I took in a stray almost 2 weeks ago, he looks like a DSH grey cat with tabby markings, but I suspect that there may be pig in the mix somewhere.
The first night I fed him Merrick pork dog food, that I had left over from when Shadow had passed away exactly 2 weeks before I spotted cat, he dang near ate 2 cups of it and might have ate more if I had put out more. I didn't think much of it since my neighbors had been spotting him wandering around for at least a month or so, I figured maybe he was just really hungry.
The next day I got a ride to the store and picked up some dry friskies cat food, and started out feeding him what was recommended on the bag, then adding a good 1/3 cup extra since he acted like he was starving. I finally checked the ingredients, corn or wheat was the first 3 ingredients. Dang it no wonder h was acting like he was starving!
Next time I was at the store I picked up the best dry food I could find, unfortunately it was Meow Mix, but at least meat was the second ingredient, it'll have to do until I can get to a better store and find a better food to feed until I can get him re-homed. I fed the recommended amount, but again he acts like he's starving so once again I added 1/3 cup more and he still acts hungry.
All the above happened the first week I had him.
I've branched out into canned food, and decided to feed him like I fed Pirate my last cat. I stared with 1 can of Fancy Feast, and around 2/3 cup of the dry food. Did that for 2 days yet he acts like I haven't feed him in 2 days. So yesterday I picked up some Friskies pate canned food, and fed him 1/2 the can in the morning, around 2 tablespoons of dry food around an hour later (he acted like I hadn't feed him in days, 1/3 cup of dry food around noon (again he acted like I hadn't fed him in days) and the other 1/2 of the can of food around 6pm. My thinking was that maybe upping the canned food will help him to feel full and he won't act like he's starving, and I know I'm only on day 1 of doing so but how much is to much food.?
Pirate was a big boy. he weighted about 18 lbs, and bordered on being fat, but I always managed to keep his weight just low enough feeding 1/2 cup of dry food, and 1 can of fancy feast a day. Cat weights around 8 to 10 lbs and wants to eat double what I fed Pirate. At least Cat is very active during the day but still I'm sure if I keep feeding him what I am he's going to be 1 ft tall and 3 ft wide! Should I cut back on his food, keep feeding him what I am, or feed 1 can of Friskies or 2 cans of Fancy Feast, and free feed the dry food and hope that he eventually realizes he's always going to have food and so will start self regulating?
Hopefully I'll get to the vet Tues or Wed. and I'll let the vet know what's going on, so this is just until I can get him checked out medically.
The first night I fed him Merrick pork dog food, that I had left over from when Shadow had passed away exactly 2 weeks before I spotted cat, he dang near ate 2 cups of it and might have ate more if I had put out more. I didn't think much of it since my neighbors had been spotting him wandering around for at least a month or so, I figured maybe he was just really hungry.
The next day I got a ride to the store and picked up some dry friskies cat food, and started out feeding him what was recommended on the bag, then adding a good 1/3 cup extra since he acted like he was starving. I finally checked the ingredients, corn or wheat was the first 3 ingredients. Dang it no wonder h was acting like he was starving!
Next time I was at the store I picked up the best dry food I could find, unfortunately it was Meow Mix, but at least meat was the second ingredient, it'll have to do until I can get to a better store and find a better food to feed until I can get him re-homed. I fed the recommended amount, but again he acts like he's starving so once again I added 1/3 cup more and he still acts hungry.
All the above happened the first week I had him.
I've branched out into canned food, and decided to feed him like I fed Pirate my last cat. I stared with 1 can of Fancy Feast, and around 2/3 cup of the dry food. Did that for 2 days yet he acts like I haven't feed him in 2 days. So yesterday I picked up some Friskies pate canned food, and fed him 1/2 the can in the morning, around 2 tablespoons of dry food around an hour later (he acted like I hadn't feed him in days, 1/3 cup of dry food around noon (again he acted like I hadn't fed him in days) and the other 1/2 of the can of food around 6pm. My thinking was that maybe upping the canned food will help him to feel full and he won't act like he's starving, and I know I'm only on day 1 of doing so but how much is to much food.?
Pirate was a big boy. he weighted about 18 lbs, and bordered on being fat, but I always managed to keep his weight just low enough feeding 1/2 cup of dry food, and 1 can of fancy feast a day. Cat weights around 8 to 10 lbs and wants to eat double what I fed Pirate. At least Cat is very active during the day but still I'm sure if I keep feeding him what I am he's going to be 1 ft tall and 3 ft wide! Should I cut back on his food, keep feeding him what I am, or feed 1 can of Friskies or 2 cans of Fancy Feast, and free feed the dry food and hope that he eventually realizes he's always going to have food and so will start self regulating?
Hopefully I'll get to the vet Tues or Wed. and I'll let the vet know what's going on, so this is just until I can get him checked out medically.
