Raising an outdoor kitten - need feeding advice

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

I got some mouser cats for outdoors. I have a ~1 year old female and a ~5 month old male.

My question is about the kitten. I am trying to keep these cats as economically as possible, but I also want to make sure the kitten grows up strong and is getting enough food. How do I know how much food to give the two of them? I feed them in the morning only to encourage nighttime mousing. They each get 1/4 can of 9 Lives pate, and then I scoop 1 heaping cup of dry kitten food to split throughout the day. They also tend to eat some of the mice they hunt.

I can't find a resource on how much food a kitten actually needs. Most sources just say to leave the food out all day but I can't do that. Do you think I am putting out enough food for them?

Also, I started doing 1/4 can food each instead of 1/2 can because of the price. But lmk if the wet food is more important for kittens. I could potentially up that back to 1/2 can and reduce the dry feed amount to a flat cup or something.

 

[ChickyWhicky]

Maybe Im old fashioned but I raise my barn kittens on dry food. Wet food only at the very beginning when they come off of mama. I would suggest leaving dry food available at all times, as they are growing and need to be nourished.
If you cant, I would be feeding a large enough amount that they leave extra. Thats a sure way to know they filled up their bellies with what they needed.

 

[NatJ]

I am trying to keep these cats as economically as possible, but I also want to make sure the kitten grows up strong and is getting enough food. How do I know how much food to give the two of them?

You could check whether they are too fat or too thin or about right. If they are too thin, give more food. If they are about right, then you do not need to change anything, just check again every now and then. Given their ages, and that they live outdoors, I think they are unlikely to be too fat (but if they are, it would be good for you to find that out.)

There are charts online that tell how to check whether a cat is too thin vs. too fat (usually you want to feel the ribs easily but not see them.) I did a google image search for "cat weight chart" and turned up quite a few of them from various pet food companies and vets' websites.

 

[HenriettaPizzaNolan]

Maybe Im old fashioned but I raise my barn kittens on dry food. Wet food only at the very beginning when they come off of mama. I would suggest leaving dry food available at all times, as they are growing and need to be nourished.
If you cant, I would be feeding a large enough amount that they leave extra. Thats a sure way to know they filled up their bellies with what they needed.

I was thinking of eventually switching to just dry, but people are always talking up how good canned food is for them. Have your cats been healthy on the dry only?

And the thing about leaving out extra is that I don't want raccoons coming in the cat door and eating food, and I also want my cats to have an appetite at night. Not starving of course, but I just wouldn't want them to be so full they won't mouse.

You could check whether they are too fat or too thin or about right. If they are too thin, give more food. If they are about right, then you do not need to change anything, just check again every now and then. Given their ages, and that they live outdoors, I think they are unlikely to be too fat (but if they are, it would be good for you to find that out.)

There are charts online that tell how to check whether a cat is too thin vs. too fat (usually you want to feel the ribs easily but not see them.) I did a google image search for "cat weight chart" and turned up quite a few of them from various pet food companies and vets' websites.

Great idea! I'm gonna look that up.