What is the correct portion size for my cat?
Healthy weight is achieved by maintaining the correct balance between the energy your cat takes in through their food, and the energy they use.
The starting point is to follow the feeding guide given by the cat food you have selected. However, a number of factors may also need to be taken into consideration when determining the portion size, recommended feeding quantities for cats are often just guidelines.
Firstly, consider the activity levels of your cat; are they often on-the-move, do they spend a lot of time outdoors, or are they more sedentary indoor cats? How much exercise a cat gets will determine the energy they need throughout the day.
Next, has your cat been spayed or neutered? These procedures can impact the portions needed by your cat. Sterilisation changes their metabolism and means they digest their food in a different way. It's important to pay close attention to their shape or any changes in activity and adjust their portions to account for this.
How much does a kitten need to eat?
A healthy weight begins at the start of your kitten’s life, with the right balance of nutrition and activity.
Kittens will double in weight within the early weeks of life and therefore require more calories and energy to fuel such rapid growth. It’s essential to give your kitten specially formulated food for their nutritional needs up until about age 1. Since kittens and cats are natural grazers, you can serve the recommended portion of food in small meals throughout the day or leave out the full portion to allow your kitten to self-regulate.
In both cases, we recommend using a digital food scale to weigh your kitten’s food portion and divide it up accordingly. Finally, having access to fresh water and a quiet space to eat are the other crucial mealtime components for your kitten!
How a cat's eating habits impact their portion sizes
What cats eat, as well as how they eat and how they live, greatly impacts their well-being and their health.
Domestic cats have distinctly different feeding habits from humans or dogs. Instead of two or three large meals, some cats prefer to graze over the day. It is important, therefore, not to overfeed during these meals. Instead, measure out your cat's correct portion for the day and then either divide this into smaller meals, or leave the bowl out during the day and allow your cat to revisit whenever they like, depending on your cat's preference.
Feeding puzzles are another great way to engage your cat's hunting instincts and encourage them to be more active during meal times.
Healthy activity requires play
Playtime is key to keeping your cat stimulated, active and at a healthy weight. The amount of exercise varies based on factors such as their age, weight and breed.
Healthy growth lasts a lifetime
Losing weight is more difficult than preventing weight gain in the first place, so it's important that healthy habits and behaviours are set from day one.