We also recommend working with your veterinarian to ensure there are no underlying medical issues.įor more feeding tips from our experts, visit our Pet Expertise page.For optimal health a cat must receive protein, vitamins, and minerals through their diet. Consider a healthy weight cat food to help her achieve and maintain this ideal body condition. If your cat hasn’t eaten in more than 48 hours, call your veterinarian to assess why she isn’t eating.Įnsuring your cat gets the right amount of food will help her maintain her ideal body condition. Eating happily and maintaining weight and activity levelsĬats can go up to 48 hours without food.Once you determine how much food to feed your cat, use that as a guide for a couple weeks. You’ll need to look at the calories on the dry and wet labels to calculate the total number of calories in each and decrease serving sizes to still meet the total daily caloric recommendation. If you plan to feed your cat a combination of dry and wet food the math gets a little trickier. You can program the bowl to dispense fresh wet food for your cat at designated times during the day.įor example, if your veterinarian recommends giving your cat 250 calories per day, you’ll want to feed her two meals with a total of 125 calories in each. You may also want to try a refrigerated feeding bowl with a timer. If you want to split her wet food into two meals, you’ll need to determine the total number of calories she needs each day and divide that number by how many times you intend to feed her. When feeding wet food, it’s important she eats it within a half hour or so to avoid the food spoiling. It’s not uncommon for cats to want to eat multiple smaller meals per day. For dry cat food, you can put the kibble in her bowl and let her graze throughout the day.
Most feeding recommendations give you the total daily amount. Individual needs can vary, so consult with your veterinarian regarding special dietary needs. Consult the feeding chart on the back of your cat’s food packaging. Cat feeding amounts vary from product to product based on calorie content and formula. Note: Amounts listed above are for a 24-hour period. Here’s a sample cat feeding chart, similar to what you’ll find on cat food labels: Weight (lbs) Pay close attention to the chart on your cat’s food label to ensure you’re feeding her the right amount based on her age and weight. Cat Feeding Chartįeeding recommendations are required on all cat food packaging, but they don’t all look the same. As always, your veterinarian can also help you navigate how much to feed your cat. If you have questions about how much of a particular food to feed your cat, you can also visit the manufacturer’s website or call them directly. You can always adjust to meet your cat’s needs. The recommendations may include ranges, so you’ll need to figure out where your cat fits within those ranges. The label on the food packaging can give you a general idea of how much food your cat needs. You’ll want to ensure you’re feeding an appropriate amount of food, whether you feed dry, wet or a combination of both. How Much Should a Cat Eat a Day?ĭry and wet cat food differ in calories as well as portion sizes. They can also help you troubleshoot any problems that may arise, such as your cat eating more or less than usual. They can tell you how much food your cat needs based on the above factors. The best way to determine how much food your cat needs is to talk with your veterinarian. Outdoor (or indoor/outdoor) cats living in regions with cold winters may need more food in the cold months. Outdoor: Indoor cats may not get as much exercise as an outdoor cat would, so they need fewer calories.
Activity Levels: Cats who are active and playful throughout the day may need more calories than those who prefer to spend their time napping.Weight: “If your cat is not at her ideal body condition, you may need to adjust what and how much you feed her,” says Dr.Pregnant or nursing cats also have different needs. Age & Life Stage: Kittens have different nutritional needs than adults or senior cats.Here are some factors to consider when deciding how much food your cat should eat. Determining How Much to Feed a Catĭifferent cats have different nutritional needs based on their size, life stage and more. Whether you’re new to cat ownership or you’ve changed your cat’s food, figuring out how much she needs to eat each day isn’t as straightforward as you might think. How much to feed your cat depends on several factors, including her age, lifestyle and even the type of food.
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