Emily Chan
Shani (@wildatheartcats) is a certified feline training and behavior specialist, and she’s coming on TikTok to tell you that if you’re a cat owner, you’re probably not feeding your cat enough food.
Or, more accurately, you’re not feeding your cat as often as they should be eating throughout the day.
In her video, she breaks down the science behind cats’ eating habits so you can understand how to feed them in a way that is appropriate for their species.
In the wild, cats usually eat eight to twenty small meals per day, which would consist of little critters. On average, a mouse is only about thirty calories. That equates to ten to fifteen pieces of kibble or one ounce of wet cat food.
A cat’s stomach is technically the size of a ping pong ball, so they can’t eat much at one time. Shani estimates that most house cats eat two times a day.
This is not enough, and when cats aren’t getting the proper amount of food, it can lead to behavioral problems.
It’s difficult to be able to feed your cat multiple times a day, especially if you have to leave the house for work, but there are solutions that can help you feed your cat at least five times a day.
Experts say that cats should, at minimum, eat five times a day and eat mainly wet food. One way you can achieve this is by feeding your cat before getting ready for work. And then you can feed them again right before you leave for work.
Unlike dogs, cats are good about not overeating if you feed them enough times during the day. However, if your cat is only eating twice daily, they will frequently “scarf and barf,” which Shani explains is when your cat eats too fast and barfs food up afterward.
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