How often to feed a Bengal cat? This is the question most Bengal cat owners have because Bengal cats always seem hungry and they are always begging for food.
But you can’t just feed your Bengal cat all the time!
So how often should you actually feed your Bengal cat?
This is the question I am going to answer in this article.
Experts recommend that you should feed your adult Bengal cat twice a day.
You should feed it once in the morning and once in the evening.
And to your Bengal kitten (below 12 months old), you should feed 3 times per day.
Or as suggested by your veterinarian.
Bengal cat feeding schedule printable download
How much should I feed my Bengal cat?
Bengal cats are very active compared to other domestic cats.
Even when they grow old their activity levels stay very high.
And that’s why they require a lot more food than other domestic cats.
It may sound a lot of food but honestly this is how much they require to maintain their proper health and weight.
Besides, you should regularly check weight of your Bengal cat and make sure that your cat is not overweight.
What can I feed my Bengal cat?
Bengal cat is a crossbreed of Asian leopard cat and domestic cat so it has feral tendencies.
Asian leopard cat eats birds, insects, and lizards.
Bengal cat are carnivorous and their diet mostly consists of protein-rich foods.
So you should feed protein-rich food to your Bengal cat.
Also, keep in mind that, though the majority of the diet of Bengal cat is consist of protein they also require other vitamins and minerals.
Raw meat
You can feed raw meat to your Bengal cat and it is one of the best source of protein for them.
You can feed fresh Turkey or Chicken.
Bengal cat especially likes fresh Turkey and it is a great source of Omega 3 fats and protein.
While feeding raw meat to your Bengal cat make sure that it is fresh or else it can cause food poisoning.
Generally, you should not feed the raw food which is at room temperature for more than 30 minutes.
Here’s a cute video of Bengal kitten enjoying chicken
Commercially produced foods
You can also feed commercially produced cat food to your Bengal cat like dry cat food or wet cat food.
Wet cat food is more beneficial to them than dry cat food.
Sometimes, your Bengal cat may refuse to eat dry cat food.
So a good way around it is to feed them dry food along with some pieces of meat mixed together.
The problem with dry cat food is that most dry foods nowadays contain a lot of filler ingredients like Corn and wheat which are not very nutritious for your Bengal cat.
What to look for while choosing cat food for Bengal cat?
As the Bengal cat diet is mostly a protein-rich diet while choosing cat food for your Bengal cat you should make sure to look at the labels of the cat food. And make sure that the first ingredient in the list is meaty foods such as Beef, Chicken, Fish, etc.
And you should avoid the cat foods which contain a lot of filler ingredients like Corn and Wheat, etc and it is at the top of the list of the ingredients.
You can also go for grain-free cat foods for your Bengal cat.
Sometimes Bengal cat can get very fussy and will refuse to eat the cat food.
So, in this case, you will then have to try feeding them different flavors.
Eventually, they will find their favorite flavor and start eating.
Also, they cannot stay hungry for a long time.
Treats for Bengal cat
You should also regularly give treats to your Bengal cat.
But there are a few things you should keep in mind while giving treats to your Bengal cat.
- You should give treats to your Bengal cat in moderation because most of the treats contain a lot of calories. So if you give a lot of treats to them then they may get overweight.
- Treats should only consist of a maximum of 10% of their total calorie intake. Usually, the labels on the cat treat foods don’t mention the calories. So if you are very concerned about the calories then you should contact the cat food manufacturer.
- Besides, the one thing you should always check while buying cat food for your Bengal cat is you should check if it has been approved by the Association of American feed control officials or not.
- You should also not give your Bengal cat treats when they are begging for it.
Because you don’t want to reward their begging behavior. Instead, you want to reward them for good behavior with treats.
Below are a few good cat treat foods you can give to your Bengal cat
- Purina friskies party mix crunch beachside
- Feline greenies dental cat treats
- Purv bytes freeze-dried chicken breast cat treats.
Why my Bengal cats always seem hungry?
As mentioned earlier, Bengal cats are very active compared to other domestic cats.
Even when Bengal cat reaches their adulthood, their activity levels still remain high.
That’s why they burn a lot of calories than other domestic cats.
And this is the reason Bengal cat needs a lot of food and they seem always hungry.
But you should not feed them all the time.
You can feed twice a day to your Bengal cat and if you have a kitten then you should feed it three times per day.
Usually, an adult Bengal cat needs one can of food per day to maintain its health and weight.
Why is my Bengal cat not eating?
There could be several reasons your Bengal cat is not eating.
1. Change in routine
Cats usually stick with their routine when it comes to eating.
And if there is any change in there feeding timing then cats can experience loss of appetite.
So if you have made any changes in their feeding schedule then it may take a few days for them to adjust to the new timings.
Besides, cats also experience loss of appetite if there is any significant change in their environment such as change in their living space.
Usually, this happens when you leave your cat with your friend when you go on vacation.
Any new edition of pet or person can also stress your Bengal and affect their appetite.
2. Dental problem
According to this Huffington Post, most of the cats will have some stage of dental disease when they get three years old.
So dental problems are very common in cats but if you don’t treat these problems in time then it can result in infection and even loss of teeth which can affect your cat’s eating abilities.
So you should do the daily home dental care for your cat.
3. Illness
If your cat suddenly stopped eating then you should pay very close attention to its behavior and look for any signs of illness.
Most of the time the illness will not be very critical. It could be as simple as toothache.
If your cat persists on not eating the food, you should not take it lightly because there can also be a serious illness like kidney failure, infection, intestinal problems, and even cancer.
4. Vaccination
Vaccines are a lifesaver for your cat, but sometimes, it can also cause some side effects such as loss of appetite and fever.
So if you are cat had a routine vaccination recently then this could be the reason your Bengal is not eating.
Now, in this case, you don’t have to to take your cat to veterinarian because usually the fever and loss of appetite are temporary and mild.
And after a few days, your cat will recover on its own.
5. Boredom
Just like you, your cat also needs variation when it comes to food.
So you should try to feed your cat a variety of food.
You should also treat it occasionally.
6. Digestive problems
It is very common for a cat to develop digestive problems at any point in their life.
One of the symptoms of digestive problems is loss of appetite along with vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.
So if you are noticing these symptoms in your Bengal cat then it is most likely suffering from digestive problems and you should take it to your veterinarian.
FAQ
Are Bengal cats fussy eaters?
Generally, Bengal cats are not very fussy eaters.
But when you get the Bengal cat for the first time, it may refuse to eat the food.
So, in this case, you should try feeding it different flavors and after a while, it will find its favorite flavor and start eating.
Besides, Bengal cats are very active and they require a lot of energy.
And they burn a lot of calories so they cannot stay hungry for a long time.
Another situation when Bengal cant may become fussy is when you are not feeding it a variety of foods.
Just like us, Bengal cat also gets bored with eating the same food over and over again.
So you should try to feed it a variety of foods.
Occasionally, you should also treat your Bengal.
Can Bengal cat eat Tuna?
Yes, you can feed Tuna to your Bengal cat.
But there are a few things you should keep in mind while feeding Tuna to your Bengal cat.
Canned/Tinned Tuna
If you are going to feed canned tuna to your Bengal cat then make sure that it is a non-flavored type.
Because flavored canned tuna like Basil and Tomato, Smoked onion are bad for them.
For example, onions are toxic for cat and it can cause gastrointestinal issues in cats.
Overall if you are planning to feed canned Tuna to your Bengal cat then “Plain canned tuna” is your best option.
Besides, you should also keep in mind that canned tuna also has relatively high salt content.
Consuming high salt content can make your cat susceptible to excessive sodium intake.
Fresh Tuna
When it comes to feeding fresh tuna to your cat, it is safer than canned tuna but you should be cautious about the bones that can get stuck and cause choking.
Besides, eating a lot of Tuna can also cause Mercury poisoning.
Cats are particularly very susceptible to Mercury poisoning because of their smaller size.
So you should not feed Tuna to your Bengal cat very frequently and you should make it an occasional treat.
Conclusion
So, how often should you feed your Bengal cat?
Many experts recommend that you should feed once or twice a day to your Bengal cat and three times per day to your Bengal kitten.
I hope you find this article helpful.
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