How much food does a cat need per day?

The question of how much food a cat needs to get every day is quite reasonable and in any case makes sense. Like humans, many pets today are overweight, leading to diseases such as rheumatism or diabetes. The so-called diseases of civilization, based on an excess of food, have already reached their beloved four-legged friends.

The consequences of obesity in cats appear rather quickly: animals lose some of their mobility, become less active and after a certain time begin to suffer from various diseases. A variety of cats' diets support health and provide a beautiful coat.

It should be noted that even wild felines cannot get hungry quickly, because do not follow the lead of your pet and feed him when he wants it. Cats can live without food for several days. Fresh water is much more important than milk, as many still believe. Even if it seems to you that your pet is still hungry, do not be fooled.

It has been proven that for most cat breeds, some food is needed around the clock in a bowl. A small portion of wet food is additionally served twice a day.

• Small kittens need a lot of energy to grow.Therefore, they usually eat 2-3 times more than adults. Their daily food requirement ranges from 250 to 350 grams.
• Elderly animals of normal weight need about 130 grams of food per day. Feeding dry food that appears in the bowl in the morning and evening is optimal.
• For overweight animals, only 100 grams of feed per day is enough.
• Pregnant and lactating cats, as well as active cat breeds such as Bengalis, should have a full bowl as they have a high need for food. They should be given up to 450 grams of food per day, distributed over several meals.

Dry food is cheaper than wet food and contains all the nutrients a cat needs. The bowl should be filled with good quality dry food. High quality dry food fits without hesitation as the only dish. He will provide any cat with all the ingredients he needs. Thanks to high quality dry cat food, the animal feeds without harmful additives.

If you are feeding your pet dry food, then you need to ensure the water content in the food from 8 to 10%, since animals satisfy their need for fluid mainly through food intake. You also need to provide a bowl of water and provide the cat with constant access to it.

The type and amount of food depends on the age and activity of the cat. Kittens need more liquid food than adults or seniors. The activity and breed of an animal are also critical to the type and amount of food. The boredom and stress of the animal leads to the fact that the cat often goes to the bowl and eats more and more, which, in turn, inevitably leads to obesity.

Compared to the dog, which is omnivorous, cats are pure carnivores and gourmets. There are also differences in the number of meals you eat.

Experts claim that an adult cat weighing about 4 kilograms is supposed to eat 300 to 400 grams of wet food per day. Of course, an active cat has a higher energy requirement than an old cat, so the daily feed rate is indicative and should be adapted to the individual. However, if the cat refuses to eat or is often full, illness may be the cause.

A healthy adult cat usually needs about 5 grams of protein for every kilogram of weight. This applies to animals of the correct build without signs of obesity. Therefore, if the cat weighs too much, it should receive less food, and if it weighs less, the portions should be larger.

The need for energy in an animal increases if it spends a lot of time outdoors. An active cat usually needs about 60 kilocalories per kg of body weight, and an animal that is mostly at home only 40 kilocalories. How much dry and wet food a cat should eat is a separate issue.

At the beginning of life, kittens consume only breast milk.... Therefore, you should not introduce new food into their diet until about 4 weeks. Mother's milk is rich in protein, which sufficiently supports the growth of the animal. If the kitten has been abandoned and needs to be fed, the best solution is to give it a suitable milk replacer. You can not give a small kitten cow's milk - it contains too little protein, but a lot of sugar.

Solid food can be introduced from about 4 weeks of age. During this period, it is best to give a small amount of wet food, which will give the cat a chance to get used to the snack.

Your cat should receive several small, balanced meals throughout the day. Owners often feed their pets 4 to 6 times a day, 50 grams. The cat does not need to eat until it is completely satiated, so that its body can function normally.

Another solution is to feed the animal only twice a day, but in large quantities, leaving unlimited access to dry food. The cat can eat it whenever he wants. However, if the pet is greedy, he will be able to immediately consume the entire food supply. Lack of control can quickly lead to obesity, so watch your pet, and if he tries to eat everything at once, it is better to exclude access to food and continue feeding on schedule.

The average body weight depends primarily on the age of the animal. Up to five months of age, a cat should weigh about 2 kg. After 7-8 months, her weight usually increases to about 3 kg. A healthy adult pet should weigh about 4-5 kg.

Determining the body weight norm is quite simple, for this you need to pay attention to the amount of pet's adipose tissue, in particular:

1. with sufficient weight, the cat should have thin adipose tissue and slightly noticeable ribs;
2. with a strong protrusion of the spine and ribs, one can judge about insufficient weight;
3. in the case when the ribs are almost impossible to feel, we can talk about overweight.

You can leave your pet's food bowl for the whole day, but don't fill it up to its full daily requirement right away. If you leave home and there is no one to feed the cat, you can provide it with half of the daily ration, and give the rest in the evening. Also note that it is necessary to organize unlimited access to water.

The body of these animals does not tolerate cow's milk, contrary to popular belief. That's why it is worth limiting your pet from consuming dairy products.

Lack of food for your pet is reflected in weight loss and activity. But do not forget that, on the contrary, there can be a lot of feed. Pets are less mobile than street animals, therefore they require more modest food, it is quite easy to overfeed them.

New pet owners need to make sure their pet is healthy and happy. Cats, unlike dogs, can be quite finicky when it comes to food, and if they don't like a dish, they won't eat it, even if they are hungry. That's why it is important to find a balance between your cat's nutritional needs and preferences.

When a person brings home a new cat, it is important to continue feeding her the same amount of the same food and on the same schedule that she is used to, and then gradually, literally, literally a tablespoon, move to the new food and the new schedule.

A cat's sensitivity to thirst is significantly less than a dog's. They don’t voluntarily drink water like dogs.

If the owner follows all the recommendations, but still worries that the pet is not getting enough calories, it is recommended to examine the cat's back.If the vertebrae and ribs are visible, then this indicates insufficient nutrition, then it is necessary to increase the amount of food. But there is also a risk that the pet is simply sick and needs to be shown to the veterinarian. If everything is fine, then you just need to change the diet and choose a different food for it.

Note that different animals can take different foods - some are suitable only for certain foods, others eat everything. That's why if you find a certain type of food that your pet liked and fully meets the necessary requirements for calorie content, the presence of nutrients and other parameters, then you should try to use only it, only occasionally adding variety to the diet of your pet.

For information on what and how to feed the cat correctly, see the next video.