One question we sometimes get is whether neutered or spayed cats can eat our food. The short answer is yes - our food is developed for neutered cats. In this article we will cover what you need to keep in mind when feeding your neutered cat.
My cat has been neutered, should I change the food now?
This recommendation may differ depending on the food you feed and the age of the cat. If your cat is over a year old, we recommend our adult food for a neutered cat.
We recommend our kitten food until the cat is fully grown, up to approximately one year of age. This applies regardless of whether the cat has been neutered or not. In other words, if the cat was neutered at a young age, such as 5 months, we recommend continuing with the kitten food for a while longer. If the cat was neutered later in life, such as at the age of 9-10 months, you can gradually start phasing over to our adult food a few months after the castration.
How do nutritional needs differ between neutered and intact cats?
After a castration, whether it is a male or female cat, the metabolism and thus the energy requirement of the cat decreases. How much the energy requirement decreases is individual, but in most cats you can expect a reduction of between 10-30%. Despite this, the cat's appetite may be the same.
What you therefore need to keep in mind is to reduce the cat's energy intake, ie reduce the amount of food the cat receives per day. Do not give your cat free access to food, as most cats tend to eat too much. Castrated cats are also at higher risk of urinary tract disease. Both our adult and kitten food are designed to provide an optimal urine pH, to support healthy urinary tracts and reduce the risk of disease.
How much food should I give?
Our feeding table is customized to whether your cat is active or inactive, and it is therefore good to adjust your feeding amount to the lower category for your neutered cat. Remember to always keep track of the cat's body shape and weight after castration, in order to be able to adjust and adapt the food supply to your cat's unique needs. In this article, we guide you on how to assess your cat's health based on the Body Condition Score.
In order for the cat to maintain its ideal weight, it can also be good to review the amount of treats or extra chews that your cat receives - it is better to reduce these "empty calories" than to continue to reduce the food supply, which is the cat's main source to healthy nutrients. Of course, another solution is also to increase your cat's exercise and do more fun activities with your cat!
What else can I do to keep my cat in a good body condition?
If the cat's appetite has increased, you can also activate the feeding routine. For example, hide the food in various toys, serve in "labyrinths" or so-called slow-feeders, or spread the food out so that the cat can walk around and search for the food.
Remember to always keep track of the cat's size, body shape and weight after castration, in order to be able to adjust and adapt the feed to your cat's unique needs. In this article, we guide you on how to assess your cat's fur based on the Body Condition Score.