How Much Should I Feed My Cat?

Cat parents, especially the first-time cat owners, often face difficulties when it comes to answering the question: How Much Should I Feed My Cat? And even if you have had cats for years, you may sometimes wonder if your cat is getting too much or little food.

The fact is that there exists no straightforward answer to how much food your cat needs. How much food a cat should be given depends on a range of factors, which include age, weight, and metabolic rate, as well as the extent your cat exercises (activity level) and even the environmental temperatures. Whether you are feeding your cat wet cat food or dry cat food and whether or not she is pregnant or nursing are some other factors that need to be taken into consideration when deciding on your cat’s diet. 

Moreover, the same measurements of different foods can have different caloric and nutritional contents, meaning that a one-size-fits-all method will not work. 

However, it does not mean that you are without any resources to help figure out how much should you feed your cat. Here are some factors you must consider when answering, “How much should I feed my cat”?

When to feed your cat?

Before going to answer how much, you must pay attention to when to feed, as when you welcome a new kitty in your home, it’s vital to continue to feed her the same quantity of the same food following the same schedule that she has been used to. After that, you can gradually transfer her to the new diet and schedule. 

The reason behind this is that cats are extremely sensitive to change, and a new cat has to deal with a lot of new-environment stress, which also adds to the sensitivity. Therefore, keeping the food and schedule consistent will make the transition smooth while keeping intestinal tension at bay.

Now, when you are ready to transition your little furry friend over to your own food and schedule, it’s time to consider all the above mention factors and determine how much food your cats needs.

How Much Dry Food To Give?

For starters, here is a feeding guide on the cat food label that you can use. For dry food, it will look something like this:

Weight of Cat and amount per day;

• For 5 lb (2.3 kg): ¼ cup (30 g) – 1/3 cup (40 g)
• For 10 lb (4.5 kg): 3/8 cup (45 g) – ½ cup (65 g)
• For 15 lb (6.8 kg): ½ cup (65 g) – ¾ cup (95 g) 

Read more about dry foods in this article: The Best Dry Foods for A Cat

How Much Wet Food To Give?

Wet food can be given daily and at any time of the day. You can check the can or consult with your vet for feeding recommendations. However, generally, you can daily feed an average-sized adult cat one 3-ounce can for each 3 to 3-1/2 pounds of body weight.

This amount must be adjusted depending on if you also feed your feline friend dry cat food. Consultation with the vet would also help recommend feeding more or less wet food depending on the cat’s health, weight, and other factors. Read more about wet food in this article: The Best Wet Food for Cats

How To Give Wet And Dry Food?

You must know that canned food cannot sit out for more than a half-hour to an hour as it will spoil. Dry kibble, on the other hand, can be left out all day, making it a good to serve it in the morning to graze on while you are at work. So, at night, vet food can be given while refrigerating any leftovers. You could do the opposite of this if you wish (it might be messy though) or even serve a mix of wet and dry food at each meal or once or twice daily. All is contingent on your schedule and your kitty’s preferences.

Assessing your cat’s body condition is essential to narrow in on what the correct food amount should be. If your furry friend is already at its ideal weight, feeding an amount that falls in the middle of the recommended range is excellent. On the other hand, if she is a little thin, go for the bigger numbers and use the smaller ones if she happens to be little portly.

And don’t forget to reassess your cat’s physical condition every two weeks or do and adjust the amount of food you offer accordingly. It will help you determine the amount that maintains your cat’s ideal body condition.