Mealtime
-Some of the most common questions owners have are about feeding their dog or cat:
-What pet food is best for my pet?
-How much do I feed?
-How often should I feed my dog or cat?
-At what times should I feed my dog or cat?
There really isn’t one right answer. It depends on your pet’s nutritional needs, age, medical conditions and lifestyle — as well as your personal preference and schedule.
There are three primary ways of offering food to pets:
– free-choice feeding.
-time-restricted meal feeding.
-portion-controlled (or food-restricted) meal feeding.
Free-choice feeding :involves having more than enough food available to your pet at all times. Although it’s the most convenient way for busy owners with erratic schedules to feed pets, it can lead to the most problems — particularly obesity.
time-restricted meal feeding: feeding provides your dog with access to plenty of food, but only allows him to eat for a predetermined length of time. This method is typically more labor intensive while being less effective in controlling the amount of food your pet eats.
portion-controlled meal feeding,: your dog or cat is given meals at set times every day. The food is measured to meet the pet’s daily calorie and nutrient needs, so you control how much your pet eats and when.
