From: utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!ucbcad:tektronix!tekecs!annej
Newsgroups: net.pets
Title: Re: overfeeding cats
Article-I.D.: tekecs.976
Posted: Fri Apr 29 10:47:07 1983
Received: Tue May  3 03:58:47 1983
References: utcsrgv.1246

I don't know how big the "little Pampers" cans are, but 2-1/2 cans
sounds like a lot.  Younger cats need more food as do more active
cats.  My cat never overeats when given the opportunity, but I know
that many cats do.

I'm certainly no expert on feline nutrition (there are lots of
cat books with information on that) but I have an 8-yr-old very
trim cat with lots of kitten-like energy, and she's never been sick.

I feed her 1/3 of a can (they're small) of 9 Lives every morning,
and give her a handful of crunchies about once a day to nibble on.
If her crunchies are all gone and she asks for more, I figure
she's hungry and give them to her.  But the ONLY time I feed her
more canned food is when we leave her for the weekend--I figure
eating will help occupy her during our absence. (And believe
it or not, she does somersaults for her breakfast.  I know
cats don't do tricks, but no one told her.)

Some precautions I follow:  I give her tuna very rarely--about
once a month.  Cats that eat it all the time get "addicted"
and won't eat anything else, and too much tuna is bad for them.
I also don't give her cat crunchies, but give her Purina Puppy Chow.
I was told that cat crunchies contain flavor enhancers which may
cause liver damage over the years.

-- Anne Jacko, Tektronix