Is 24/7 feeding healthy for my cats if their weight is ideal?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It can be. But you have to watch Kiki’s weight closely. Cats that are free fed can become obese. Obesity is a huge problem in cats and can lead to significant health problems. I hope this helps!

Hello. Just for convenience, most folks just leave a bowl of food out for cats to graze on throughout the day. But if Maximus is overweight, or trending toward being overweight, you will need to control the amount of food he consumes in a day or place him on a metabolic weight control diet. As I see it, cats seem to get hungry, 10 minutes after I turn off the light for bed, so having some available will help me sleep all night. If Maximus is more considerate, & you do not mind feeding when he asks for food, you can certainly do this. Ideally, I would calculate the proper amount he needs daily based on what your bag of food recommends & divide this into 3 feedings, morning, noon or early evening, & the remaining amount for snacking overnight. Remember, if you are feeding for an ideal weight, or for Maximus to lose a little weight you will feed for that weight. In other words, follow the food amount recommendations for a 10 or 12-pound cat if he needs to lose a couple of pounds. Just divide the total daily amount into 3 separate meals. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Cookie is so handsome! You are doing everything right. Offer food twice a day. I would only not leave the food out if Cookie is overweight or is gaining weight from it. Your veterinarian would be able to tell you if they feel he is overweight. At your next visit with your vet you can talk to them about it! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. At this point in your kittens lives, I would continue to allow them to free feed as they are still growing & maturing. If, after they are 1-2 years of age, they begin to get a little too heavy, you may need to restrict access to their food, but it is not necessary nor advised now. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

if your cat is of normal weight and gets enough exercise, you can leave it at that. If you prefer to feed individual meals (2-3 times a day) you should slowly transition to wet/canned food and slowly reduce the dry food. Wet food overall is better for your cat, especially when a cat gets older. It contains less carbohydrates (cats are obligatory carnivores, so mainly need protein, not carbs), lessens the chance of your cat becoming a diabetic, and ensures that your cat gets more moisture with its food rather than having to drink more. If you feed canned food, stick with pate-type food, as cats tend to only lick off the gravy in chunky type foods. They prefer the ground mouse approach :D

You are feeding correctly, and grazing on food all day is normal and a good way to eat for a cat. I would have dry food out all of the time, and I would check the calorie content of the dry foods at the store and get Zoii the one higher in calories. You may also consider feeding some canned food daily. Some animals prefer to be on the thin side and they self regulate how much they eat so they stay thin and fit. In my experience once the cats mature and get to be adults they become less active and put on weight. Please make sure Zoii doesn't have intestinal parasites by bringing in a fecal sample to your veterinarian. If she's healthy and active with a shiny coat then I'm not concerned about her weight. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Zoii.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It seems like you are doing a great job with his feeding so I would not change the amount at all and he does not need to eat all day. Having the amounts separated like now is a good idea. Just make sure to go by the feeding guidelines on the back of the food bag or can. You are already doing a good job if Darwin’s body condition is 3 in a 1-5 scale so keep up the good work. Good luck and have a great day!