.

Sorry if i'm being a downer... I never thought I'd do it but all my furbabies are indoors now, I love them too much to trust for their health and safety outside any more.

Liz aka Helen 05-22-2011 06:53 AM

My gang of 9 get to help them selves!!! Plus the majority like to hunt too and eat it. If they are in the mood they will eat the dog food , then the dogs go and eat the cat food. At least this way the dogs aren't eating anything extra if you get my meaning. The end results all smell and taste the same. eeeeeeeewwww

arimuse 05-22-2011 07:06 AM

I have a big back screened porch (leave a wedge in the doorjamb so the cats can skinny in)and a big wood table. I leave dry catfood in a food dispenser holder on the table (so the dog wont get it), on a newspaper whose bottomside was sprayed w/ an ant bug spray. They can eat thru the day as they want even if Im not home. every AM as soon as I get up (@ 7ish) 3 cats and a dog are at the door.2 cats and the dog are the neighbors - all strays, long story on them! and 1 stray that is mine. (neighbors or not! I had them ALL fixed - they did the dog! and I get them all rabies shots once a yr!). The cats split a sm wet can of wet food and the dog gets 1 slice of bread. Oh, I leave a huge bowl of water out for them too. no one will starve here, but since that animal food from China thing (the addatives put in petfood come from china) I try not to feed out too much wetfood. I even called 1 petfood co - I think pedigree - and the lady promised they only use American suppliers for all the stuff in their foods and all the petfood they sell is made here.. still, I had 2 cats die from bad food so I am leery. I feed my strays on the farm (6 cats, all fixed) 3 scoops dry, 1 can wet, 3 hotdogs chopped up all mixed together w/ water - they love it. I figure if people can eat hotdogs so can the animals. sharet

oatw13 05-22-2011 07:16 AM

Our cat is strictly an indoor cat. She is prone to crystals in her urine so she gets Hill's Prescription diet, bladder health. We have to buy this from the vet. We buy the dry food, but it also comes in cans.

She gets 1/2 cup in the morning and 1/2 cup after we eat dinner. At lunch time she usually gets 1/2 a container of an Appetizer as they have all-natural ingredients with no fillers that don't aggravate her condition.

nancy59 05-22-2011 07:48 AM

My furbaby is a dry only eater. It is by her choice, she turns her nose up at canned food. Her dish is always full, she does not overeat. I have had some that would stay at the bowl day at night if you had the bowl full. She is very demanding about a treat at night, and gets jerky from my granddaughter when she is over. I am trying to get her to associate the granddaughter and visits with good as she is an anti-social cat.

jbj137 05-22-2011 08:53 AM

My Gus get dry down all the time.
A treat of Temptations when she comes when whistled for.
A can of Meow Mix (chicken or beef) once a week on Friday.
She hunts some I'm sure.
She eats mostly during the night.
She goes In-N-OUT (but in at night), Of Course
she pulls an All NghterOut occasionally and blames
me (fusses for hours) because I left her out.

BellaBoo 05-22-2011 09:09 AM

The outside cats (4) I keep dry cat food in their dish all day. I take it in night because it attracts coons and possums. I feed them Diamond Adult Cat Maint. food sold at the local feedstock store. My indoor cat has dry food all day in his bowl. He gets Diamond with indoor formula. I planted catnip in the a space outside and the cats eat that. Vet said it was great for their digestion. Indoor cat eats raw spinach and catnip leaves every few days.
My dog, a terrier mix, has dry food out all day. I use Blue brand. She gets half a can of wet food, also Blue brand every afternoon. I buy the Blue brand treats and dental sticks for her. DH will grill a bone for her every now and then and she likes the pigskin alternative chews. All the cats and the dog has had teeth cleaning and the dry food is best when it comes to keeping their teeth healthy. It seems I have a pet check up vet visit every month! Always time for one of them to go for a check up. The outside cats are not easy to get in the carrier. :lol:

fratcat 05-22-2011 09:09 AM

My furbabies have 4 dishes of dry cat food so that they can nibble all day. I have 7 furbabies that are all inside. In the early evening I split 2 cans of wet cat food for all 7 of them. I only do the wet food as a treat, if I purchase the wrong flavor, it is a waste of money because they won't eat it. I try to keep track of which wet food they like and which they put their nose up and walk away.


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