Is It Better To Give a Cat Wet Food In The Morning Or At Night?
If you’re considering your cat’s eating schedule, and you are keen on wet food, one of the common questions is understanding when to feed your cat…
Is It Better To Give a Cat Wet Food In The Morning Or At Night?
Feeding your cat some wet food in the morning will give them their nourishment, with an extra bit of hydration in the bargain. That said, this is also a nice thing in the evening for your kitty so it’s going to ultimately be up to you.
You can also simply make a mix of wet and dry food so that your cat has a little of both for their morning and evening meal. The extra crunch of the mixed-in dry food, along with the hydration and real meat proteins of the wet make a combination that is good for your cat’s overall health and teeth!
How often should cats be given wet food?
A white and brown cat eating food from a food bowl by the window.
Cats can have a diet that is 100% wet food, although a little dry food is still recommended from time to time as it’s good for their teeth.
If you’re on a budget, however, you can always separate a single can into two portions and mix in a little dry so that your cat can have at least 2 wet food meals a day and get enough calories and vitamins to sustain a healthy weight and feel full doing it.
Why is wet food beneficial for cats?
Wet food is easier to digest for cats and it also helps to hydrate them due to the water content, as well. Depending on the brand, the nutrition count is often quite good, and your cat gets a lot of vitamins along with tasty, real meat proteins.
Those proteins help your cat sustain strong muscle mass well into adulthood and even its senior years, as it is absorbed quickly and efficiently when compared to dry alternatives. Don’t get us wrong, dry food is certainly nourishing, but wet wood is much more efficient and easier to digest for your kitty.
Can cats eat only dry food instead?
Yes, cats can have a diet of simply dry food and they’ll do just fine. The important thing is to make sure that your cat is getting the recommended amount of daily calories, along with a heavy protein and vitamin content.
You can even make it a little tastier for your kitty by boiling some water with a beef or chicken bouillon cube and then pouring this into the dry food and waiting 2 to 3 minutes before serving.
The food will absorb the water, puffing up and giving your cat a warm and soft wet food that you’ve made by simply hydrating the dry.
Should cats have wet food every day?
If you like, then yes, your cat can certainly have wet food every day and it’s a little more like what they would be eating in the wild. It’s got real meat inside and while the ‘gravy’ that you see in it looks a little weird, that’s just a by-product of the bones from the meat forming natural gelatin.
That said, from time to time you might consider putting a little dry food out just for their teeth. Dry food has a crunch to it, that cleans your cat’s teeth naturally in a way that wet food simply cannot. You could even just put a spoonful on top of the wet and your cat will love it!
What is the average calorie intake for a cat?
On average, most cats are going to need approximately 240 calories per day, preferably divided up into 2 meals with one being served in the morning and another in the evening.
If you want to get a little more technical, assume 24 to 30 calories will be needed for every pound of your cat’s weight. The 30-calorie range would be for the most active kitties, while the 24-calorie-per-pound range is better suited for more leisurely felines.
Should I feed my cat both dry and wet food?
A white and black cat being fed food by a person standing.
Yes, you should consider feeding your cat both types of food if they like both wet and dry foods. The dry food helps their teeth, cleaning them a bit while your kitty crunches on them, while the wet food gives quickly digestible nutrition and lots of protein from the meat inside.
The wet food will also hydrate your cat a little, while the addition of the dry will also make the meal more interesting for your kitty. You get all of this for your cat and it will even cost less because you’ll get more mileage separating the cans of wet food before mixing them with the dry.
It’s a choice that’s both beneficial and practical, so it’s well worth giving a try if your cat likes both types of these foods.
Do cats get tired of eating the same food?
Cats are rather like people in this regard. Some folks are perfectly happy eating the same lunch every day, while others quickly become bored of this, and your cat is no different. Most cats will be happier if you are making changes in their diet from time to time where the flavor is concerned.
Don’t overdo it – Cats hate when you switch brands, for instance, as they are creatures of habit. You can instead try small additions, such as adding dry kernels with wet, hiding a treat in the food sometimes, or even some sprinkles of grated cheese mixed in if you like.
Get a little creative with your cat’s food – they’ll appreciate it and you’ll have a much lower chance of regularly finding half-filled food bowls in your kitchen.
Can cats go all night without eating?
Yes, as long as your cat is getting their recommended daily calories, it’ll be fine waiting overnight to eat just like the rest of us. That said, if your cat likes to get up and wander around at night, you can always leave a spoonful or two of dry food in their bowl for use as a midnight snack.
It’s up to you, but if you choose not to leave it out then don’t worry – your cat will be just fine.
Do cats know when to stop eating?
Yes, most cats know when to stop eating, but just like humans, that doesn’t mean that they will stop – It all depends on the kitty.
Some cats can regulate their diet, so owners can use methods such as a ‘gravity feeder’ that pour out food and keep the bowl always full, but other cats will eat more than they should if they are given the chance. If your cat falls into the overeater category, then you might consider an automatic feeder.
With an automatic feeder, you have pre-prepared portions that are set up in advance in a bowl that unlocks on a schedule. This helps your kitty to diet by feeding them specific amounts on a strict schedule and is also a good method to treat or simply prevent obesity in your cat.
