Content
- Feeding lactating cats
- Amount of food for kitten cats
- Quantity of food for adult cats
- How many times should the cat eat a day?
- amount of cat food
- Amount of old cat food
- Daily amount of food for cats - General considerations
cats are carnivorous animals who prefer to eat several times a day rather than just once, as they do in the wild. Also, they don't usually overeat, they just eat what they need, however you should know that the amount of daily cat food it depends on several factors, such as the animal's age, size, physical activity or personality. It is the responsibility of the guardian to provide a balanced and quality diet to the pet to prevent the cat from suffering from overweight, or on the contrary, becoming malnourished.
In this article by PeritoAnimal we give all the tips to feed these pets correctly depending on their stage of life, since it is very important to consider that the daily amount of food for adult cats will be different than for kittens or older cats.
Feeding lactating cats
Lactating cats begin weaning around 3 weeks of age[1], so until then, it is not recommended to offer any food other than breast milk., since they don't need any other additional product that offers more nutrients. Breast milk contains absolutely everything these little animals need, so the owner doesn't have to worry about whether the cats get the amount of milk they need or not.If you notice that kittens complain or are restless, it may be because they are not satisfied and need more milk.
If they do not have access to breast milk, there are some prepared milk substitutes that can be obtained from veterinarians and specialty stores, but it is always recommended to breastfeed them naturally with their birth mothers.
From the fourth week onwards, you can start introducing some solid food/special food for kittens, broken into pieces and soaked in water until it has a puree consistency, to start getting used to this food. The first weeks of a cat's life are crucial for their proper development and growth. By 7 or 8 weeks, the cat will be fully weaned.
Amount of food for kitten cats
From 8 weeks (after weaning) and up to 4 months of life, it is necessary to give young cats several meals a day. Remember that these animals don't usually drink a lot of water, so you should alternate dry food with wet food to compensate for this lack of fluid. Read more about this in our article on the age at which cats start to eat pet food.
At this stage in a cat's life, their stomachs are very small and they don't fit large amounts of food for each meal, but as your pet grows, it will need more and more food at every meal. Thus, from 4 to 6 months of age, it is necessary to increase the dose of food per meal so that the animal does not lack food, always trying not to exceed the limit so that the cat maintains its ideal weight.
Regarding the amount of food in grams, this depends on the ration you use, as the same amount in grams of one ration will not have the same calories and nutrients as another different ration. For this reason, the ideal is for you to be guided by the information on the package and the advice of your veterinarian, since the cat's nutritional needs depend on the breed, lifestyle and any medical conditions.
Quantity of food for adult cats
From 12 months onwards, your cat will be an adult and, as mentioned earlier, the amount of daily food will depend on the breed's weight, physical activity and personality.
How many times should the cat eat a day?
Wild cats eat small meals according to the prey they hunt by instinct. Domestic cats eat between 10 to 20 meals a day, ingesting approximately 5 grams with each meal. It is very important for the cat to have food available whenever he needs it. For this reason, you must control the quantities indicated on the package and distribute them throughout the day. If your cat correctly manages his food throughout the day, you only have to worry about the total amount and distribute it in two daily doses, for example. If, on the other hand, your cat is prone to obesity and eats everything at once, you will have to be the one who distributes the indicated amount over a greater number of meals throughout the day.
amount of cat food
Since the grams of daily food depend on the nutritional formula of the feed, it is not possible to say with precision the most suitable amount of grams. Anyway, we present an example described in the Premium Cat food package - Adult Cats Beauty of the Coat of Royal Canin:
- If it weighs 2kg: 25-40 grams of feed
- If weighs 3kg: 35-50 grams of feed
- If it weighs 5kg: 40-60 grams of feed
- If it weighs 6kg: 55-85 grams of feed
- If you weigh 7kg: 60-90 grams of feed
- If you weigh 8kg: 70-100 grams of feed
- If you weigh 9kg: 75-110 grams of feed
- If you weigh 10kg: 80-120 grams of feed
However, the energy needs (kilocalories) can be calculated as they do not depend on the feed and only on the cat. These are the ones you should focus on since in principle, a premium commercial pet food will have all the essential nutrients to meet your cat's needs.
In the following image, you can consult our table with the energy needs Approximate in kilocalories of the cat according to the cat's weight, age and body condition[2].
Amount of old cat food
From 7/8 years old, our animal will change from being an adult cat to an elderly cat and, as a consequence, the its ability to digest protein and fat will decrease. Therefore, it may be necessary to change the type of feed in order to provide high quality and easily digestible meals.
In addition to the ability to digest, we can notice other changes in our pet that will become bigger and bigger, such as the quality of its fur, which will become less shiny, or the amount of daily physical activity, making the cat less active and more quiet. Still, this process is inevitable, but we can remarkably prolong the life of our pet if we feed it in a correct and age-appropriate way.
Daily amount of food for cats - General considerations
- Cats are animals of habit, so it is recommended that they have a fixed daily routine as soon as they start their adult stage.
- Continuing with the theme of the routine, it is necessary to feed in the same place and at the same time every day, in a quiet place that is always far from your sandbox.
- To feed your pet, use an easy-to-clean surface to place a metal or ceramic container. Some cats prefer to eat from a flat container, and this helps prevent them from eating too quickly.
- If you have more than one cat, you should make sure that they each have their respective food container a considerable distance away, so they don't fight or eat each other's food.
- Also look at prohibited cat foods, to prevent them from eating them and not having health problems.
