Understanding how much to feed your cat can be tricky, especially when using canned food. Cats are naturally inclined to eat multiple small meals throughout the day, mimicking their hunting behavior in the wild. However, readily available food can lead to overeating and weight gain. This guide focuses on determining the right amount of 5 oz cans of cat food per day to keep your feline friend healthy and happy.
Understanding Your Cat’s Dietary Needs
Domestic cats, unlike their wild counterparts, expend less energy hunting for food. As cats age, their activity level and metabolic rate decrease, making weight management a challenge. It’s essential to understand that feeding a cat until it seems full is often overfeeding, except for actively growing kittens under eight months old.
The Training Game: You and Your Cat
Cats are masters at training their owners. They quickly learn the behaviors that precede feeding and will try to elicit those actions. For example, a cat might associate the sound of the refrigerator opening with mealtime. Being aware of this dynamic is crucial to avoid overfeeding.
The Mischievous Hungry Cat
A hungry cat can become a disruptive cat, seeking food, bothering other pets, or engaging in destructive behaviors. While activity is good for burning calories, the nature of this activity can be problematic. Resisting the urge to feed your cat in response to these behaviors is vital.
Canned Food vs. Dry Food: Making the Right Choice
While various flavors and textures may tempt you, cats don’t need a wide variety. Owners often get trained to add extras when a cat hesitates to eat. Unless there are health concerns, a cat’s refusal to eat what’s offered might be a test to see if something better appears.
The Benefits of Canned Food
Canned food offers several advantages over dry food. It more closely mimics the natural diet of cats in the wild. Cats obtain most of their water from fresh prey, so canned food, with its high moisture content, helps keep them hydrated and supports kidney health.
Canned food is also typically lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein than dry food. While some believe high-protein, low-carb diets prevent obesity, the most important factor is the total calories consumed.
How Many 5 oz Cans of Cat Food?
Most cats need 4-5 ounces of canned food daily. This equates to approximately one 5 oz can per day. However, pate-style varieties tend to be more calorie-dense than those with chunks and gravy, so adjust accordingly.
Dry Food: A Convenient, But Less-Ideal Option
Dry food is calorie-dense and lacks the water content of canned food. A cat fed only dry food may feel hungrier, even when consuming adequate calories. Free-feeding dry food, even a low-calorie version, often leads to weight gain.
Controlling Weight on a Dry Food Diet
Dividing dry food into multiple small, controlled portions throughout the day is a better approach. However, many cats become too hungry if fed less than 1/3 to 1/2 cup of dry food per day. The ideal amount varies and decreases as the cat ages.
Adding canned green beans can increase bulk and help cats feel fuller but should be avoided in cats with a history of urinary tract crystals.
The Pitfalls of Mixing Dry and Canned Food
Feeding both canned and dry food can quickly lead to an overweight cat. It’s challenging to regulate the amount of each type of food, making it difficult to control calorie intake.
Practical Feeding Recommendations
Canned food alone is often the best choice. For an adult cat, start with ½ of a 5.5 oz can twice daily (or a full 5 oz can once a day). This is a starting point that needs to be adjusted based on your cat’s individual needs.
For smaller cats, a half of a 3 oz can twice daily might be more appropriate. Again, adjust the amount as needed. Canned food helps balance calorie intake and satiety, keeping cats feeling full for longer.
Tips for Owners Who Prefer Dry Food
If you choose to feed dry food, do so carefully, with measured portions and no snacking. Modern dry foods are calorie-dense, so even small amounts can be sufficient.
Multiple feedings a day can be helpful but can also lead to begging. Avoid leaving open bowls of food. Offer dry food for a set time, then remove any leftovers. Sometimes, removing the bowls entirely can help limit begging.
Measuring Food Accurately
Measuring a day’s ration in the morning and feeding from that container throughout the day is an excellent strategy. This prevents overfeeding, especially when multiple people are involved in feeding the cat.
Using a kitchen scale to measure dry food by weight is more accurate than measuring by volume. This allows for consistent portions and smaller adjustments to daily food amounts.
Monitoring Your Cat’s Weight
Regardless of diet, portion control is essential. Use a scale to weigh your cat regularly. Weigh yourself with and without holding the cat to get an accurate measurement. Monthly weigh-ins at the same time of day are sufficient.
Aim for a weight loss of about a pound a month, no more. Rapid weight loss can cause serious health problems. Weight loss in cats is challenging and requires a proactive approach.
Remember, every cat is unique, and managing a hungry cat can be one of the most significant challenges. It’s important to remember that a hungry cat can be healthy, even if the cat disagrees!
