Feeding Your Cat

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1 Should I make sure my cat always has dry food available in case she gets hungry when I'm not home?

2 How do I know what product to feed my cat?

3 I have a kitten and an adult cat. Can they eat the same food?

4 When do I need to switch my kitten to an adult cat food?

6 How can I add calories to my hyperthyroid cat's diet when he won't eat anything except dry food?

8 Is it safe to feed my cats Tuna Fish? I give them about 1/4 of a can every moring. I also free feed them dry food. I am worried that this might not be good nutrition?

9 I'm 11 years old and I have 6 cats. Every Sunday I give them a can of canned dog food. Will that hurt them?

10 My cat Tiger likes canned food but I don't think it is good for him every day, is this true?

12 How much Purina® Brand Overweight Management canned food should I give my 15-lb. cat each meal?

15 Hello, I'd like to know if I should feed my cat free choice or feed her 2 times a day. Thank You!

16 Is there any vegetarian cat food available anywhere?

18 Is it a problem if my cats eat my dog's dry puppy food? Or vice versa?

20 Is there a chart to gauge a healthy weight for cats male and female according to age?

21 Can I feed cats dog food? If not, then why not?

22 What can I do if my cat doesn't like wet food? She only eats dry food and wet food makes her vomit.

23 Can any other Purina cat food be substituted for DM Purina cat food? DM is so expensive!

24 One of my cats seems to be a lot heavier than my female cats. Should I feed them all a special diet cat food? How do I prevent one cat from being overweight?

27 What amount of food is good for my cat. She is four years old and right now my husband only gives her 1/2 a cup a day. Is that sufficient?

31 My cat is not overweight. Yet, she insists on having food in her bowl all the time, but she does not eat more than a bowl per day. What kind of exercises can I do with her to help her stay fit?

33 How many times a day should I feed my cats?

36 I have an 8 month old cat who wants to eat dry dog food, rather than his dry cat food, will this harm him? I have to keep dog food down because I have two Chihuahuas too.

38 What is the caloric density of Purina One Chicken & Rice?

39 I am switching my 12 yr. old cat to senior food. My 5 yr. old cat wants to eat it. Will it be okay for him?

42 Is Purina One Senior Formula for female cats only? On the bag it always refers to "her" and "she".

45 I recently heard from a veterinarian that the #1 ingredient in my cat food should be meat. I really want to give my cats the best. What should I do?

47 We have two 5-year-old cats. Is it ok to give them milk? When they see us with the milk jug they cry.

48 I have three cats, and only one of them is overweight. If I buy weight control food can all three cats eat it?

49 One of my 3 cats only likes to eat dry food. Is this healthy for him.

1 Should I make sure my cat always has dry food available in case she gets hungry when I'm not home? Dry food is a widely used type of pet food. Dry cat food is convenient and economical. Because it contains very little water, it will stay fresher longer in your cat's bowl. As cats tend to be nibblers, providing dry food throughout the day will enable your cat to always have food available when she is ready to eat. The most important factor in considering whether you meal feed (provide food for one to two hours twice-a-day) or free feed (provide food at all times) will be your cats' body condition. As long as your cat maintains an ideal body condition, it will be fine to free feed. If your cat starts to become overweight, it may be helpful to limit the amount she eats by providing smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day.
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2 How do I know what product to feed my cat? The best cat food would be the food that's right for your cat's nutritional needs. The key to selecting the proper food for your cat is knowing the right questions to ask. These would include questions regarding your cat's life stage, activity level, current body condition and whether your cat has any special needs.

While the cost of the food is certainly an important issue, it is not necessarily a good way to determine if a cat food is appropriate for your cat's nutritional needs. For adult cats, it is important to know that the food you are feeding provides the proper balance of nutrients (protein, fat, carbohydrate, vitamins and minerals). In addition, you need to consider your pet's activity level and life stage. As your cat becomes older, and perhaps more sedentary, she may tend to gain weight. A Senior formula lower in fat and calories, and higher in protein and antioxidants will help her stay lean and support strong muscles and a healthy immune system. Kittens, very active cats, and pregnant or nursing cats, on the other hand, would benefit from the extra nutrition provided by a kitten formula.
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3 I have a kitten and an adult cat. Can they eat the same food? In an ideal world, it is best to feed your kitten a food designed for kittens, and your adult cat a food that is appropriate for that cat's nutritional needs. Having separate food bowls, placed in separate locations, one for each cat.

If your older cat is attracted to the kitten food, you may want to feed the kitten in a different room, keeping the kitten food away from the older cat. However, we realize that this is a difficult option. While a kitten food would not be harmful to an adult cat, due to the higher protein, fat and calorie levels, your older cat may have a tendency to gain weight if he eats too much.

As another option, rather than combining both foods in the same bowl, you may wish to feed both cats a diet that is complete and balanced for all life stages. This formula would be appropriate for both cats and kittens, and would supply all the nutrition your kitten needs, with more moderate levels of fat and calories, so that your older cat maintains an appropriate weight.
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4 When do I need to switch my kitten to an adult cat food? It really depends upon your kitten and any other cats you potentially have in your household. If you have just one kitten, and your kitten is doing well on kitten food, then it is appropriate to continue feeding this formula until your kitten reaches adulthood at approximately one year of age. Kittens require the extra protein and calories of a kitten formula in order to ensure healthy growth and development.
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5 My cat is 2 yrs old. I just adopted her about 2 weeks ago and she was a stray. I cannot get her weight up, she is very skinny. Is there a particular food I can give her to get her weight up? She also doesn't like hard food. If your cat was under nourished while she lived on her own, it may take awhile for her to gain weight. Make sure you are feeding a complete and balanced diet. Also, it is very likely that she has some intestinal parasites and these will decrease absorption of nutrients and contribute to her lack of weight gain. I would urge you to take her to your veterinarian for an examination and a stool check as soon as possible.
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6 How can I add calories to my hyperthyroid cat's diet when he won't eat anything except dry food? I am assuming you wish to add calories to his diet to help with the weight loss associated with hyperthyroidism? When a cat is hyperthyroid, their metabolic rate is greatly increased and although they have a good appetite they will continue to lose weight. In order to stop the weight loss the hyperthyroidism must be treated. Several options for treatment exist including medication, radioiodine therapy and surgery. Please consult with your veterinarian for the best treatment for your cat.
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7 I am currently feeding my cats a competitive cat food. Unfortunately it is getting too expensive. Can you suggest any other food we can use that is still good for our cats. Something to note I have four cats and the younger two are over weight and the older two are in excellent shape. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. There are other "Super Premium" products available for adult cats and overweight adult cats. The Purina ONE line offers such products. For the slim and trim cats I would recommend an adult product (Purina ONE™ Salmon & Tuna for example) and for the overweight cats Purina ONE™ Healthy Weight Management. The best feeding method would be to feed the overweight cats in a separate room. If you do not want to buy two different foods, Purina ONE™ Healthy Weight management can also be fed to all of the cats by following the feeding instructions on the package. Measuring the amount you feed each day will be important to help control the number of calories your cats are eating on a daily basis. In addition, feed your cats smaller, more frequent meals throughout the day to help pace your cats' food consumption. This will help your cats feel less hungry. It will also be important to ensure that you monitor the number of treats you provide for your cats, and eliminate table foods from their daily routine, if possible. Treats and table foods both add extra calories to your cat's diet, and depending upon the quantity offered, may upset the nutrient balance of your cat's diet.
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8 Is it safe to feed my cats Tuna Fish? I give them about 1/4 of a can every moring. I also free feed them dry food. I am worried that this might not be good nutrition? When cats are fed an appropriate complete and balanced diet, they are receiving all the nutrients they need, and receiving those nutrients in the proper proportions. When cats are supplemented with table foods and other items, it means that they naturally eat less of the complete and balanced diet. The greater the amount of food supplemented, the less likely the cat is to receive all the nutrients he requires, in the proper proportions. While the feeding of very small quantities of tuna (preferably tuna packed in water) as a treat will not be harmful to your cat, as with any supplementation, if consistently fed, these foods may lead to finicky eating habits or nutritional deficiencies.
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9 I'm 11 years old and I have 6 cats. Every Sunday I give them a can of canned dog food. Will that hurt them? Dear Deborah; My but you have a lot of cats! The first thing to keep in mind is that cats aren't little dogs! They have very different nutritional needs from that of dogs. For example, they require much higher levels of protein in their diet. That's why we don't recommend that you feed dog food to cats every day as their main diet. It's probably OK to feed one can of dog food to the six cats once per week. But be careful; because it isn't what they normally eat they may get an upset stomach. Also, be sure to watch their weight - giving them the extra food may increase the calories they eat which can result in your cats becoming overweight.
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10 My cat Tiger likes canned food but I don't think it is good for him every day, is this true? One of the advantages of having some dry food in a cats diet is that it helps promote healthy teeth and gums. So I would suggest continuing to feed both wet and dry food.
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11 I wanted to know about how much a Calico Med. hair cat should weigh? I have been feeding her Purina ONE™ Salmon & Tuna, and also a soft cat food occasionally. But I do leave Purina ONE down as "free choice" food. I want to make sure that I'm not feeding her too much so she won't get overweight because I know their diet is very important. While some cats can eat their food free choice without becoming obese, others will consume too much food in a day. If your cat is not overweight now, one thing you could do would be to measure how much food she consumes on a daily basis and only feed that amount. This will allow you not only to control her intake, but also quickly tell on any given day if she has a change in appetite. Knowing how much she consumes on a daily basis is a good way to judge if your cat is healthy. It also allows you to change the amount based on her activity levels and keep her weight under control.
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12 How much Purina® Brand Overweight Management canned food should I give my 15-lb. cat each meal? Because Purina Veterinary Diets™ are prescription products, you should follow the feeding instructions your veterinarian has established. The feeding instructions may change weekly or monthly depending on the weight loss goals set for your cat.
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13 Can you please help us....we have two cats named Aura and Thunder. Our problem is that Aura (2yrs old) looks underweight compaired to Thunder (almost 1years old in Sept) who is two times her size. It is obvious to us that Thunder is overweight and we want to put him on low calorie food while Aura needs to be on Kitten food so she can gain some weight. How can we balance their diet so that they both get the right kind of food? Note: Thunder will eat ANYTHING and Everything and Aura will only eat certain cat foods. When you have cats with different nutritional needs, as in your case where one is underweight and the other overweight, you may have to feed each cat individually. For example, continue to feed Thunder using the same bowl and in the same location in which he has been fed. Use a different bowl for Aura and put it in a location where she can be isolated, such a laundry room. Try to feed the cats at the same time (preferably 2 to 3 times per day) each day for approximately 30 minutes and then remove the food. After a few days they will adapt to this schedule. Be sure to consult the feeding instructions as to the amount to feed but also remember that cats vary widely in the amount of food required to maintain normal body weight. That’s why it is also important to feed an appropriate amount to maintain good body condition.
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14 I've been feeding my 11-year-old cat a "special" lamb and rice cat food which seems to have helped his itchy yeast infection-prone ears. Now, however, I'd like to feed him a "dental diet" food for his bad breath. How long does he need to be on the lamb and rice diet before I can safely switch, or does he need to be fed that "forever"? thanks! A veterinarian should be consulted as to the possible cause of your cat's symptoms. If he or she believes that his symptoms are diet related, it is possible that a food allergy may exist. Allergies are inflammatory reactions by an animal's body to a substance the body perceives as foreign. A food allergy results from an abnormal immune reaction to individual ingredients found in a pet food rather than the diet itself.

Changing from one pet food to another may not be possible because many pet foods contain similar ingredients. Determining the cause of his food allergy should begin with a detailed diet history. Once a tentative diagnosis is made, your veterinarian can advise you as to whether a diet change can be attempted.
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15 Hello, I'd like to know if I should feed my cat free choice or feed her 2 times a day. Thank You! Many cats like to eat multiple small meals through out the day so free choice feeding is best for them. However, some cats will not regulate their food intake and become overweight with food available all the time. I suggest you start by feeding your cat free choice, but measure the daily amount she gets in her bowl. Once she has eaten her daily allotment, do not feed her anymore. If she routinely eats all her food quickly, then going to twice daily set feeding times might be best.
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16 Is there any vegetarian cat food available anywhere? Many people choose to be vegetarians and eat a diet that contains no animal-based proteins. Cats on the other hand are strict carnivores and require more than a dozen nutrients found only in animal tissue. Without supplementation, cats eating vegetarian diets are at high risk for developing vitamin, fatty acid, and amino acid deficiencies. Please consult your veterinarian before changing from one type of food to another.
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17 We went to the Vet today and she recommended that our overweight cat be fed about 200 calories per day. To what weight or volume of the Purina ONE Healthy Weight Management formula does this correspond ? In order for your cat to lose weight, she needs to eat less than she is now. One way to do that is to actually measure the amount of food you provide for her now and that she eats on a daily basis and decrease that amount by one quarter. Another method would be to feed her based on her weight. A 5-9 pound cat would get 1/3 to 1/2 a cup of Purina ONE Healthy Weight Management daily, a 10-14 pound cat would get 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup.
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18 Is it a problem if my cats eat my dog's dry puppy food? Or vice versa? While an occasional morsel of dog food is not harmful for your cats, the bulk of their diet should be cat food. Cats and dogs have different nutritional needs. In general cats have a higher protein requirement than dogs and a balanced cat food addresses those needs. I would suggest you feed your dog at set times, leave the food down for 20-30 minutes and then remove the uneaten portion to keep your cats from consuming the dog food.
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19 I have a five-month-old kitten and she gets Purina ONE kitten food. I also have a sixteen-month-old cat. Most people recommend switching to adult food by the age of one year, but the older kitty prefers the Purina ONE kitten food, too! Is it wrong to let her continue eating the kitten food since she is over one year old now? Purina ONE Growth and Development formula for kittens has more calories per cup of food than the adult diets. This is not harmful for your 16-month-old cat, but if she eats too much she may gain weight. I would suggest monitoring her food intake and perhaps mixing the adult diet and the kitten diet together to help avoid excessive weight gain.
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20 Is there a chart to gauge a healthy weight for cats male and female according to age? There's not a chart that specifically relates an ideal weight to age. No matter what their age, all cats should be maintained in ideal body condition. However, if you look on the back of the Purina ONE product packages you will see a chart entitled "Feed To Ideal Body Condition". This chart represents what an underfed, ideal, and overfed cat look like. For an underfed cat the ribs are visible with minimal fat covering them. With a cat in ideal body condition you can feel the ribs but not see them. He has a waist when viewed from above and his belly is tucked up when viewed from the side. An overfed cat has no waist when viewed from above and his belly is rounded when viewed from the side. To see the body condition scoring system on line, go to the "Cat Care" link on the Purina ONE website. Then click on the "Six Signs of a Healthy Pet" link and choose "body condition".
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21 Can I feed cats dog food? If not, then why not? Cats and dogs have different nutritional requirements, which means they should each eat a commercial pet food that is specifically formulated for them. Cats have a high protein requirement that would not be met by eating just dog food. Cats also have different needs for which minerals and amino acids must be added to their diet. Therefore, for the long-term health of your cat I would recommend that you feed a good quality cat food.
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22 What can I do if my cat doesn't like wet food? She only eats dry food and wet food makes her vomit. A good commercial dry cat food diet appropriate for her life stage should provide complete nutrition for your cat. If she cannot eat wet food without gastric irritation, then I would not give her any. She can get her complete dietary needs from dry food. If you wish to give her something special from time to time, you might consider giving her a dry cat treat that she may be able to eat without intestinal upset.
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23 Can any other Purina cat food be substituted for DM Purina cat food? DM is so expensive! DM is a prescription diet specifically designed for the unique dietary needs of a diabetic cat. This diet is designed to provide high quality protein, which can result in a more consistent, steady release of glucose and the protential for reduced insulin requirements. DM is recommended for cats with any of the following conditions: diabetes mellitus, persistent hyperglycemia, enteritis and diarrhea. So if your cat has any of these problems DM is probably the best diet for your cat.
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24 One of my cats seems to be a lot heavier than my female cats. Should I feed them all a special diet cat food? How do I prevent one cat from being overweight? Cats have different eating habits and different metabolisms and when there are multiple cats within a household, this can be a problem. Often cats are fed free choice, but in some cases one cat eats more than they need and will become overweight. If this is happening, it is not necessarily the type of food, but rather the over consumption that leads to the obesity. There are several possible solutions to this problem. The first would be to put all cats on a set feeding schedule. This means you have a bowl for each cat and they are fed at set times daily while you supervise them eating. This would allow you to offer different foods to each cat if you wished and keep each cat on its own diet. Another possibility is to create a feeding location that the thinner cats can access, but the overweight cannot. This would allow the thin cats to eat free choice, but the overweight cat could not get any more food once his was gone. Finally, if the other cats are not fat, but normal weight, they might do just fine on a "lite" food and you could try feeding them all the same food keeping in mind that the overweight cat may still eat more and not lose any weight.
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25 I have a cat and a kitten. In the past, I have always allowed them to free eat all day. Now, my older cat is too overweight because she has been eating the kitten's food - Growth & Development formula. The kitten, on the other hand, eats the weight management diet. How can I get them to eat their own food? The good news is that you have your cats on the appropriate diets for proper health. The best way to keep them from each other's food is to feed them separately or be present when they eat. Another option you have is to place one of them in a cat carrier while they eat so that they cannot eat the other cats food then pick up the food bowls until the next feeding time. Finally, since the kitten is likely smaller and more mobile than the older cat is it possible to place her bowl somewhere that is inaccessible to the older cat?
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26 We have four cats that have been used to having food available when they want to eat. Recently one of our cats was diagnosed with diabetes. The veterinarian suggested we feed Purina DM. The problem is now that we feed the cats only twice a day, the three non-diabetic cats refuse to eat their food. They all seem to want to eat the Purina DM. It's been over a week and I am terrified that as we stabilize our diabetic cat, our three other cats are no longer getting enough nutrition. I'm at a loss with what to do. I never minded the expense of feeding our cats quality food, but I don't know how to get my three cats eating again. I would appreciate any advice you can offer. It can be hard for cats to change their eating patterns. There are several options you can try. Perhaps you can situate a food bowl or two in a location that is only accessible to the other cats. Alternately you could keep the cats separated for a few hours each day when you leave out the food bowls for the healthy cats. If the healthy cats are smaller and skinnier you could try leaving a door open just enough so they can get through but the other cat cannot. Finally, try offering them another new food and see if they will eat that instead.
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27 What amount of food is good for my cat. She is four years old and right now my husband only gives her 1/2 a cup a day. Is that sufficient? The average cat eats between 1/2 to one cup of food a day. Not only is the amount important, but also it is necessary to feed a high quality complete cat food that meets all her nutritional needs. If she eats all the food provided and is not asking for more and is maintaining her weight she is probably eating an adequate amount. If she is losing weight or always hungry she probably needs more food.
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28 What do I feed my cats? I have two. They are both indoor cats and they are on Purina One Healthy Weight Management. They probably weigh 12 pounds. But I feel like I should be treating them for urinary tract health and hairball health. I don't know which food to feed them. If your cats do not have any history of urinary tract problems or a specific recommendation from their veterinarian, then they do not need to be on a urinary tract health diet. For a hairball diet, if they do not have a chronic problem with hairballs, then they do not need a diet specifically for that concern. It sounds as though your cats are big, and perhaps overweight; therefore, a weight management diet is a good choice.
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29 I am at a loss as to what to do. I was told by a veterinarian about 3 years ago that the reason my cat was so sick was because he was allergic to fish products. He suggested I find a food that did not contain fish particles. The only brand that I could find on the market for cats that did not contain fish was Purina One's Special formula chicken & Rice. After 1 month on the product my cat was already back to a healthy weight and able to keep food down, etc.. Now after 3 years Purina has changed the formula to the Chicken and Rice and has now added fish digest to the formula. I don't want my cat to go through what he did 3 years ago. Is there another cat food that does not contain fish ??? Is there something else that I could give him??? Purina ONE Special Care Urinary Tract health formula contains chicken and rice but no fish particles. Whenever you change a cat's diet there is the possibility of intestinal upset. Therefore it is best to proceed slowly allowing 7-10 days for the transition. Start by adding a small amount of the new food to the existing diet. Each day gradually decrease the amount of the old diet and add in more of the new until the transition is complete. If at any time your cat seems to be having a problem, stop the new diet and consult with your veterinarian.
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30 Hi, I have two long haired cats and one short haired. I was wondering what you would recommend out of the choices of Purina ONE products, ages range from 2-4 years of age? What would you as a vet recommend? Thank you. Since all your cats are adults, an adult formula food such as Purina ONE Chicken and Rice Formula would be suitable. If any of the cats seem to have problems with hairballs, you might want to consider Purina ONE Special Care Advanced Nutrition Hairball Formula. It is also possible that your cats will like different foods so you can offer them choices between the two. Make sure to have one food bowl per cat and in multiple locations in your house to that each cat can eat if they choose.
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31 My cat is not overweight. Yet, she insists on having food in her bowl all the time, but she does not eat more than a bowl per day. What kind of exercises can I do with her to help her stay fit? Many cats seem to like to have a full bowl of food, but when you do that you run the risk of overfeeding your cat. You are better off if you measure the amount of food she should have on a daily basis and split it into 2-3 meals. This would allow her to have food in the bowl, but you would control the total daily intake and hopefully prevent her from becoming obese. As far as exercise, daily playtime is a good place to start. Try toys that move and wiggle so that she jumps and chases them. That will help her stay trim and slim.
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32 My newly adopted adult cat Tom appears in great health and eats Purina ONE food once a day in 3/4 cup servings. However by 6 am after being fed around 7 pm the previous day, the bowl is empty and he is demanding more food. Should I feed him more often or is once daily enough? He is an indoor cat living in a 3rd floor apt. You could try splitting his daily allotment of food into two meals and see if that helps. It also may be that he needs a bit more food. Be careful however, not to overfeed him or he will become overweight. Leaner pets tend to have fewer health issues than heavier ones, so we should strive to keep our pets lean.
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33 How many times a day should I feed my cats? I usually recommend that cats be fed at least twice daily. Some cats will regulate the amount they eat and can be fed their total daily allotment free choice. In other situations a cat may overeat if given all their food at once. In multiple cat households it may not be possible to leave food out all the time since some cats may overeat. Don't forget to provide your cats with a good quality commercial diet appropriate for their lifestage and plenty of fresh clean water. In homes with more than one cat, be sure to have a food bowl for each cat.
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34 Hi, Thomas is a mixed breed, year and a half old overweight cat. He is about 16lbs. I feed him Purina Urinary Tract Health Formula [half cup a day free choice] and at suppertime a half small can of wet cat food. My question is can I replace the Purina Urinary Tract Health Formula with another Purina brand which has less calories. Thomas has never had urinary problems and this food was more for prevention, but I am afraid to stop it. Would apreciate an opinion. Most cats that do not have a history of urinary tract problems do okay with a regular feline diet. When a cat is overweight they can be at risk for other health problems, so helping a cat lose excess weight is a good idea. Feeding a weight management diet such as Purina ONE Healthy Weight Management is a good start to controlling weight gain. It also is important to make sure that the total daily intake is not excessive and this might mean decreasing the amount of both the wet and dry food your cat eats. Finally, before switching to another diet you may want to consult your veterinarian.
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35 I have two male cats that have had multiple episodes of serious urethra blockages, now controlled. I switched to Purina ONE Urinary Tract Health Formula and they have maintained good health for two years. My concern lies in the fact I have many cats that all eat together, so feeding them separately is fairly impossible and feeding all of them Purina ONE Urinary Tract Health Formula was the answer. Is this a safe choice for those that are not as likely to develop urinary problems (like the females)? I have heard conflicting things. Purina ONE Urinary Tract Formula is designed to meet the nutritional needs of adult cats. It is not meant to be fed to kittens, pregnant or nursing cats. It also is a diet that is nutrient dense so that you can feed less of this formula than average foods since there are more digestible calories per cup.
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36 I have an 8 month old cat who wants to eat dry dog food, rather than his dry cat food, will this harm him? I have to keep dog food down because I have two Chihuahuas too. It is not a good idea to allow your cat to eat dog food. Cats and dogs have different nutritional requirements and the food for each is designed to meet those needs. I would suggest creating feeding times for each of your pets so that not only can you control who eats which food, but also tell what amount they eat each day. Once they have finished eating, their food bowls can be picked up and put away. Keeping track of the food intake is a good way to assess overall health and avoid problems such as obesity, which can contribute to a decrease in overall health and longevity.
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37 Hi, Thanks for such an informative site! I have a question regarding my very playful 2 year old indoor cat. I've had a difficult time finding a food that she'll eat. She is VERY FINIKY! It seems her choice is the Purina ONE Growth and Development for Kittens. Is it okay to continue to give her this even though she is over 2 years of age? I've tried many other adult foods and she will not eat them. Is she getting the proper nourishment? Thanks in advance for yor help. Purina ONE Growth and Development is a complete diet but is generally intended for kittens, pregnant and nursing cats. If fed to your cat it can result in excessive weight gain since it is an extra-nutrient rich diet. Try mixing Purina ONE Chicken and Rice Formula with the Growth and Development and see if she likes that as well.
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38 What is the caloric density of Purina One Chicken & Rice? Purina ONE Chicken and Rice Formula is a complete diet that supports overall health and is low in magnesium. It is designed as a diet for adult cats. Purina ONE Chicken and Rice Formula provides 452 Kilocalories per cup of food consumed.
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39 I am switching my 12 yr. old cat to senior food. My 5 yr. old cat wants to eat it. Will it be okay for him? In general terms it would be okay for your 5 year old cat to eat the senior food, it is a complete and balanced diet. You could try mixing another food to the senior diet and see if he will eat it that way. Be sure to provide a bowl for each cat so that they do not compete over food.
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40 I purchased Purina ONE for my 2 year old male cat. On the outside of the bag, it states that food should be given as "free choice" throughout the day - can you clarify what this term means? The usual way I've been feeding my cat has been 1/4 c. of food in the AM, another 1/4 c. around dinnertime, and another 1/4 c. before going to bed. Should I feed my cat in a different manner? He weighs 10 lbs. currently, so that is the reason for the 3/4 c. of food daily. Also, he is an indoor only cat, so he doesn't get as much exercise as would an outdoor cat. Thank you for your assistance! Most cats prefer to eat multiple small meals through out the day, and that is why it is often suggested to feed them "free choice". Some cats do however adjust to set feeding intervals. Since you are feeding your cat three times daily you are likely meeting his need to eat multiple meals. If he is doing well, maintaining his weight and feeling well, then he can continue to eat his meals the way your are providing them.
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41 My cat is 15 pounds and I have been feeding him on a "free choice" feeding schedule where dry food is left out all the time for him. I want my cat to be healthy. What is the best way to go about changing his diet to where I measure his food out? Will he lose weight this way? I have another cat, but Gray is dominant. What is the best way to give them food so that they each eat only what is given to them? When there is more than one cat in the home it is important to have multiple feeding stations so that each cat can get their needed nutrition. If one cat is more agile than another, that cat could have their bowl up high where the other cat cannot get to it. Or, if one cat is smaller, the bowl could be through a door secured open just far enough for the smaller cat to get through. You can switch your cats to set feeding times by starting to fill their bowls 2-3 times daily dividing their total daily ration between feedings. Finally, for weight loss you might consider Purina ONE Healthy Weight Management formula.
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42 Is Purina One Senior Formula for female cats only? On the bag it always refers to "her" and "she". No, Purina ONE Senior formula is meant for all cats over 8 years of age, male or female. On the packaging the choice of which pronoun to use is arbitrary, it could just as easily say "he". If you have a senior cat this would be a good diet to help maintain him/her in his/her older years.
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43 My cat is a 2 yr. old female. She was a stray found and obtained from anti-cruelty. She is a big eater. Eats everything and anything. I leave a bowl of dry food out all the time and she does not finish it, but she does have a small "belly". I have started mixing "regular" food and "low activity" as a small diet. Is this a good idea or should I just let her go? Suggestions? Some cats that have needed to fend for themselves and at times been quite hungry often eat a great deal when food is readily available. If she is beginning to put on weight, you can try a food like Purina ONE Healthy Weight Management formula. It also might help to have her eat at least some of her daily ration from a feeder toy. These are plastic toys that hold dry food and have a small dispensing hole. When the cat pushes the toy, food comes out. This slows her rate of eating and she may realize she is full and stop before she eats more than she needs.
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44 I have a multi-cat home, with multi-weight problems. How do I manage their feedings for each of their needs? I don't want my 1-year old kitten to eat my 8 year old's food, but I also work different hours each day. What do I do? It may be possible to set up feeding stations for each cat. If the younger cat is more agile, then a feeding station up high might be appropriate. If the older cat is more sedentary, a lower feeding station may work. If your older cat is on a weight management diet such as Purina ONE Healthy Weight management, it would be okay if the younger cat ate some of that food while also having access to her own.
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45 I recently heard from a veterinarian that the #1 ingredient in my cat food should be meat. I really want to give my cats the best. What should I do? A good choice to feed your cat would be a food like Purina ONE Salmon and Tuna flavor or Chicken and Rice formula. Both are complete and balanced diets designed to meet the unique nutritional needs of cats. Since cats like to eat multiple small meals daily, whichever diet you choose should be provided in 2-3 small meals daily.
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46 My cat often vomits after eating dry food. It seems like she eats too fast. She has been to the vet, and is healthy. What can I do to stop the vomiting? When she vomits, it seems like she has a hairball and starts to gag (like dry heaving). If your cat is vomiting due to a hairball, a dietary switch may help. A food such as Purina ONE Advanced Nutrition Hairball Formula may be a good choice for her. It also may help to feed her total daily amount of food over several small meals to prevent ingesting large quantities that might induce vomiting.
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47 We have two 5-year-old cats. Is it ok to give them milk? When they see us with the milk jug they cry. Most adult cats have a diminished ability to digest milk protein. Therefore when given milk they may get diarrhea. In other cases, small amounts of milk every so often usually does not cause problems.
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48 I have three cats, and only one of them is overweight. If I buy weight control food can all three cats eat it? An overweight cat usually does best if fed a weight control diet such as Purina ONE Healthy Weight Management. The other cats in the home could eat that diet, but their weight should be carefully monitored so they do not lose weight but are maintaining themselves. If they do lose weight, then they would need to be fed a different diet.
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49 One of my 3 cats only likes to eat dry food. Is this healthy for him. A dry formula such as Purina ONE Total Nutrition Salmon and Tuna or Purina ONE Total Nutrition Chicken and Rice is a complete and balanced diet. Therefore, if your cat only eats the dry formula he will have his nutritional needs met. Dry food also has the side benefit of helping to control dental tartar.
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