How Much Should I Feed My Cat?

How much to feed a cat comes down to calories. WSAVA's chart puts an average healthy adult cat of about 10 lb (4.5 kg) at roughly 240 to 270 calories a day.

Use that, or the feeding guide on the label, as a starting point. Then adjust every couple of weeks by how your cat's body looks and feels.

The label and the chart can only guess. Your cat's ribs and waist give the real answer, and checking them takes about a minute.

How many calories does a cat need a day?

The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) publishes a one-page chart for healthy adult cats at an ideal weight. These are its daily figures. The "calories" on a pet food label are kilocalories, written kcal.

Cat's weight	Calories a day
6.6 lb (3 kg)	200–210
8.8 lb (4 kg)	225–250
9.9 lb (4.5 kg)	240–270
11 lb (5 kg)	250–290
13.2 lb (6 kg)	265–330
15.4 lb (7 kg)	280–370

Each range comes from two formulas WSAVA uses, one for lean adults and one for adults it labels obese-prone. If your cat is a couch-lover, start near the low end. If she's lean and busy, start near the top.

Use her ideal weight, not her current one, if she's carrying extra. AAHA's nutrition guidelines advise comparing what a pet eats with the needs calculated from ideal body weight.

Here's the surprising part. WSAVA notes that individual cats can need up to 50% more or less than these starting points. Two cats of the same weight can need very different amounts.

What changes the number?

• Spaying or neutering. AAHA's guidelines say energy needs drop afterward, so portions usually need to come down.
• Age. Kittens need a growth diet until about a year old, AAHA notes, and their needs are different. Our guide on kitten food covers the first year.
• Senior years. AAHA notes that in advanced age, cats can digest fat, protein and energy less well, so some senior cats may need more calories to make up for it.
• Activity. A cat who climbs and plays all day burns more than one who naps in the sun.

How do I turn calories into cups or cans?

Check the label. AAHA notes that AAFCO requires calorie content on cat food labels, so look for the kcal figure per cup or per can.

Then divide. WSAVA describes exactly this: split the daily calorie target by the food's calorie density for a sensible starting amount.

Say your cat needs 250 calories a day and her dry food lists 400 kcal per cup. That's just under two-thirds of a cup a day.

If you also feed a 3 oz can of 80 kcal, count it and reduce the dry food to match.

The feeding chart on the bag is a fine place to start, too. AAHA points out that AAFCO doesn't standardize how those charts are worked out, so they vary from brand to brand.

Why a kitchen scale beats a measuring cup

Scoops are less accurate than they look. In a set of 12 studies published in the Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, people measuring dry kibble by cup ranged from 18% under to 80% over the target portion.

An extra few kibbles a day doesn't sound like much. Over months, it adds up. The AAFP's feeding consensus statement suggests weighing food on a digital gram scale for that reason.

How do I know if I'm feeding the right amount?

Look at your cat, and feel her. Vets use a 9-point body condition score, and WSAVA's chart makes it easy to try at home. A score of 5 is ideal.

Score	What you'll see and feel
3	Ribs easily seen on a short-haired cat. Backbone obvious. No fat pads.
4	Ribs easily felt with very little fat over them. An obvious waist behind the ribs.
5 (ideal)	Well proportioned. Ribs felt under a slight layer of fat. Waist visible but not pronounced. Very little fat on the belly.
6	Ribs felt under slightly more fat. A belly fat pad is present but not obvious.
7	Ribs hard to feel. Waist hard to see. The belly may be slightly rounded.
8–9	Ribs can't be felt. No waist. An obviously rounded belly, with fat over the lower back.

To check, run your flat hands along her sides, then look down at her from above. Long fur can hide a lot, so trust your hands over your eyes.

Each point matters. AAHA's guidelines say every point above 5 on this scale means a cat is about 10% over her ideal weight.

There's some reassurance in the fine print. WSAVA notes that a score of 6 may be acceptable in some cats, especially older ones.

A study of 2,609 cats in Sydney, published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, points the same way.

Compared with cats whose highest score was 6, cats that peaked at 3, 4 or 5, or at 9, had a higher risk of death. It was an observational study, so it shows a link rather than proof.

Do treats and toppers count?

Yes, and they add up fast. WSAVA and AAHA both say extras should stay at or below about 10% of a cat's daily calories. Cornell gives a slightly wider rule of thumb, 10 to 15%.

For a cat on 250 calories a day, 10% is just 25 calories. The rest should come from her complete and balanced food, which AAHA says should make up at least 90% of what she eats.

That includes anything spooned on top of dinner. If you use a cat food topper, check its calories and trim her main meal to match.

How many meals a day should a cat eat?

Once you know the daily amount, you can divide it however suits your home. Cornell suggests three meals a day for kittens under six months, two a day from six months to a year, and once or twice a day for most adults.

The AAFP goes further. Its feeding consensus statement notes that cats can naturally spend half of every 24 hours finding food, and recommends splitting the daily allowance into several small meals.

Puzzle feeders help here, adding activity to each meal. An automatic cat feeder can serve small portions while you're out, as long as the daily total is set first.

Free feeding works only for some cats. WSAVA's guidance is that leaving food out is fine only for cats who can hold an ideal weight on their own, and should not be done in cats prone to becoming overweight or obese.

When should I change how much I feed?

WSAVA suggests adjusting portions every two weeks at first, until your cat reaches and holds an ideal body condition. After that, recheck her score after any big change, such as spaying, a new food or a quieter lifestyle.

Make changes small. If she's drifting up, trim the daily amount a little and recheck in two weeks. If she needs to lose more than a little, ask your vet for a plan first.

Call your vet promptly if your cat:

• stops eating, or isn't eating enough to hold her weight (WSAVA advises a vet visit as soon as possible)
• loses weight without a change in her food
• looks bony, with ribs or backbone easy to see
• has ribs you can no longer feel at all

Your vet can also show you how to score her body condition by hand, which WSAVA recommends. It's a skill that makes every feeding decision easier.

Questions new cat parents ask

How much wet food should I feed my cat a day?

Divide her daily calories by the kcal per can. A cat needing 240 calories eating 80 kcal cans would need about three 3 oz cans a day, minus any dry food or extras.

How much dry food should I feed my cat?

It depends on the food, because calorie density varies. Divide her daily calories by the kcal per cup on the bag, then weigh the portion.

Is the feeding chart on the bag accurate?

It's a reasonable starting point. WSAVA says label amounts are based on the average cat, and individual needs can be 50% higher or lower.

How much should I feed a kitten?

Kittens need a food made for growth until about a year old, AAHA notes, and Cornell suggests three meals a day until six months. Ask your vet to check her weight at each visit.

Sources

• WSAVA: Calorie Needs for an Average Healthy Adult Cat in Ideal Body Condition, 2020
• WSAVA: Body Condition Score chart for cats, 2020
• WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee: Frequently Asked Questions and Myths
• Cline MG, et al. 2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats
• Sadek T, et al. Feline feeding programs: addressing behavioural needs to improve feline health and wellbeing. AAFP consensus statement, Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2018
• Cornell Feline Health Center: Feeding Your Cat
• Cornell Feline Health Center: How Often Should You Feed Your Cat?
• Teng KT, et al. Strong associations of nine-point body condition scoring with survival and lifespan in cats. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery, 2018
• German AJ, et al. Imprecision when using measuring cups to weigh out extruded dry kibbled food. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 2011

This article is for general information and is not veterinary advice. Talk to your vet about your own cat — they know the animal in front of them.

Choolip products are food supplements, not medicine. They are not intended to diagnose or manage any medical condition. If your cat has been diagnosed with a condition, their diet should be set by your vet.