How Much Should I Feed My Cat? (Feeding Chart Included)

We are so struck by cats’ cuteness that it becomes a habit to feed them too many treats outside their meals. You must already know it’s not a good thing.

Feeding cats too much or too little has negative consequences and can harm a cat’s health. Before feeding, you must consider factors such as your cat’s weight, age, breed, and whether wet or dry cat food is best for them.

When feeding your indoor cat a high-quality dry food with a good protein source, it’s generally recommended to provide about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of food per day. This quantity of nutritious cat food typically contains around 167 to 250 calories.

So, How much should I feed my cat? Read below.

Factors to Consider Before Feeding a Cat

As a cat parent, your top priority is their health, which may be boosted by physical exercise and proper feeding or a good diet. Without further ado, let us begin to learn the factors you must consider to feed a cat.

Factor #1: Determine Your Cat’s Age and How Much Cat Food Per Day

The age of the cat can help you calculate how frequently you should feed a cat each day.

Cat’s Age		Meal Frequency per Day
Kitten	0-6 months	3
Matured Cat	6 mo. – 1 y/0	2
Adult Cat	1-year-old	1-2
Senior Cat	7-year-old and up	1

Factor #2: The Type Of Food For Your Cat

How much a cat eat a day also depends on the type of food you feed them. You can select based on your cat’s preferences and the amount of nutrients it brings.. Some cats are quite picky, which creates a challenge for a cat parent.

According to our research, whether you prefer dry or wet food makes no difference. You may even combine both in a single bowl and serve them in precisely balanced portions.

Dry food is high in calories. It provides carbs and proteins that a cat may take, even in small amounts. Furthermore, it has a longer shelf life than wet meals.

Wet food has a lot of moisture. It’s excellent for cats who don’t drink much.

It is available in containers and sachets in a range of sizes and flavors. It might also be exciting for cats to try new flavors. One thing to remember when purchasing this is its short shelf life.

So, how much canned food can you feed yor cat per day? Check out the chart below for reference, as your cat’s weight increases, make sure to add more food to its diet.

Cat’s Weight (lbs)	Dry Food (Oz)	Wet Food (Oz)
2-5	1	1-5
6-10	1-2	5-8
11-15	2-3	8-10
15-20	3-4	11-13
21-25	4	13-15

Factor #3: Know When Will Be The Best Time To Feed Cats

It is necessary to understand the right cat diets, but feeding time is also critical. You should arrange their meals at the same time every day.

Make sure to provide your cat with at least two meals per day. You can feed them during lunch and then in the evening. It’s ideal for keeping two meals 10 – 12 hours apart. so, if you want to feed them right before bed, make sure to give them food in the morning.

Factor #4: Your Cat’s Activity Level

Cats, as we all know, are extremely lethargic creatures. They engage in fewer activities, resulting in a slower calorie burn. Every cat has a distinct metabolic rate. It might be either low or high. This will define the diet plan you should set or prepare for your cat.

Factor #4: Your Cat’s Body Condition And Health

Finally, assess your cat’s health. Check whether it is allergic to specific foods, pregnant, or otherwise healthy. That way, you’ll know just how much nutrition it needs for development and good wellness.

Suppose you suspect that your cat is suffering from any health problems. In that case, it is best to get guidance from professionals or veterinarians. You don’t have to shoulder everything, and everyone needs guidance.

Here Are Some Additional Tips

TIP #1: Set or create your own chart if you are an organized person or want to track the frequency of meals and feeding intervals for your cat.

The chart may include the time to feed, the type of food, and the amount of food to put on your cat’s plate.

This is quite useful, especially if your cat is picky about food, and it may help you discipline your cat. It is also very effective since you can monitor your cat’s diet or regimen.

TIP #2: Try different cat food combinations to see which ones your cat prefers.

We are well aware that each cat has unique tastes. Since its mood changes fast, you must make some tweaks.

This method will be more effective if you follow TIP #1, since you can monitor your cat’s meal consumption.

It is best to come up with new ideas to spice up its dish so that your cat looks forward to each meal you offer. You can try IAMS cat food products. It offers a selection of cat meals in various flavors, sizes, and volumes.

TIP #3: Learn about the cat feeding guide by age.

It will likely determine the appropriate amount of serving size for kittens, adults, or senior cats according to their age. A calorie calculator for cats will tell you how much food to give them based on their weight.

You may prevent your cat from overfeeding or underfeeding while still providing it with a nutritious diet. It is more accurate and the correct way for a cat parent to follow.

Conclusion

It’s quite difficult to provide a definite answer to the question, “How much should I feed my cat?” Feeding cats once a day is insufficient if they are not receiving adequate nutrients and energy.

Factors such as their age, food type, feeding schedule, activity level, and overall body health and condition are all important considerations before becoming a cat owner.

Of course, there are things that can help, such as utilizing a calorie calculator for cats to calculate their ideal calorie intake according to their weight easily.