How Much To Feed A Cat Calculator

Introduction

Cats are notoriously finicky creatures. They’ll happily sleep all day in the sun, but don’t even think about petting them on their terms. So it’s not surprising that they can be picky eaters too. But when you’re trying to figure out how much to feed a cat, it’s hard to know if you should follow your furry friend’s dictums—or the advice of your veterinarian. In this article, we’ll look at how much food cats need for their various life stages and what constitutes a balanced diet for felines. We’ll also take a look at some things you might assume would be healthy for your cat—but that aren’t. And finally, we’ll cover some signs that your beloved feline might be getting just a little too chubby and what steps you can take to keep them healthy and trim.

How Much Should You Feed Your Cat

It’s important to know how much to feed your cat, because feeding too much is just as harmful as not feeding enough.

How much should you feed your cat?

The guidelines below are based on a healthy adult cat with a normal body condition and activity level. The amount of food you need to give your pet depends on his age, weight and activity level:

For kittens (less than 1 year old): Feeding amounts vary greatly depending on breed and size at maturity. Kittens typically eat four times per day but may require more or less depending on their energy needs. If you’re unsure how much to feed them, consult with your veterinarian.
For adult cats (1–7 years old): Feed 2/3 cup of dry food per 8 pounds of body weight daily; or 2/3 cup wet food per 8 pounds daily; or 1 can cat food per 5 pounds daily – half in the morning and half in the evening if fed dry kibble (cats like routine). You can also provide treats between meals providing they don’t exceed 15% of their recommended daily caloric intake from treats alone.*

How to Feed a Kitten

Kittens, like adult cats, should eat about one ounce of food per pound of body weight. For example, a two-pound kitten should be fed approximately two ounces of food each day. Feeding your kitten more than this may result in obesity and other health complications.

If you are feeding an indoor cat who receives regular exercise and does not overeat, you may find that her appetite increases during the winter months due to less activity outside or if she is pregnant or lactating. If your outdoor cat is fed only once a day (as recommended), then she will need to consume twice as much dry food in order to get enough calories throughout the course of the day.

What To Feed A Cat

What to Feed a Cat
How Much To Feed A Cat
What Not To Feed A Cat
How To Feed A Kitten
What Not To Feed A Kitten

What not to feed your cat

But, even when you’re feeding your cat a balanced diet, there are some things you should never feed them. Don’t ever give your kitty human food or any other animal’s food unless you’ve consulted with a vet first. The same goes for human foods with added supplements, like vitamins and minerals: they can be toxic to cats (or dogs).

The reason is that the nutritional needs of different species are very different, so depending on what species’ food you’re giving to another one can have disastrous results (for example, the amount of vitamin A in some treats meant for dogs is enough to kill a cat).

Here are some guidelines for feeding your cat.

Feed your cat twice daily, as cats are generally more active in the morning and evening.
Dry food is fine for most cats, but wet food is an option as well.
Treats are a good way to give your cat some extra love—but they shouldn’t make up more than 10% of the total calories that you feed him per day.
No human food! Not even chocolate (which isn’t toxic to humans but can cause vomiting and diarrhea in cats).

Conclusion

So to summarize, here are a few things to keep in mind when feeding your cat:

if you have a kitten, feed it food formulated for its age group;

if you have an adult cat, feed it food formulated for its age group and breed;

don’t give your cat too many treats or table scraps;

make sure it has access to fresh water at all times. Good luck!