How much to feed your cat depends on several factors, including their age, lifestyle and even the type of food. Whether you’re new to cat ownership or you’ve changed yourcat’s food, figuring out how much they needto eat each day isn’t as straightforward as you might think. Determining How Much to Feed a Cat Different cats have different nutritional needs based on their size, life stage and more. Here are some factors to consider when deciding how much food your cat should eat. • Age & Life Stage:Kittenshave different nutritional needs than adults or senior cats. Pregnant or nursing cats also have different needs. • Weight:“If your cat is not at their ideal body condition, you may need to adjust what and how much you feed them,” says Dr. Callie Harris, DVM. • Activity Levels:Cats who are active and playful throughout the day may need more calories than those who prefer to spend their time napping. • Indoor vs. Outdoor:Indoor cats may not get as much exercise as an outdoor cat would, so they need fewer calories. Outdoor (or indoor/outdoor) cats living in regions with cold winters may need more food in the cold months. The best way to determine how much food your cat needs is to talk with your veterinarian. They can tell you how much food your cat needs based on the above factors. They can also help you troubleshoot any problems that may arise, such as your cat eating more or less than usual. How Much Should a Cat Eat a Day? Dry andwet cat fooddiffer in calories as well as portion sizes. You’ll want to ensure you’re feeding an appropriate amount of food, whether you feed dry, wet or a combination of both. The label on the food packaging can give you a general idea of how much food your cat needs. The recommendations may include ranges, so you’ll need to figure out where your cat fits within those ranges. You can always adjust to meet your cat’s needs. If you have questions about how much of a particular food to feed your cat, you can also visit the manufacturer’s website or call them directly. As always, your veterinarian can also help you navigate how much to feed your cat. Cat Feeding Chart Feeding recommendations are required on all cat food packaging, but they don’t all look the same. Pay close attention to the chart on your cat’s food label to ensure you’re feeding them the right amount based on their age and weight. Here’s a sample cat feeding chart, similar to what you’ll find on cat food labels: Weight (lbs)Dry Food Amount (cups)5 to 91/3 to 2/310 to 143/4 to 1 Note: Amounts listed above are for a 24-hour period. Cat feeding amounts vary from product to product based on calorie content and formula. Consult the feeding chart on the back of your cat’s food packaging. Individual needs can vary, so consult with your veterinarian regarding special dietary needs. How Many Times a Day Should Cats Eat? Most feeding recommendations give you the total daily amount. For dry cat food, you can put the kibble in their bowl and let them graze throughout the day. It’s not uncommon for cats to want to eat multiple smaller meals per day. When feeding wet food, it’s important they eatit within a half hour or so to avoid the food spoiling. If you want to split their wet food into two meals, you’ll need to determine the total number of calories they needeach day and divide that number by how many times you intend to feed them. You may also want to try a refrigerated feeding bowl with a timer. You can program the bowl to dispense fresh wet food for your cat at designated times during the day. For example, if your veterinarian recommends giving your cat 250 calories per day, you’ll want to feed them two meals with a total of 125 calories in each. If you plan to feed your cat a combination of dry and wet food the math gets a little trickier. You’ll need to look at the calories on the dry and wet labels to calculate the total number of calories in each and decrease serving sizes to still meet the total daily caloric recommendation. Assessing Your Cat’s Eating Habits Once you determine how much food to feed your cat, use that as a guide for a couple weeks. Then, assess how your cat is doing. Here are a few things to monitor: • Leaving food in the bowl • Hungry in the middle of the night • Cleaning bowl, but gaining weight • Eating happily and maintaining weight and activity levels Cats can go up to 48 hours without food. If your cat hasn’t eaten in more than 48 hours, call your veterinarian to assess why they aren't eating. Ensuring your cat gets the right amount of food will help them maintain their idealbody condition. Consider ahealthy weight cat foodto help them achieve and maintain this ideal body condition. We also recommend working with your veterinarian to ensure there are no underlying medical issues. For more feeding tips from ourexperts, visit our Pet Expertisepage.

Whether you’re new to cat ownership or you’ve changed yourcat’s food, you may be wondering how much to feed your cat. Although the answer should be simple and straightforward, figuring out how much food your cat needs is a little complicated (kind of like your cat). How Do I Decide How Much Food My Cat Needs? Different cats have different nutritional needs based on their size, life stage and more. Here are some factors to consider when deciding how much food your cat should eat: • Age & Life Stage:Kittenshave different nutritional needs than adult or senior cats. Cats who are pregnant or nursing also have different needs. • Weight:If your cat is not at her ideal weight, you may need to give her smaller or larger portions to help her achieve and maintain a healthy weight. • Energy Level:Cats who are active and playful throughout the day may require more calories than those who prefer to spend their time napping. • Type of Food:Dry andwet cat fooddiffer in calories, as well as portion sizes. You’ll want to ensure you’re feeding an appropriate amount of food, whether you feed dry, wet or a combination of both. • Indoor vs. Outdoor:Indoor catsmay not get as much exercise as an outdoor cat would, so they need fewer calories. Outdoor (or indoor/outdoor) cats living in regions with cold winters may need more food in the winter. The best way to determine how much food your cat needs is to talk with your veterinarian. They can determine how much food your cat requires based on the above factors. They can also help you troubleshoot any problems that may arise, such as your cat eating less or more than usual. Cat Feeding Recommendations on Packaging Your cat’s food label can also give you a general idea of how much food she needs. The recommendations on cat food packaging may include ranges, so you’ll need to determine where your cat fits within those ranges. You can always make adjustments to meet your cat’s needs. How Often Should I Feed My Cat? Most feeding recommendations tell you the total amount of food your cat needs per day, but they don’t tell you how often you should feed her. If you feed dry food, you can put it in her bowl and let her graze throughout the day. When feeding wet food, it’s important that she eats it within a half hour or so to avoid the food spoiling. If you want to split her wet food into two meals, you’ll need to determine the total number of calories she needs each day and divide that number by how many times you intend to feed her. For example, if your veterinarian recommends giving your cat 300 calories per day, you’ll want to feed her two meals with a total of 150 calories in each. Assessing Your Cat’s Feeding Once you determine how much food to feed your cat, use that as a guide for a couple weeks. Then assess how your cat is doing. Here are a few things to consider: • Does your cat leave food in her bowl? Or is she waking you up in the middle of the night for more? • Is she cleaning her bowl but gaining too much weight? (See how your veterinarian assesses your cat’s weight with our Body Condition System). • Is she eating happily and maintaining her weight and activity levels? Ensuring your cat gets the right amount of food will help her maintain her ideal body condition. Consider ahealthy weight cat foodto help her achieve and maintain this ideal body condition. We also recommend working with your veterinarian to ensure there are no underlying medical issues. For more feeding tips from ourexperts, visit our Pet Expertisepage.

You can help improve your cat’s mealtimes by knowing when, where and how much to feed them. Help your cat avoid mealtime disruptions by placing their food and water dishes away from foot traffic, noise, and their litter box, in somewhere that is comfortable and easy for them to reach. When there are multiple cats in the home you can ensure each has easy and equal access to food by providing multiple food bowls in different locations. Using a plastic mat or newspaper under the dish makes for an easier clean up. You can help to encourage and maintain healthy hydration by keeping clean, fresh water available at all times. Establish a routine so that your cat is fed at the same time each day. By using your cat’s name when feeding them, you can help to reinforce their name while associating you with a pleasant activity. If you are feeding a dry cat food, you can put out a whole day’s supply in the morning (very convenient for those working long hours) or feed half in the morning and half at night. Another advantage of dry cat food is that it can help keep your cat’s teeth clean and their gums healthy. Knowing the right amount to feed your cat is important to ensure they arereceiving all the nutrients they need whilst avoiding unnecessary weight gain. You can help ensure your cat is fed the optimum amount by always measuring the amount of food provided. For a proper feeding program, follow the feeding instructions on the cat food package.

Complete and balanced nutrition Your cat requires a complete and balanced diet for their specific life stage. You can ensure your cat receives the right nutrition by choosing a cat food that includes the proper levels of vitamins, minerals and necessary nutrients as decided by scientific research. Cats have specific nutritional requirements such as the essential amino acid, taurine. Insufficient amounts in your cat’s diet can impair their vision and may cause heart problems. For cats’ daily diets, Purina nutritionists have found that a level of 30% high-quality protein will support normal growth and reproduction in cats. Comparing label guarantees By comparing the nutritional content on labels you can help choose the best diet for your cat’s health and well-being. However, there are a few considerations and limitations that are worth being aware of. The difference in moisture content among the various types of cat food impacts the nutrient density of the products or the amount of nutrients per gram of food. As the water content of the diet increases, the amount of protein, fat and other essential nutrients decreases. That means the cat must consume a larger portion of the high moisture products to receive the nutrition they need. This difference in moisture and energy content also prohibits a direct comparison of the nutrient content of one product type to another. For example, you cannot compare the 12% protein content of a canned cat food to the 21% protein level of a dry cat food and conclude the dry food will supply more protein. You can, however, make a fair comparison of the 21% protein content of one dry cat food to the 30% protein content of another dry cat food and conclude that the cat will receive more protein by eating the higher protein product. The higher protein product, however, is not necessarily superior; that depends on the life stage and lifestyle of the cat to which the product is fed. Supplements Unless directed by your veterinarian, it’s not necessary to add supplemental vitamins, minerals or other foods to your cat’s daily diet. Types of Cat Foods The three main types of cat foods are dry, soft-moist and wet products. With today’s advanced technology, all types of cat food products can be formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition for your cat. Dry Diets Dry products consist of crunchy kibbles, which help reduce the build-up of plaque and tartar on a cat’s teeth. Dry foods also have the advantage of staying fresh longer than soft-moist and wet products once the package is opened. Wet Diets These diets generally offer the highest palatability when compared to the dry products. Once a pouch or can is opened, unused food should be stored in the refrigerator.

There are countless options and varieties when it comes to feeding your cat, but how do you know you’re choosing the right one? From food type, to meal timing, water and treating, feeding your cat can be a delicate process. If you’ve ever been left wondering whether your cat is getting the most she can from mealtime, check out the articles below, where we breakdown the differences between wet and dry food, feeding habits, and how to get the balance just right. Quick links: • MIXED FEEDING: THE BEST WAY TO MIMIC YOUR CAT’S NATURAL DIET • SOMETIMES THE SOLUTION TO PESKY BEHAVIOUR IS IN THE BOWL • MIXED FEEDING SUPPORTS HEALTHY HYDRATION IN CATS

Your cat’s dental health is very important. Healthy teeth and gums are essential to ensure your cat can access the important nutrients that her food provides. The ability to effectively chew food is vital for good digestion. Signs of Healthy Teeth and Gums • Chewing reduces kibbles to smaller pieces that allows for the optimal digestion and utilisation of nutrients. • Feeding an appropriate diet to your pet can help to limit plaque and tartar build-up. • Check your cat regularly for signs of plaque and tartar build-up and see your veterinarian on a routine basis for examination and cleaning, if necessary.

Healthy cats are usually alert, curious about their environment and anything new they might encounter. They should have a good appetite and keep themselves well groomed. Outward Signs Although the immune system generally functions on the inside, there are some outward signs that indicate robust good health: • Sleek, shiny coat • Active and energetic • Clear, bright eyes • Alert posture • Normally healthy skin; supple skin • Healthy gums • Good lung capacity; easy breathing • Strong muscles, healthy lungs • Resistance to disease

It’s a common misconception that cats will only wag their tails when they’re angry, but there’s actually loads of reasons why they may do this. Find out everything you need to know about cat tail language in this article. Acat’s body languagecan often be hard to decipher. Cats are very complex and the way they tell you how they feel isn’t always obvious. It’s really easy to misread your cat’s behaviour, which can often result in being swatted away by an unhappy kitty when you go in for a pet at the wrong time. One thing in particular that can help you understand how your furry friend is feeling is their tail. Contrary to popular belief, a cat’s tail is actually really expressive and can give you an invaluable insight into if they’re feeling playful, happy or scared. Keep reading to discover the secrets behind cat tail language and discover more about your cat’s emotions. Why do cats wag their tails? Unlike dogs, cats often wag their tails when they are angry or upset, but it’s not always the case. Cat tail language is really sophisticated and can be an excellent indicator to your kitty’s emotions. By paying attention to the direction and speed of your cat’s wagging tail, as well as the rest of their body, you can usually get a good grasp as to how they’re feeling. See our list of possible explanations as to why your cat is wagging their tail.

Your Guide to Puppies The arrival of a new puppy is a wonderful time, but we know it can be an anxious one too. Keeping them safe and happy takes planning and patience for everyone in the household, but the effort will pay off, as your new pet grows into a confident, affectionate new family member who knows there’s no place like home. Remember, the more love and care you give your puppy, the happier and healthier they’ll be! Please follow our guides below on learning, care, feeding, training and health. Taking Puppy Home The first week with a new puppy is exciting, but it can also be challenging at times. Follow these tips to ensure that the first week with your puppy is as fun and productive as possible.

Healthy skin and a shiny, well-groomed coat not only enhances your cat’s appearance, these are also good indicators of their health. These makeyour cat feel more comfortable and less prone to skin irritation and external parasites. Signs of Healthy Coat and Skin • Normal, healthy skin colour ranges from pale pink through to shades of brown to black. • Healthy skin is smooth, pliable and free from dandruff and odours. • Normal, healthy coat should be shiny and smooth, not coarse, orbrittle. Signs of Healthy Eyes • Clear, bright eyes which are free of discharge are also a sign that your cat is feeling their best.