Feeding Your Cat: The Right Way to Do It

Do you want to adopt a cat? If so, and if you have never owned a cat before, you may not know how much to feed a cat. This is not a problem at all.

This guide will answer the questions you have about how much to feed a cat, how to help an overweight cat lose weight, and what healthy cat food you should feed your cat. 

The Basics of How Much to Feed Your Cat

If you are thinking about getting a cat, before you do, it is important to know how much to feed your cat. If you know how much you are going to need to feed your cat ahead of time, you can make sure you have the right amount of food ready for your cat when you bring them home. 

There are many things that affect how much you should feed your cat. Remember that feeding your cat right is one way to improve your cat's longevity. Some of these things include the cat’s age and weight, whether you are giving them dry or wet food, their activity level, and whether that cat is pregnant or if they are nursing.

The brand of food that you give to the cat will be another determining factor for how much you feed them. For instance, you might give the cat less food is you are feeding them a high protein cat food. Senior cats also have a different diet. 

When Should You Feed Your Cat

One of the first things that you need to know before bringing your cat home is when you should feed them. It is essential that you keep feeding your cat at the same times they were eating before.

So, for instance, if you brought home a kitten and they were eating at 10 in the morning and 6 in the evening, you should keep feeding them at these times. Slowly, over time, you can move your cat to the feeding schedule that you want them to be on.

However, this shouldn’t be done all at once. Cat’s stomachs are sensitive and don’t handle change well. It can already be a lot for the kitten or cat to move into your home from wherever they were living. You can make it easier on them by sticking to the same eating schedule they were on, at least for awhile. 

Feeding Your Cat Wet or Dry Food

In addition to knowing how much to feed your cat and when to feed your  cat, you will need to know what type of food you should feed your cat. You may want to talk to your cat’s veterinarian to see if they have any vet-recommended cat food for your cat.

However, generally, you have two options - wet or dry cat food. In addition to this two major types of cat food, you can also look into giving your cat organic cat food, all-natural cat food, and specific cat food for allergies if your pet suffers from it.

The basis of your cat’s diet should be poultry, fish, or meat. Most dry cat foods have a lot of animal proteins in them and they are minimal in the plant proteins. Cats can’t digest plant proteins well, so that is a good thing. It is also important to note that your cat’s diet shouldn’t consist of any more than 10% of carbohydrates. If you choose to feed your cat wet food, be sure it has minimal fillers and by-products in it. 

Still Not Sure of How Much to Feed Your Cat

If you still aren’t sure on how much to feed your cat, there are some examples that might help you figure this out. If you have an active and healthy 8 lb. adult cat, they will need around 30 calories for every pound. This means that an 8 lb. cat would need around 240 calories daily.

Usually, there are around 300 calories in a cup of dry cat food. There is usually around 250 calories in a 6 oz. wet cat food can. You can use this as a guide to help you figure out exactly how much cat food you should be feeding to your cat. Basically, as long as you are giving your cat healthy cat food, in decent amounts, they should be okay. 

How Often Should You Be Feeding Your Cat

Another thing that you should think about is how often you should be feeding your cat. The answer to this is mostly going to depend on what type of cat food you are giving to your cat. In addition, it is important to remember that you should keep your cat on the same feeding schedule as they were before you got them.

In time, you can change this up. With this being said, most people who have cats will feed them once in the morning and once in the evening. Some cat owners allow their cats to free-feed in between those feedings. However, you may want to check with the veterinarian to see if that is something they recommend with your cat. It is important to make sure you don’t have an overweight cat. 

Conclusion

If you are planning to get a cat, it is important to know how much to feed a cat, when to feed them, how often to feed them, and what type of food to give them. Hopefully, this guide has given you the information you need regarding feeding your cat. If you have further questions about your specific cat, be sure you talk to your cat’s veterinarian. 

How heavy should my cat be?

The average domestic cats weigh around 10 pounds. However, this does vary depending on the frame and breed of the cat. For instance, Siamese cats usually weigh as little as 5 pounds. Maine Coon cats can weigh up to 25 pounds.

When can kittens eat dry food?

If you have a kitten, it is important to wait to give them dry food until they are fully ready. Usually, kittens need to be 5 to 6 weeks of age before they can have any dry cat food. As they start getting used to dry cat food, they can wean off nursing.

How often should you feed a cat?

It is important to make sure you are feeding your cat enough, but not too much. Most cats will eat twice a day - usually 12 hours in between each feeding. However, some cat owners will feed their cat 4 times a day - at the same times every day.

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