How Much Food For Cat
If you want to keep your cat healthy and happy, then it’s important to understand how much food he needs. Most cats require about 200 calories per day.
Look for a food label that lists calorie content — both wet and dry foods — per serving. Use the food labels to calculate how much your cat needs each day.
Age
Keeping your cat’s weight in a healthy range is one of the best ways to ensure her well-being. The right amount of food will help her maintain that weight, too.
The number of calories your cat needs depends on her age. Kittens have fast metabolic rates and must eat more often to keep up with their growth. Adult cats have more mature metabolic rates and can manage on fewer calories.
But, as your cat gets older, she’ll begin to slow down and sleep more. Her appetite may decrease, too. You can try feeding her canned or dry food in smaller nugget size to make it easier for her to chew and digest. She might need a diet specially formulated for senior cats. These foods often contain more protein and moisture to prevent sarcopenia, a loss of muscle tone that occurs with age. It’s also a good idea to limit time spent outside, where your cat could be exposed to predators and parasites.
Breed
A good way to determine how much food your cat needs is by looking at the daily calorie requirements on the pet food labels. It’s like Goldilocks – your cat should not be too fat or too thin.
If you feed your cat a mixture of wet and dry food (or even just wet food), it is important to make sure that they are getting the daily calorie requirement each time. A 3-oz can of wet food contains about 70-78 calories, depending on the brand.
Heinze recommends using a food scale and measuring out the meals so that you aren’t overfeeding your cat. It’s also a good idea to weigh your cat weekly to monitor his weight and ensure that he is maintaining a healthy body condition.
Activity
Cats are not typically active in long periods of time — they’re natural hunters who prefer short bursts of activity, followed by naps. But a sedentary indoor cat can still lead a fairly active life if you play with them in short sessions of about 20 minutes a couple times a day to encourage exercise and satisfy their instincts.
Another way to keep your kitty active is to use food puzzles or other toys that make them work for their meal by moving around and hunting it. Often, these are made from materials that stimulate the cat’s sense of smell as well, which makes them even more interested in their meal and helps them burn more calories.
Weigh your cat weekly to monitor their body condition. If they gain or lose weight, adjust their food amount accordingly. It may take a little trial and error to find a feeding schedule that’s best for your cat.
Health
Cats need a balanced diet for health and to prevent weight gain. Several factors can affect their calorie requirements including:
If your cat is pregnant or lactating they will need extra food to ensure the kittens receive adequate nutrition and that they maintain their body condition.
Cats are carnivores and should be fed high-quality meats, such as poultry or fish, that are not sourced from by-products. By-products are parts of an animal that people do not eat like organs, blood, bones, feet, hair, hooves and head.
Most cats should be fed twice a day, but some may need to eat more. Cats with a history of eating disorders or who have other health conditions may require more frequent meals. For example, a cat with diabetes will need to be fed more frequently to control their blood sugar levels. You should always consult a veterinarian to determine the proper amount of food for your cat. They can advise you on the best type of food for your cat as well as the recommended portion sizes.
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