When a cat weighs about 5 pounds and eats 9 ounces of canned cat food a day is this too much?

Answer 1

This depends on a number of things. How old is your cat? Is she pregnant or nursing? Is she still a kitten (under a year of age) or elderly (over 10). Lactating (nursing) and pregnant females have greater nutritional needs since they are now eating for not just themselves but for their unborn or nursing kittens as well.

Young cats, like humans, need more food when they are growing rapidly - usually from the time they're weaned (no longer nursing) until about 6 months old.

The best guideline is your cat's weight. If she is fat (loose, flabby tummy that hangs down when she walks is a good clue), then she should be put on a diet. If, however, your cat is eating ravenously at every meal, and acts constantly hungry, this could be a sign that she has worms. If you see small larvae in her bowel movements or around the anus, then she definitely needs either a trip to the vet, or an over-the-counter worm medication. Please be careful to follow the directions carefully, especially with a small cat such as yours, to prevent over-dosing.

Cats generally eat several small meals throughout the day, and it is advised that you provide dry food at all times, so she can snack as she wishes. It is not generally considered to be a good idea to feed your cat canned (wet) food alone - dry food helps to prevent tartar build-up on the teeth and serves as a kind of cat 'toothbrushing'. And don't forget to provide a bowl of fresh water at all times.

Also, remember, that as your cat ages, she is generally less active, and this makes it easier for her to gain weight, just as it does with people.

Most dry cat foods have a feeding chart on the package which indicates what quantity of food should be fed daily based on your cat's weight. Also, most brands now have different formulas, based on your cats nutritional and general health needs.