recommended amounts on canned food

I had to laugh when I was at the grocery store not a half hour ago. I
stopped at the cat food isle (cant let Gabers and Oreo starve!!) and decided
to look at all the different canned foods. Since there has been a lot of
talk about the recommended amount for them, I decided to look at all the
different labels. On just ONE brand, their packaging had 3 different
recommended amounts for adult cats. Not a different type of food (like the
'premium' or 'gravy' or 'sliced cuts' but the only difference was flavor.
Isnt there some type of standard these manufacturers are held to?

"blueberries79" wrote in message
news:hAahe.16236$aB.9711@lakeread03...
I had to laugh when I was at the grocery store not a half hour ago. I
stopped at the cat food isle (cant let Gabers and Oreo starve!!) and
decided
to look at all the different canned foods. Since there has been a lot of
talk about the recommended amount for them, I decided to look at all the
different labels. On just ONE brand, their packaging had 3 different
recommended amounts for adult cats. Not a different type of food (like
the
'premium' or 'gravy' or 'sliced cuts' but the only difference was flavor.
Isnt there some type of standard these manufacturers are held to?



You mean how much you should feed? We have had so many long
discussions on that. It seems to me that cats are like people--they have
slower and faster metabolisms, so it depends. Phil has a very specific
calorie-based recommendation, but it seems to me that past discussion
supports feeding the average (healthy, average activity level)
10-pound cat about 8-10 ounces of canned food. About three little
cans or, what, two big cans? But for my cat Buddha that would be way
too much. First, she ought to weigh about 8 pounds, second, I want
her to lose weight, and third she has both thyroid and heart conditions
that mean her metabolism is a bit slow. Very complicated question!
(Or, better, simple question, complicated answer.)

"Mary" wrote in message
...

"blueberries79" wrote in message
news:hAahe.16236$aB.9711@lakeread03...
I had to laugh when I was at the grocery store not a half hour ago. I
stopped at the cat food isle (cant let Gabers and Oreo starve!!) and
decided
to look at all the different canned foods. Since there has been a lot
of
talk about the recommended amount for them, I decided to look at all the
different labels. On just ONE brand, their packaging had 3 different
recommended amounts for adult cats. Not a different type of food (like
the
'premium' or 'gravy' or 'sliced cuts' but the only difference was
flavor.
Isnt there some type of standard these manufacturers are held to?



You mean how much you should feed? We have had so many long
discussions on that. It seems to me that cats are like people--they have
slower and faster metabolisms, so it depends. Phil has a very specific
calorie-based recommendation, but it seems to me that past discussion
supports feeding the average (healthy, average activity level)
10-pound cat about 8-10 ounces of canned food. About three little
cans or, what, two big cans? But for my cat Buddha that would be way
too much. First, she ought to weigh about 8 pounds, second, I want
her to lose weight, and third she has both thyroid and heart conditions
that mean her metabolism is a bit slow. Very complicated question!
(Or, better, simple question, complicated answer.)



Yes and no... I kind of figured about 2 1/2 cans/day would be enough for the
two of them, I just cant believe the different standards all these cans
have! A sane person would go crazy trying to go by each of these labels
with the way they all have different amounts on them. And a crazy person...
well they would probably smash all the cans on the ground after getting
frustrated! Come to think of it... a sane person might do that too : )

On Fri 13 May 2005 07:16:55p, blueberries79 wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav (news:hAahe.16236$aB.9711@lakeread03):

I had to laugh when I was at the grocery store not a half hour
ago. I stopped at the cat food isle (cant let Gabers and Oreo
starve!!) and decided to look at all the different canned foods.
Since there has been a lot of talk about the recommended amount
for them, I decided to look at all the different labels. On
just ONE brand, their packaging had 3 different recommended
amounts for adult cats. Not a different type of food (like the
'premium' or 'gravy' or 'sliced cuts' but the only difference
was flavor. Isnt there some type of standard these manufacturers
are held to?




Different foods have differing amounts of calories. Adjust food
intake based on calories. Makes sense to me. What do you mean by
"standard"?

--
Cheryl

"The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited
breath."
- W.C. Fields

I think a normal, healthy, active cat will regulate itself on how much
to eat, unless there are other factors, like having to compete with
other animals for food, etc. Also, unless they are exclusively indoor
cats, they probably eat things that are not "on the menu" while they
are out and about. So I guess it is up to us to figure out how much to
feed them on an individual basis, realizing some days they won't eat
much at all, while other days, they eat everything in sight. My cat
gets about half of a 5-1/2 oz can of Friskies every morning, along with
dry food on the side and does fine, although she does expect some kind
of little treat in the evening. (Probably, this is a nasty side effect
from watching too much TV!)

"Gary" wrote in message
oups.com...
I think a normal, healthy, active cat will regulate itself on how much
to eat, unless there are other factors, like having to compete with
other animals for food, etc. Also, unless they are exclusively indoor
cats, they probably eat things that are not "on the menu" while they
are out and about. So I guess it is up to us to figure out how much to
feed them on an individual basis, realizing some days they won't eat
much at all, while other days, they eat everything in sight. My cat
gets about half of a 5-1/2 oz can of Friskies every morning, along with
dry food on the side and does fine, although she does expect some kind
of little treat in the evening. (Probably, this is a nasty side effect
from watching too much TV!)



**Hi Gary,

I really like your logic about feeding.

I feed my 7 month old boy, Dove, anywhere from 2 Lg. (5 oz) sized cans a
day/ night, to one Lg size and one small ( Fancy Feast) can. In addiction,
I fill a small bowl of dry for him once a day. And give him a small amount
of treats.

I, pretty much, feed him as much as he wants because he is still,
technically, a kitten. He has a hardy appetite, and is not over weight at
all, just a growing boy with lots of muscle.

I do let him outside to move around, get fresh air/ sunshine, and jump
around in my large, privacy fenced backyard for several hours each morning.
Of course, I check on him often with my eagle eyes and being the good,
protective mother that I am :-). Really, ever since I got him neutered,
almost a month ago, he has been much more mellow and domesticated acting (
thank you, God! ;-), always now staying very close and near my house. He
will often immediately run to me, just like a well-trained and obedient
little dog would do, when I whistle for him. What a good, sweet boy he is
:-).

ML

"Cheryl" wrote in message
...
On Fri 13 May 2005 07:16:55p, blueberries79 wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav (news:hAahe.16236$aB.9711@lakeread03):

I had to laugh when I was at the grocery store not a half hour
ago. I stopped at the cat food isle (cant let Gabers and Oreo
starve!!) and decided to look at all the different canned foods.
Since there has been a lot of talk about the recommended amount
for them, I decided to look at all the different labels. On
just ONE brand, their packaging had 3 different recommended
amounts for adult cats. Not a different type of food (like the
'premium' or 'gravy' or 'sliced cuts' but the only difference
was flavor. Isnt there some type of standard these manufacturers
are held to?




Different foods have differing amounts of calories. Adjust food
intake based on calories. Makes sense to me. What do you mean by
"standard"?

--
Cheryl

"The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited
breath."
- W.C. Fields

I guess by standard I am thinking how all 'human' food has packaging based
on the 2000 calorie diet, or what is considered average for a 'average'
human. I (mistakenly it seems) assumed these cat food manufacturers would
have the same type of averages in place on their labels... if not across the
board with all other makers, but at least across the board on their own
brand of cat food. Does that make a bit more sense? Sometimes I write
things and they make perfect sense in my head, but other people scrach their
heads : )

On Fri 13 May 2005 08:38:35p, blueberries79 wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav (news:RMbhe.16242$aB.4890@lakeread03):

I guess by standard I am thinking how all 'human' food has
packaging based on the 2000 calorie diet, or what is considered
average for a 'average' human.

I guess I still don't understand this. You mean where they indicate
for example, 2 servings per box, 100 calories per serving? Or do
you mean percentage? I have only seen percentage listed for
nutrients, not calories. Then, with human food, it is up to us to
know how many servings of this food we should have in a day based
on other food we eat. Or am I totally misunderstanding what you
mean?


I (mistakenly it seems) assumed
these cat food manufacturers would have the same type of
averages in place on their labels... if not across the board
with all other makers, but at least across the board on their
own brand of cat food. Does that make a bit more sense?
Sometimes I write things and they make perfect sense in my head,
but other people scrach their heads : )

I understand. I do the same thing.

--
Cheryl

"The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited
breath."
- W.C. Fields

On 2005-05-13, blueberries79 wrote:
Isnt there some type of standard these manufacturers are held to?
No.
I'd just use the empirical method. Put the food down for about a
half hour. If there are a lot of left-overs you put down too much.

"Cheryl" wrote in message
...
On Fri 13 May 2005 08:38:35p, blueberries79 wrote in
rec.pets.cats.health+behav (news:RMbhe.16242$aB.4890@lakeread03):

I guess by standard I am thinking how all 'human' food has
packaging based on the 2000 calorie diet, or what is considered
average for a 'average' human.

I guess I still don't understand this. You mean where they indicate
for example, 2 servings per box, 100 calories per serving? Or do
you mean percentage? I have only seen percentage listed for
nutrients, not calories. Then, with human food, it is up to us to
know how many servings of this food we should have in a day based
on other food we eat. Or am I totally misunderstanding what you
mean?


I (mistakenly it seems) assumed
these cat food manufacturers would have the same type of
averages in place on their labels... if not across the board
with all other makers, but at least across the board on their
own brand of cat food. Does that make a bit more sense?
Sometimes I write things and they make perfect sense in my head,
but other people scrach their heads : )

I understand. I do the same thing.

--
Cheryl

"The clever cat eats cheese and breathes down rat holes with baited
breath."
- W.C. Fields

We're getting closer... I will tell you what I read and maybe that will
work! The label on one tin said "feed 1 1/2 cans per 6-8 lbs body weight
for an adult cat" while the next one said "feed 2 cans per 6-8 lbs body
weight" and yet another said "feed 3 cans per 6-8 lbs body weight" - the
last one is what really shocked me. That would mean Gabe should be getting
6 cans a day! way wayyyy too much - The last one was in a boxed set, so the
more I think about it, I am wondering if they were smaller tins just made by
the same company; in that case 3 tins might equal 1 1/2 or 2 tins of the
larger ones I was looking at. Regardless, the fact is that I picked up 2 of
the exact same food by the exact same manufacturer with just a different
flavor label and one said "1 1/2" and the other said "2"

Better? This is where I should have brought my husband in... hes much
better at saying something in just a few words and not having to say it 3
times before the point gets across. I tend to ramble and not make any sense
:P