What is a Good Portion Size for Cats?
The right amount of food is crucial for the health of a cat. It ensures that the four-legged friend receives sufficient energy and nutrients.
Below we explain why too much or too little food is harmful and which factors play a role in your cat's needs.
When determining the right amount of food for cats, several factors must be taken into account. These include in particular the weight, age and activity level of the four-legged friend. In addition, the exact type of cat food must also be taken into account in the calculation.
The amount of food and the weight of the cat
Weight plays a particularly important role in terms of feed requirements. Because the bigger and heavier a cat is, the more energy it needs.
The necessary amount of food for a four kilo Siamese cat is therefore much lower than for a Main Coon cat, which weighs possibly eight kilos.
The amount of food and the age of the cat
Age is another important factor that plays a role in calculating the correct amount of food for cats. For example, kittens that are still growing need a relatively large amount of food in relation to their body weight.
With age, on the other hand, the energy requirement decreases, so the amount of food in older cats can usually be reduced somewhat.
The amount of food and the activity level of the cat
In addition to weight and age, the activity level of the cat also influences the need for food. After all, a four-legged friend who is outdoors all day naturally burns considerably more calories than a house cat who has little exercise.
Of course, outdoor cat lovers also provide some of their own food. However, in principle they have a higher requirement, which should be taken into account in the amount of food they eat.
How the type of food influences the required amount
Apart from the factors mentioned above, the exact type of feed is the most important factor in determining the feed quantity. This is because wet food has a significantly higher moisture content than dry cat food.
As a result, the energy density of wet food is much lower and a cat has to eat more of it to meet its energy requirements compared to dry food.
Possible consequences of the wrong amount of food
A permanent feeding with the wrong amount of food has fatal consequences for the health of your cat. This applies to both too little and too much food.
Too little food will cause your cat to become underweight and will not provide him with sufficient amounts of important nutrients. The possible consequences include increased susceptibility to infections, a dull coat and hair loss in your cat.
Just like too little food, too much food leads to many problems. If the portion sizes are too big, sooner or later your cat will become overweight.
This increases the risk of heart disease and joint problems, among other things. In addition, diabetes is particularly widespread in overweight cats.
The recommended amount of food on the packaging
On the packaging of cat food you will usually find recommendations on the daily amount of food for your cat. These are graded according to weight and serve as a guide. For a five-kilo cat, for example, we recommend 40 to 65 grams of our dry food per day, while 30 to 45 grams is usually sufficient for a three-kilo animal.
To determine the approximate food requirements of your four-legged friend, you only need to know how heavy your cat is. Please note, however, that the information on the packaging is only a guide.
Actual calorie requirements may vary from these recommendations for a variety of reasons, so you may need to adjust the amount of food your cat eats.
High quality cat food promotes good health
When it comes to cat nutrition, do not concentrate exclusively on the right amount of food, but also pay the necessary attention to the quality of the cat food.
Poor-quality food can lead to a long-term lack of nutrients and increase the risk of intolerances and food allergies in your cat.
We therefore recommend that you always give preference to cereal-free products made from natural ingredients. A good cat food should always consist of high-quality raw materials and provide your four-legged friend with the ideal amount of animal proteins and other essential nutrients.
With cat food from I love my cat, you as a quality-conscious cat owner are in the right place. Carefully selected ingredients, a perfectly balanced composition and gentle production ensure that our food not only tastes good for your cat, but also does him good.
The right amount of food for cats - our conclusion
As you can see, the right amount of food is crucial for the health of your cat. Therefore, always make sure that you cover the food requirements of your four-legged friend as accurately as possible.
We also recommend that you make sure that the quality of the food you buy is good. In this way, you can avoid deficiency symptoms and ensure that your cat tolerates his food optimally, regardless of the quantity required.
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