How much should I feed my cat?
As a cat parent, you may be wondering if you’re feeding your cat the right amount of food – is it too much or too little?
Feeding your feline companion isn’t overly complicated, but it is based on many variables, including the age of your cat, whether you’re feeding wet or dry food, and your cat’s activity level.
Whiskas explains everything you need to know about feeding your cat at the different stages of their life.
Kitten Food (From weaning to 12 months)
For the first four to five weeks, kittens get everything they need to survive from their mother. Kittens are normally weaned by seven weeks old, but even from week four they can start eating a specially prepared kitten food like Whiskas® Kitten Pouch.
From about four months old, one pouch is perfect for a single delicious meal. Kittens should be fed three to four meals each day until they are six months old. After that, two to four meals a day are recommended.
Adult food (From one year to seven years)
At one-year-old, a kitten is considered an adult cat and can gradually transition over to a complete and balanced adult cat diet.
A healthy and active adult cat requires around 240 calories per day, which can be obtained from a mixture of both dry and wet foods.
It’s advised that you feed your kitty wet food in the morning and at night, with their allocated portion of dry food left out for grazing on during the day.
Whiskas 1+ Cat range provides everything your adult cat needs to stay healthy in their prime years.
Senior Food (Seven years +)
Cats’ natural behaviour will continue throughout their life, and they will stay active and curious. But we know that cats can be fussy eaters at the best of times, and as they get older they may become even fussier!
As your kitty grows older, their nutritional needs will change. So while you should continue feeding them the same amount of food, after the age of seven it’s important to adjust their diet to one that suits their age.
For example, the Whiskas® Senior range contains extra taurine to help your cat’s vision and heart, zinc and linoleic acid for a healthy skin and coat, and just the right amount of phosphorus to help keep your cat’s waterworks functioning!
In addition, try to always serve your cat’s food at room temperature as most cats do not like cold or refrigerated food. It’s also important to ensure that your kitty always has a fresh bowl of water available.
Throughout your cat’s life you will need to modify their diet to accommodate a changing metabolism and dietary needs.
A healthy diet for your kitty will make both you and your feline friend a lot happier.
