Unfortunately, there is no single or simple answer to how much should you feed your cat. The amount of food that he needs depends on a variety of factors including size, age, metabolic rate and environmental conditions. Additionally, the same volume of food cannot be given to two different cats. Every cat requires a different caloric and nutritional value, and it is your responsibility to find the one that suits your pet. For the time being, let’s start with the basics.
Which types of food to feed adult cats?
Before you get into how much should you feed your cat, you need to learn about cat food. There is a huge amount of choice out there. You can find whatever you set out to search given the time and money. However, you need to be extra careful about what you feed your cat. Not everything that seems healthy is “actually” healthy. Good advice for you is to look at the labels of everything you buy so that you know exactly what makes up that type of cat food.
As of now, there are two main types of cat food: wet and dry food. It is completely up to you whether to give your cat wet or dry cat food. Generally, some owners serve a mixture of dry and wet foods. According to vets, some cats prefer wet food in the morning and dry food left out during the day. Check to see what your cat prefers. Here you have some characteristics of these types:
- Dry Foods: these are easy to measure and use plus they have a longer shelf-life once opened. Also, they are helpful to keep your cat’s teeth healthy. Furthermore, cats prefer crunch dry food and generally don’t like it soaked with water.
- Wet Foods: other cats simply prefer wet food's smell and texture. It can still be very convenient to give your cat a fresh, easy-to-serve meal each time. This also means that your cat will eat more in one sitting.
How to feed your cat?
As you know, cats are creatures of habit, so it is important to set a routine for them as soon as possible. Biologically, your cat’s designed to eat little and often. This means that you can feed them several small meals a day. However, when it comes to wet food, just stick to two meals a day. Here you have other important tips:
- Feed a cat in the same place and at the same times each day.
- Choose a surface that can be easily cleaned and always use a clean ceramic or metal bowl.
- If you have several cats, make sure their feeding bowls are far apart to avoid any confrontation.
How to serve and store cat food?
When it comes to feeding your cat, you need to follow some guidelines. First, try to serve wet food at room temperature. This will make it smell better plus it is easier to digest. So take it out of the fridge an hour or so before feeding. You can also use the microwave for a short time to warm it, but be sure that the food is never hot. Lastly, remember that wet food goes stale quickly don’t leave it out.
Dry food can be left out during the day without spoiling. Nevertheless, make sure that you store it in a clean, dry environment. According to experts, the ideal place of storage is an airtight container or a resealable box.
How much should you feed your cat?
Now you are in a better place to finally answer how much should you feed your cat. In the end, it entirely depends on your cat’s breed, lifestyle and body condition. Yet, the most important consideration when feeding cats is to give them enough food to maintain their body condition.
“Every two weeks or so, reassess your cat’s body condition and adjust how much food you offer accordingly. Once you have found the amount that maintains your cat’s ideal body condition (i.e., not too thin, not too fat), you can use monthly weigh-ins in addition to body condition scoring to make small adjustments to how much you are offering to keep her right where she needs to be” said Dr Jennifer Coates.
If you are not sure how much should you feed your cat, then you need to find a way to make sure that you test, over an extended period of time, different quantities of food. In this period, you need to constantly check your cat’s body! An easy way to check your cat’s body condition for yourself is to simply run your hands around their sides and tummy. If your cat is an ideal weight, you should be able to feel their ribs quite easily. Additionally, if you look at them from above, their waistline behind the ribs should be clearly visible (no folds at the sides when they walk). If during these exams you feel that your cat may be overweight or obese, contact your vet.
Eventually, you will know how much should you feed your cat with ease. Once your kitten grows into an adult cat, make sure to know how much food he needs. Take proper care of his health and nutrition!
