Most commonly an average cat (4 kg or 8.8 lbs of body weight) needs about: 50 to 70 grams (1.7 to 2.5 oz) of dry food; 150 to 250 grams (5.3 to 8.8 oz) of wet food; 100 to 200 grams (3.5 to 7 oz) of raw food.

113 grams

If the cat owner is feeding a good quality dry food, that has a good quality protein, then the indoor cat needs only approximately 1/3 to 1/2 cup of food each day. Most high quality foods have approximately 500 calories per 8 ounce cup of food. The major protein source of the food is very important.

The portions to feed on cat food containers are in excess of an indoor cat’s needs. If your cat is already “fat” (let’s be honest), start at 1/2 cup dry per day and in a month decrease to 1/8 cup 3 times a day.

Hill’s Science Diet Senior 11+ Age Defying Cat Food Daily Feeding Guide

But as a rule, a healthy cat with normal daily activity needs approximately 15 to 20 grams of dry food per kilogram of body weight. The amount of wet cat food that is recommended is 1/2 or 1 can per day.

3. Treats and Extras

Cat Feeding Guide / Chart

two times

Even if your cat prefers to eat their food in a few sittings, don’t be tempted to leave wet food out all day, as this increases the risk of disease-causing bacteria developing. After a maximum of four hours, throw out the old food and wash the bowl properly with soap and water before refilling with fresh food.

Cats may also overeat if their food does not provide enough nutrients. As cats get older, they become less able to digest proteins and fats. At the same time, they need more energy. To get the calories their body needs, your senior cat may begin eating more.

Many wet foods come in three-ounce cans and recommend feeding approximately one can a day for every three to three and a half pounds of body weight. However, brands vary. A happy, healthy cat will maintain a good weight and stay active.

Yes! Mixing wet cat food and dry cat food is great for your cats, especially for finicky eaters. Do ensure that both options are of good quality and meet your pet’s nutritional needs and also be sure to prevent overfeeding which might cause obesity!

Wet food is more expensive and less easy to use but can be beneficial in cats prone to lower urinary tract disease, constipation and that are overweight. Dry food can be a very efficient way to provide calories in thin cats with food volume limitations and allows for the use of food puzzles and food toy dispensers.

“There are a lot of people who believe that cats only need to eat canned food and will be unhealthy if they eat dry food,” says Larsen, noting that most cats can do fine on either. But the high moisture content in wet food can be beneficial to cats with urinary tract problems, diabetes, or kidney disease.

What are the most nutritious cat foods?

• Best Dry Food For Cats.
• BLUE Wilderness Indoor Chicken Dry Cat Food.
• Hills Science Diet Indoor Dry Cat Food.
• Purina ONE Urinary Tract Health Formula Dry Food.
• Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Dry Cat Food.
• Purina Cat Chow Naturals Indoor Dry Cat Food.
• Blue Freedom Grain-Free Adult Dry Food.

Read on for the best canned cat foods.

• Best Overall: Wellness Complete Health Turkey & Salmon Formula Grain-Free Canned Cat Food.
• Best for Weight Gain: Tiki Pets Tiki Cat Luau Wet Food Salmon.
• Best Kitten: Purina Fancy Feast Grain Free Pate Wet Kitten Food.
• Best for Seniors: Purina Pro Plan Senior Canned Wet Cat Food.

The 6 Best Vet-Recommended Wet Cat Foods — Reviews

1. Purina Pro Plan Savor Adult – Best Overall.
2. Purina Pro Plan Focus Adult Weight Management – Best for Weight Loss.
3. Hill’s Science Diet Urinary Hairball Control – Best for Urinary Health.
4. Purina Pro Plan Critical Nutrition – Best for Weight Gain.

The brands she recommends are Science Diet, Royal Canin, Purina Pro Plan, and Eukanuba. If these brands are too expensive for her clients, she recommends “any of the Purina lines such as Purina One, or Purina Cat Chow.

Overall, Fancy Feast cat food appears to be a reliable, trustworthy economy choice. It’s a good option if you want to avoid excessive plant ingredients but don’t mind feeding your cat by-products or vaguely-named ingredients and are comfortable with some artificial additives.

The table shows that Fancy Feast provides far less fat than Sheba. The difference in fat content is roughly 5.69%. As you can see, Fancy Feast and Sheba guarantee a similar amount of crude fiber.

Our Picks for the Best Cat Foods for Indoor Cats

• Ziwi Peak Air-Dried East Cape Cat Food.
• Royal Canin Feline Health Indoor Wet Cat Food.
• Purina Beyond Natural Indoor Cat Dry Food.
• Blue Buffalo Freedom Grain Free, Indoor Adult Dry Cat Food, Chicken Recipe.
• Hill’s Science Diet Indoor Kitten Dry Cat Food.

Cooked Diet: A Recipe for Healthy Cats

• Protein: cooked dark meat chicken, beef, pork, lamb, salmon, or tuna (83 grams or 3 wt-ounces)
• Carbohydrate: cooked white rice, oatmeal, barley, corn, peas, or pasta (50 grams or 1/3 cup)
• Fiber: cooked sweet potato, without skin (30 grams or 1/5 cup)

Cats sometimes eat too much too fast. When the stomach wall expands too quickly, a signal is sent to the brain to cause regurgitation. “Cats that eat too quickly because they are gluttonous or stressed by food-bowl competition can regurgitate right after eating,” says Dr. Sara Stephens, a DVM from Montana.

Seven foods your cat shouldn’t eat

• Milk, cheese and other dairy products. Many of us grew up with the image of kittens drinking milk or cream in cartoons or picture books.
• Chocolate.
• Raw eggs, meat or fish.
• Dog food.
• Bread and yeast.
• Tuna.
• Onions and garlic.