Calories for cats

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Bobbie And Bubba said:
And can a diabetic cat drink the tuna water?
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Sorry, I don't know how many calories Bubba needs in a day, but I've seen the question asked before, and I know there are those here that will be along to give you an answer. BUT... I do believe tuna water is okay for kitties, as long as it's not given in large quantities over a long period of time. Keep in mind it's got lots of sodium, and tuna is also known to be up there on the scale for mercury content. Neither are especially good for kitties or people. As a treat every now and then, however, tuna water is fine. Sometimes, it's also helpful to put a little on kitty's food if he is a picky eater and needs something to entice him to eat. I've given it to Hannah many times and she absolutely LOVES it.
 
Blamethecats and Hannah said:
Sorry, I don't know how many calories Bubba needs in a day, but I've seen the question asked before, and I know there are those here that will be along to give you an answer. BUT... I do believe tuna water is okay for kitties, as long as it's not given in large quantities over a long period of time. Keep in mind it's got lots of sodium, and tuna is also known to be up there on the scale for mercury content. Neither are especially good for kitties or people. As a treat every now and then, however, tuna water is fine. Sometimes, it's also helpful to put a little on kitty's food if he is a picky eater and needs something to entice him to eat. I've given it to Hannah many times and she absolutely LOVES it.
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Thanks Hannah, I know Bubba loves it too. I am will be interested to hear a calorie count for my size cat.
 
Since we haven't heard from anyone, yet, on the calorie count question, I've looked around a bit to see if I could find any info that might be helpful and I came up with this older post, here. About half-way down the thread, @Ry and Scooter and @Ann & Tess discuss what Dr. Lisa Pierson, feline nutrition expert, has to say about calories. Dr. Pierson says that "the average 10 pound cat only needs about 200 calories per day to maintain their weight." @Ann & Tess says, "That would be 20 calories per pound, more active cats can need up to 30." Therefore, a 17.5 lb. kitty would need 350 calories per day to keep the current weight. Hope this helps.

If anyone out there has other info or advice to add to this post, we'd love to hear from you. :cat:
 
Melanie and Smokey said:
Generally I find that the 20 calories per pound is too much for all but my senior and my lanky boy. 15-20 calories per pound seems to work for our cats.
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Thanks Melanie. I/m playing around with the numbers. Right now, because he isn't controlled yet, he is always hungry! Trying to do the 3 small meals a day. My cats were used to dry at all times so this is a real switch for them to not be able to eat through the night. I'm thinking about putting out a few tbsp. of wet before I go to bed . I'd be interested to hear what everyone feeding regimes are.
 
Bobbie And Bubba said:
I'd be interested to hear what everyone feeding regimes are.
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Hannah gets a can of Fancy Feast in the morning and she picks at it all morning, as she's a grazer and never eats much at one sitting. She's also a very picky eater... a little fusspot, so I often end up offering two, different flavors so she can choose which one she prefers (or which one she dislikes least). There's usually some of that left on the plate, so she eats a little more in the late afternoon, just before I pull it two hours prior to her PMPS. Then, in the evening, she gets another can of food, which she picks at all night until I pull it the next morning, two hours before her AMPS. These ongoing mini-meals seem to work for her. However, she has never been a real fan of wet food. If I'd offer it, she'd much prefer the dry kibble she ate before we found out she was a sugar kitty. That, of course, is not an option.
 
Blamethecats and Hannah said:
Hannah gets a can of Fancy Feast in the morning and she picks at it all morning, as she's a grazer and never eats much at one sitting. She's also a very picky eater... a little fusspot, so I often end up offering two, different flavors so she can choose which one she prefers (or which one she dislikes least). There's usually some of that left on the plate, so she eats a little more in the late afternoon, just before I pull it two hours prior to her PMPS. Then, in the evening, she gets another can of food, which she picks at all night until I pull it the next morning, two hours before her AMPS. These ongoing mini-meals seem to work for her. However, she has never been a real fan of wet food. If I'd offer it, she'd much prefer the dry kibble she ate before we found out she was a sugar kitty. That, of course, is not an option.
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I wish I could get Bubba to graze! He sucks down everything ASAP. He also gets Fancy Feast Kitten turkey feast since his diagnosis. Before it was Wellness wet and Wellness dry. Do you give Hannah the kitten one also. I am going to order some Tiki for him and alternate because the Fancy Feast has by-products in it and Tiki does not. My cats always got both wet and dry and they miss the dry. I am giving them each 2 Tbsp. of Young Again dry which is zero carbs. The Young again is designed to put a bowl-full down and let them self regulate, but that won't happen with Bubba. If there is a bowl full, he will eat it.
 
Actually, the way we calculate it, Young Again 0 Carb is 5% calories from carbohydrate. This is likely due to the fact that muscle has some glucose in it to fuel the cells and the liver stores glycogen, a form of carbohydrate.
 
Bobbie And Bubba said:
the Fancy Feast has by-products in it
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LOL, when kitties eat in the wild, their diets are filled with by-products... bones, tendons, stomachs, ... you get the picture... yucky as it likely is. Just sayin'. :cat:

And, no I haven't tried the Fancy Feast kitten... at least not yet... but I'm not ruling it out. It's certainly worth a try. Hannah also gets a few pieces of Young Again Zero Carb Mature each day, but only as a treat. She loves it!! I just feel that wet food is a better option for her. I know some have had great success with YAZCM.
 
Blamethecats and Hannah said:
LOL, when kitties eat in the wild, their diets are filled with by-products... bones, tendons, stomachs, ... you get the picture... yucky as it likely is. Just sayin'. :cat:

And, no I haven't tried the Fancy Feast kitten... at least not yet... but I'm not ruling it out. It's certainly worth a try. Hannah also gets a few pieces of Young Again Zero Carb Mature each day, but only as a treat. She loves it!! I just feel that wet food is a better option for her. I know some have had great success with YAZCM.
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I''be getting the YA mature in the mail soon. The previous bag was not for mature. The Fancy Feast Kitten turkey tender has only 1g of carbs per can. How many carbs in the one you are giving Hannah? And you are right about the by-products. It seems to be controversial in the pet food industry.
 
BJM said:
Actually, the way we calculate it, Young Again 0 Carb is 5% calories from carbohydrate. This is likely due to the fact that muscle has some glucose in it to fuel the cells and the liver stores glycogen, a form of carbohydrate.
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Wow, that's interesting. How can it be sold as ZERO carbs?
 
Bobbie And Bubba said:
How can it be sold as ZERO carbs?
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They claim it isn't processed by the cat so it doesn't need to be counted. But as we learned in the big sugar alcohol marketing time some people did process them, and some cats will process those carbs. I had seen some recent ads with the 5% on them I thought.

Bobbie And Bubba said:
I'd be interested to hear what everyone feeding regimes are.
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We feed all of our cats at least 4 times a day. AM & PM meals at shot times for everyone and then another "out-the-door" AM and "off-to-bed" PM feeding. Some of the diabetic boys on on feeders and get fed every 4 hours. Some of the non-diabetics have dry food access at other times too.
 
Melanie and Smokey said:
They claim it isn't processed by the cat so it doesn't need to be counted. But as we learned in the big sugar alcohol marketing time some people did process them, and some cats will process those carbs. I had seen some recent ads with the 5% on them I thought.



We feed all of our cats at least 4 times a day. AM & PM meals at shot times for everyone and then another "out-the-door" AM and "off-to-bed" PM feeding. Some of the diabetic boys on on feeders and get fed every 4 hours. Some of the non-diabetics have dry food access at other times too.
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That's a lot of organizing! I am starting to split his meals up for him
 
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