Cat Chat Feline Forum

Hi there!

I have recently welcomed a BSH Blue 14 week old kitten into our family and wanted advice on feeding guidelines?

He was weaned onto feringa kitten food and currently has 1 can (200g) a day. I feed him 4 times a day so In total he is having the 1 can a day, split in 4 portions and I also leave out dry food for him to graze on which he doesn’t really touch

I have read so many conflicting feeding regimes and am not sure if I’m giving him too much or too little?

Advice welcome please xxx

Kelly

Congratulations on your new arrival!

All my cats have always been free fed - the last time I had a kitten was 1987 though - and I have never had any weight problems with any, except one who turned out to have a metabolic disorder and had me tearing my hair out trying everything until it was cured and she is fine again. Some have been heavier than others, none really fat, all have regulated their own food intake so weight loss and gain were obvious quite quickly. At times weight loss has been due to some underlying illness, other times gain and loss have happened at different times of their lives without any issues at all.

Where your feeding regime settles should depend on your cat as he grows up, his metabolism, whether he goes out or not, and your lifestyle. It's no good having set feeding times if you work shifts, for example, or if you're away a lot, or even if you like a lie in at weekends. I would say what you have is good if your kitten is gaining weight as he should. They do go through a skinny leggy phase as the growth spurt outstrips the amount of calories they can shovel down their neck a bit later, but they soon fill out again and level out at a good weight. I had an indoor/outdoor cat that weighed 7lb all her life and ate a 400g tin a day, now I have an indoor cat that weighs 10lb and is a little chubby on less than 200g a day. I like them to feel secure knowing there is always food when they want it without asking. Mind, they still demand fresh twice a day even if they have plenty left!

I'd think that is a little low, it is only the equivalent of 2 pouches - how much was the breeder feeding him?