How Much Should I Feed My Cat?

Final Up to date on: November 1, 2022 by Crystal Uys

“How a lot ought to I feed my cat?” is a query I’m continuously requested, and the reply isn’t so simple as it could appear. Though each can and bag of cat meals offers feeding directions, they’re just about ineffective.

Take into consideration this for a second: might you definitively reply the query “how a lot ought to an individual eat?” In fact not. In the event you’re a reasonably sedentary workplace employee, you wouldn’t (or shouldn’t!) eat the identical quantity of meals as an expert athlete. Your 80-year-old grandmother received’t eat the identical quantity as your 10-year-old daughter. The identical is true for cats: the quantity a cat ought to eat varies with age, well being, exercise degree, metabolic price, gender and genetic make up, to call just some elements.

The most typical mistake: feeding an excessive amount of

The most typical mistake cat mother and father make is feeding an excessive amount of – and continuously, that’s as a result of they comply with the producer’s feeding directions on the label. Feline weight problems is an epidemic, with greater than 50% of America’s cats being thought-about obese or overweight, and it comes with all the identical well being issues in cats because it does in people: diabetes, arthritis and different joint issues, coronary heart and respiratory issues, a compromised immune system, and gastro-intestinal issues.

How a lot meals does a cat want?

Calorie content material can range extensively from one model of cat meals to a different. Not all manufacturers will disclose calorie counts on the label, and you might want to go to the model’s web site to search out the data. Normal suggestions vary from 24 to 35 energy per pound of physique weight per day to maintain a mean grownup cat at a wholesome, regular weight. The physique situation chart under might help you establish whether or not your younger to middle-aged grownup cat is at a standard weight.

In older cats, muscle situation is a greater indicator. It is possible for you to to really feel bones in senior cats who’re obese in the event that they’re beginning to lose muscle mass.

In case your cat is obese or underweight, calculate the quantity to feed based mostly on her goal weight.

Since dietary wants can range significantly relying on the elements talked about above, it’s a good suggestion to weigh your cat recurrently and alter the quantity you feed accordingly.

How usually ought to cats eat?

Leaving meals out on your cat on a regular basis is the one greatest consider inflicting weight problems in cats. Free selection feeding goes towards the cat’s pure behavior of being a hunter who might solely eat two or three small meals a day. For most individuals, feeding two meals a day is essentially the most sensible resolution, however when you earn a living from home, you might wish to contemplate dividing the full quantity of meals for the day into three or 4 meals.

Particular issues for kittens

Kittens want extra meals per pound of physique weight than grownup cats, and they’re going to want extra frequent meals. Use label suggestions as a place to begin, and feed your kitten as a lot canned or uncooked meals as she’s going to eat till she is about 4 to 6 months previous, in three or 4 meals a day. Since a kitten’s dietary necessities range much more than an grownup cat’s, keep in mind to observe your kitten’s weight and physique situation and alter accordingly. As soon as your kitten reaches six months of age, you can begin feeding her as an grownup cat.

At all times present loads of contemporary water

You hopefully already know that dry meals isn’t a good selection for cats. Not solely does dry meals not present sufficient moisture for cats to remain correctly hydrated and forestall urinary tract issues, it’s too excessive in carbohydrates for an obligate carnivore just like the cat. Cats shouldn’t have a excessive sufficient thirst drive to compensate for the dearth of moisture in a dry weight loss plan by ingesting extra water. Nonetheless, even cats who eat uncooked or canned meals ought to at all times have loads of contemporary water obtainable.

What ought to your cat eat?

The optimum weight loss plan for a cat is a correctly formulated uncooked, home-cooked or grain-free canned weight loss plan. Please learn The Finest Meals for Your Cat for extra data.

This text was first revealed in 2015 and has been up to date.

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