Cats eating habits
Here’s some interesting little tidbits about the eating habits of cats that came across. Some I knew about and others I didn’t.
* Cats naturally eat between twelve and twenty meals a day. Wow! No wonder my cats are always neat the bowl asking for more.
* An average adult cat weighing ten pounds should eat about 275 calories per day. That’s as much as some humans eat in one meal.
* Cats are proven to be finicky so it’s suggested that new food be introduced gradually, mixing the new food with the old. Well I did know that but I’ve always believed in mixing foods together for another reason. It’s easier on the digestive system to not suddenly switch foods, because some animals will have upset stomachs or diarrhea when food is drastically changed.
* Giving your cat milk is not a good idea. After growing out of kittenhood most cats become lactose intolerant, which means they could have painful, dehydrating diarrhea. I had heard not to give them milk, but did not know it was because most cats become lactose intolerant.
March 30th, 2008 at 9:09 am
That is interesting. I also didn’t know why you don’t give cats milk I just know you shouldn’t. I’m lucky my cat can have milk. I found that out when our exchange student gave her some by accident.
Holly’s last blog post..How I spent my earth hour
March 30th, 2008 at 9:37 am
Yes, it was interesting to read about. Apparently as cats grow older they lose the ability to produce the enzyme lactase, which is what is needed to digest lactose products. From what I read what happens is the undigested lactose remains in the intestines and since it’s just sitting there it bacteria attacks it and it spoils, causing gas to form which is what causes the pain and diarrhea.
March 31st, 2008 at 5:12 pm
I have one cat who absoulutely goes crazy for milk. Whenever I take the bottle out of the fridge, I attempt to hide that I’m doing it. But he knows! He paws and cries for it. He only gets a little taste of it once in a while.
April 5th, 2008 at 9:20 am
Thanks for visiting Holly! I didn’t know about the milk, when I was growing up we often let the cats have milk.