Scientists Outline Ideal Feeding Schedule for Cats

Ask any cat parent about their fur kids’ eating habits and you’ll get a different answer for each cat in every household.  Some cats like to graze on dry food all day long, others eat two servings of wet food per day and that’s all…the variations go on and on.  But what do experts say about the best way to feed your cat, one that mimics the way their ancestors ate in the wild?

An article in the Independent provides insight into this much-debated topic.  According to the experts, the ideal meal schedule for your cats is to feed them 5 or more small-sized portions a day, similar to how they would eat in the wild (a bug here and there…a mouse if they get lucky). 

Feeding your cat a couple of large meals a day, or letting her munch on dry food whenever she wants, is a recipe for creating a bored and unhealthy cat, according to scientists.  But don’t just put down a small amount of food 5 times a day and walk away.  Experts recommend stimulating your cat mentally with things like puzzle feeders, and changing up the timing and location of the feedings. 

The trick to this meal plan is to keep your cat fit, healthy, and alert by making his daily feedings seem as close as possible to how he would eat and behave in the wild, when stalking and hunting would take up a good portion of time and energy.  But don’t forget to always leave out plenty of fresh drinking water at all times.

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