Whether you have a finicky or overzealous eater, your cat’s needs to be fed properly and it’s also important that you have fun doing so! Below are some tips on how to properly feed your cat so that feeding time can be more effective and enjoyable.
The purpose of a cat’s whiskers is for it to navigate its surroundings, as well as determine the width of openings, and even communicate mood.
Here are tips for choosing a dish that is suitable for your Burmese cat’s whiskers:
- Choose a dish large enough to hold a day’s worth of food, with a lip just tall enough to keep the food contained while letting your cat easily observe the room.
- If you constantly find yourself cleaning up after your cat, consider a wide plate large enough to catch stray kibble or canned food.
- Use a shallow bowl that your cat can grab food from without impeding the whiskers.
Dish Placement
Where you place the dish plays an important role in your cat’s level of comfort at feeding time. Below are some tips on the ideal and recommended location of your cat’s dish or bowl:
- Try placing the dish in the open to maximize sight lines. It also helps lessen the tension.
- Do not place your cat’s dish in the corner of a room or on an edge because it’s difficult to see the surroundings. This is also recommended with multiple cats.
Feeding Accessories
A puzzle feeder or a food distributor ball is ideal especially if your cat is overweight or has a tendency to eat a lot of food in just one sitting. These accessories are also great for enhancing the curious and intelligent minds of cats.
- You can find such accessories at your local pet store or even online. Its cost vary depending on the brand of the product
- Both puzzle feeders and food distributor balls fuel up your cat’s desire to hunt and work search for food.
- Always check the feeders after use to make sure your cat is actually eating the recommended daily amount of food.
How to Feed Burmese Cats: Benefits of Side-Chewing
A fun fact about cats in general is that they chew food with their back teeth, particularly when working on larger pieces of food. Some people interpret this as difficulty chewing and fear that the Burmese cat may choke.
Here are some tips if your cats do side-chew:
- The side-chewing technique lets your cats enjoy different textures and may also help clean the molars in the process.
- Don’t discourage side-chewing. In reality, your cat is simply using the best teeth for the job.
- Follow the Feeding Instructions and Recommended Daily Feeding Amounts on the packaging of your pet food. You can also consult your veterinarian regarding the feeding measurement.
- Place the recommended measured amount of food inside the bowl or dish each morning so your cat can eat as he or she pleases throughout the day.
- Monitor your cat’s weight and adjust intake accordingly. The amount of food required to maintain an ideal body condition will vary depending on age, activity and environment.
- For energetic cats, try dividing the daily portion into several bowls and place them in different locations throughout your home. This also helps to encourage your cat to discover sources of food throughout the day.
- Reduce the daily intake of dry food to prevent overfeeding. Only if you feed your cat a combination of dry and wet food.
- Monitor the water intake to make sure your cat is properly hydrated. Use warm water for your kittens.
- For kittens, it is highly recommended that you begin offering moistened dry food at 3 – 4 weeks old and make it available to them at all times through the weaning stage at 6 – 8 weeks old.
- To help keep the food fresh and encourage your kitten to eat only moisten one of these servings at a time rather than preparing the entire daily amount at once and leaving it out all day for grazing.