Many pet owners find themselves particularly fond of huge, chubby moggies.
Maybe you feel more loved when they beg for food and purr contentedly in your laps as you give it to them. But under or overfeeding is never a good idea. So how much cat food per day?
Overall, the amount of cat food will be up to the cat’s age, size, health conditions, active level of indoor or outdoor, reproduction status, and metabolism rate.
There are no one-size-fits-all rules for feeding. Each one has its own unique needs.
Thus, feeding amounts can be as much as 50% below or above average. Ask your vet if you get bewildered.
Also, obesity isn’t good for our kitties, no matter how adorable they are. Leaner pets have been shown to outlive their heavier counterparts in several scientific studies.
Cats that maintain a healthy weight are less likely to experience health problems like arthritis and other conditions.
Keep reading to carefully monitor your cat’s weight for its long and healthy existence.
Why Is It Important To Calculate Cat Food?
With a sound diet, your cats will be in good shape with a longer lifespan. Excess or insufficient weight dramatically impairs a cat’s well-being.
Roughly 60% of cats (about 56.6 million cats) in the U.S. get obese, as seen in a 2017 study. It’s an alarming figure, no doubt.
Many overweight cats can result in congestive heart failure, infections, skin problems, diabetes mellitus, anesthetic and surgical risks, hepatic lipidosis, and even cancers.
Boredom and the lack of exercise also contribute to weight gain in cats, especially indoor animals.
Thus, to avoid or control such lousy situations, pet parents must adjust the feline’s meal portions plus physical activities.
Related Post: How Much Does Cat Food Cost Per Day? Top Answers!
How Much Cat Food Per Day?
As stated, each cat comes with a different demand for daily feeding.
Calorie counts and serving sizes for dry and wet cat food are different, even a combo of the two, so ensure you give enough to protect the pet’s well-being.
Remember to read the products’ instructions to offer food the right way.
Visit the company’s website or consult your vet if needed.
Cat Feeding Chart
Keep a close eye on the cat feeding chart to adjust the diet better.
| Cat Weight (lbs) | Neutered or spayed pets (kcal/day) | Intact pets (kcal/day) | Pets that are prone to gaining weight (kcal/day) | Pets that need losing weight (kcal/day) |
| 5 | 157 | 183 | 131 | 105 |
| 7.5 | 210 | 245 | 175 | 140 |
| 10 | 260 | 303 | 216 | 173 |
| 12.5 | 298 | 362 | 258 | 207 |
| 15 | 354 | 413 | 295 | 236 |
| 15 | 396 | 462 | 330 | 264 |
| 20 | 440 | 513 | 367 | 293 |
Factors That Affect How Much to Feed Your Cat
Age
Cats of different ages require varying quantities of food.
Kittens that are developing and active will crave for more food. Older, less active cats, meanwhile, won’t need as much food as they burn fewer calories.
Size
Perhaps it goes without saying, bigger cats always consume more food than their smaller counterparts.
Still, your fat cat getting larger doesn’t mean you should start stuffing it with extra food. Chubby cats look so cute, yet you would think twice once you know the potential risks they may get.
Spayed Or Neutered
Spayed and neutered individuals are more likely to gain weight than unaltered felines.
Free feeding after the cat has been neutered or spayed is not recommended as it may easily overeat and get overweight.
Your vet is in charge of directing you to change your cat’s diet before, during, and after a neuter procedure.
Indoor/Outdoor Activities
How often your cat goes outside also matters.
Indoor pets are often less active since they don’t need to expend as much heat to maintain their body temp.
Free-roaming cats, on the other hand, are far more energetic than indoor-only ones and so call for much more energy.
In return, outdoor cats spend most of their time outside, keeping their lean body better.
But sometimes, outdoor pets may not need much cat food owing to the wild food source with the prey they catch, mainly birds and rodents.
Health Status
The nutritional needs will vary from those suffering from diseases like diabetes or are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Pregnant cats often have higher caloric needs, perhaps up to double what an adult cat typically consumes. Meanwhile, lactating cats might raise their food intake by as much as four times!
Eating is not a purely pleasurable activity for cats. A proper diet is to keep their fluid and electrolyte levels stable.
The cat may beg for goodies, but it’s more vital than ever to feed it a well-rounded, nutritious diet. Even more so when they are ill.
If you’re unsure what’s best for your cat, ask your vet for clarification.
Metabolic Rate And Thyroid Issues
The rate at which a cat grows, heals injuries, and digests food varies significantly over the course of its life.
Kittens’ high metabolic rates imply they need to eat more often to meet their growing demands and create qualified tissues.
The cat’s metabolic rate drops the most when it reaches middle age (between 4 and 9 years old).
Beyond that, your cat’s appetite may be affected by hormone imbalances. A higher-than-usual metabolic rate is one of the sure signs of hypothyroidism.
Weight loss is possible in cats with hypothyroidism since their bodies consume energy faster than usual. Still, cats with thyroid sometimes have an insatiable hunger and seek food.
Cats of mature or advanced age often suffer from hypothyroidism, which can manifest in various ways.
- Slimming down
- Appetite stimulation
- High levels of excitement or activity
- Symptoms like increased thirst and urination
Talk to your vet if you notice the cat’s weight or appetite changing. Once it gets hypothyroidism, it may involve complex therapy to lessen the number of thyroid hormones.
Also, the vets may suggest a complete dietary overhaul, including low-iodine food.
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What Should You Feed Your Cat?
What should cats eat daily? They’re keen on eating meat. A robust heart, clear vision, and an effective reproductive system require animal protein.
Feed them cooked beef, chicken, eggs, turkey, and modest quantities of lean deli meats. Never give them rotten meat.
Also, oats provide a high protein content per calorie. A coarsely crushed cornmeal called polenta is popular with cats who enjoy corn and offers a satisfying texture.
Omega-3 fatty acids, which are abundant in fish, aid in the treatment of renal illness, arthritis, and heart conditions as well as maintaining the sharpness of your cat’s eyes. For a treat, canned or cooked fish is OK.
Also, head for fresh asparagus, broccoli, cucumber, or melon. If you want to stir them up, try sneaking them a vegetarian burger.
In recent years, there has also been growing interest among pet owners seeking to add real mushroom extracts to their pets’ diets. Mushroom varieties like Shiitake, Lion’s Mane, and Turkey Tail offer immune support, antioxidants, and vitamins, among other health benefits.
For those looking to introduce these extracts into feline diets, a gradual approach is advised to monitor for any potential behavioral or digestive changes. While the benefits of processed mushroom extracts are evident, it’s important to note that raw mushrooms can be challenging for cats to digest and may present toxic risks.
Wet Food Vs Dry Food: Which One Is Better?
In general, wet food is the better option. It contains more water and is helpful in many types of treatment and lowering urinary tract disorders, as well as obesity and other related health issues.
Wet food has fewer carbs and more meat and protein. But dry food is cheaper and has a longer lifespan.
Of note, the mixture of these two is good to go. Your cat can receive enough water in her diet and the dental advantages of dry food while keeping her engaged with the diversity.
Your bond with your cat will deepen emotionally if you provide for its needs and wants.
How To Measure Your Cat’s Food
Try to adopt the right measuring cup when weighing out cat food. It matters because the typical “cups” we physicians are talking about are incorrect.
This is especially problematic if a cat owner uses an extra-large coffee cup type and feeds their pet the recommended number of cups per bag of pet food.
Give the scale tool a try to measure cat food more precisely. While a measuring cup is fantastic, we can never be completely accurate when we eyeball how much is in the cup. And how much food fits in a measuring cup depends on the dry kibble’s size.
But once you seize the feeding weight for your cat, a digital scale is needed as it is much more spot-on each time.
A kitchen scale can be used, or you might employ a portable digital pet food scale.
The number of calories per kilogram that should be given on the package of your cat’s food will allow you to calculate the ideal weight to feed your cat based on its daily caloric requirements.
How Often Should You Feed Your Cat?
At least twice a day is sufficient. Yet the frequency varies in different individuals.
A cat’s digestive system is relatively simple. It takes anywhere from 8-10 hours for one empty stomach to send signals to the brain that it feels hungry.
In other cases, some felines have the eating habits of cows and will graze all day long (and night).
Not every cat is capable of controlling its food intake. Try to minimize weight gaining.
Fasting or going without food is a miserable experience. The longer than 12 hours it goes without eating, the more acid the cat’s stomach will create. Once the pet gets sick from this, she may vomit.
Maintain the routine that you and your cat have found to be most beneficial. Just like most people, cats thrive on regularity. Also, warm up cat food if your pet likes this.
Related Post: Is It OK To Give Cats Wet Food Everyday?
Cat Feeding Methods: 3 Basic Options!
Free-Feeding Method
Free feeding is always a feasible tactic. Pets have access to food easily this way.
As wet food shouldn’t sit out all day, only serve dry foods in this manner. But when your cat is leaving dry food in its bowl for more than a day, discard it.
Your cat may choose their timetable for eating several tiny meals daily. You do not need to track down when the animal feels hungry.
Still, it can result in weight gain if not adequately controlled. Thus, sparingly measure how much food they will need each day.
When the meal is finished, wait until the next day to replenish it. By doing this, you’ll train your cat to eat often throughout the day rather than all at once.
Meal-Feeding Method
Meal feeding refers to only giving cat food with set meal times all day long. It works for both canned and dry meals.
It’s simple to spot if your cat’s appetite has changed as food consumption is noticeable.
Yet one may eat all the meals and gain weight, while the others lack nourishment. Thus, you must allocate food equally to all members without one being dominant over the others.
A cat should be fed twice daily until it reaches adulthood, as opposed to up to three times per day for kittens.
In most cases, once cats reach maturity, once-daily feeding is OK so long as they are fit and don’t have any sickness.
Combination-Feeding Method
Serving canned food twice daily and dry one in another time. It is known as mixed feeding.
The animal can take in dry food in several smaller meals during the day. Cats can benefit from the nutritions of both wet and dry food.
Felines with specific medical disorders, such as urinary and renal problems, may get on well with wet food’s epic moisture level. Meanwhile, dry food is easy to store and great for a cat’s teeth.
Final Words!
How much cat food per day? Our article leaves this question no longer unanswered.
Each cat needs its own holistic design, just as people do, and one of the most challenging aspects is often inspecting the behavioral effects of hunger on a cat.
Try an all-out effort to keep your pet healthy using the optimal regime.
Other pet owners may need such an informative post. Forward this good read to them!
