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Blog - portion control

3 Benefits of Meal Feeding Your Cats

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One of the most important ways to ensure that our cats stay happy and healthy is by feeding them correctly. Many pet owners do free feeding with their cats and dogs. However, many experts say that feeding meals is a healthier choice for your cat. 

Here are 3 reasons why meal feeding is a great idea!

1) It helps you monitor your cat’s diet closely.

If you simply leave food out for your cat to free feed, you won’t have a clear picture of what your cat is actually eating. If you’re feeding multiple cats, the problem is compounded. However, by meal feeding your cats in separate rooms, you can analyze what each cat is eating. If you are feeding feral cats, you could feed one of them in the outdoor cat house and one of them outside it. This will help you notice:

-Food-guarding behaviour

-Response to new foods

-Increase or decrease in appetite

-Lack of appetite

-Allergic reactions, if immediate

This information will help you adjust your cat’s diet as necessary.

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2) It makes it possible to use portion control.

Because cats love to eat, they may easily eat too much and become overweight! According to the Cat Hospital of Chicago, “Unlimited access to dry food often leads to obesity. Cats that are already overweight rarely lose weight on unlimited dry food, even when a lower calorie food is substituted.” They recommend meal feeding your cat instead.

When you do meal feeding, you can measure out the correct portion for your cat’s weight and age. You can try this simple portion calculator from Merrick Pet Foods to estimate how many calories your cat should be eating every day.

Using portion control will help your cat maintain a healthy weight.

3) It allows you to bond with your cat.

When your cat is eating, you can hang out nearby and chat with her. If your cat starts to wander off, you can pet her and gently point her back to the food dish. Especially if you have a new cat, this experience promotes positive bonding. It will help your cat relax around you and trust you more.

Come back next week for an easy guide to start meal feeding your cat!

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