How much should a cat eat?

Answer 1

Depends really on what type of cat it is.

Smaller, lighter cats will naturally eat less, whereas a bigger or bulky cat will eat more. That said, a cat will eat far more if fed a lower quality food to get the nutrition it needs, and less if fed a premium quality food.

The best way to find out how much you should feed your own cat is to keep an eye on his or her weight. You can do this by weighing him once a week to see if he gains or loses weight, or feeling for any extra layers of fat over his ribs. Be sure to consult a veterinarian first in order to find out the cat's weight and health.

Answer 2

It depends on several factors, such as the cat's size, appetite, weight, activity level and the quality of the food. Smaller, lighter cats will naturally eat less, whereas a bigger or bulky cat will eat more.

A cat's food is also a huge factor in how much it eats: A cat will eat far more if fed a lower quality food to get the nutrition it needs, and will eat much less if fed a premium quality food that has a high meat content and no grains.

The best way to find out how much you should feed your own cat is to keep an eye on his or her weight. You can do this by weighing him once a week to see if he gains or loses weight, or feeling for any extra layers of fat over his ribs. Be sure to consult a veterinarian first in order to find out the cat's weight and health.

Whatever food your feeding your cat, it will have a feeding guide on it, however, some guides should not be taken as accurate; many cats need much less than stated on the back of the bag or can.

Answer 3

Healthy adult cats need approximately 1 large (5.5 ounce) can of wet food per day, or 1 to 1 1/4 cups of dry food per day. Adult cats are cats over 1 year old.

You may need to adjust this according to your cat's size and age. Older adult cats (over age 10, approximately) tend to eat less than younger adult cats. And bigger cats will need more food than smaller ones, for obvious reasons.

Observe your cat's eating habits, and use your judgment. If the cat finishes all of its food and licks the plate and then begs for more, then it probably needs more food. If there are always leftovers on the plate, even hours after you fed the cat, then you are probably feeding it too much.

Keep in mind that cats don't eat full meals like humans do. They tend to graze on their food. When you serve it to them, they'll often eat some of it right away, and then keep coming back every hour or two for more. So, just because the cat doesn't finish all of its food at once, doesn't mean you are feeding it too much.

But if the cat never finishes its food (if the leftovers always remain on the plate, even hours after the feeding) then you are probably feeding it too much.

If you are concerned that your cat may not be getting enough food, you can give it a combined wet food and dry food diet. This is especially handy if you are gone all day (more than 8 hours a day), or when you go to bed. That way the cat has something to snack on and won't get too hungry waiting for you to come home or wake up in the morning.

Leave about 1/2 a cup of dry food out when you leave for work in the morning, and another 1/2 a cup when you go to bed. At breakfast and dinnertime, take away the dry food and put down the wet food.

See the Related Question below for help picking out high-quality cat food brands.

Answer 4

It depends on several factors, such as the cat's size, appetite, weight, activity level and the quality of the food. Smaller, lighter cats will naturally eat less, whereas a bigger or bulky cat will eat more.

A cat's food is also a huge factor in how much it eats: A cat will eat far more if fed a lower quality food to get the nutrition it needs, and will eat much less if fed a premium quality food that has a high meat content and no grains.

The best way to find out how much you should feed your own cat is to keep an eye on his or her weight. You can do this by weighing him once a week to see if he gains or loses weight, or feeling for any extra layers of fat over his ribs. Be sure to consult a veterinarian first in order to find out the cat's weight and health.

Whatever food your feeding your cat, it will have a feeding guide on it, however, some guides should not be taken as accurate; many cats need much less than stated on the back of the bag or can.

Answer 5

appetites vary like in humans, the average cat will eat a cup of dry or a cup of wet food per day, and sometimes little morsels under the table and of course little cat treats!

Answer 6

About 2 cups of cat food