How much dry cat food to feed my little whiskered companion? This is a common question in the minds of almost all cat owners. More often than not, our feline companions tend to look at us reproachfully with those big round eyes when their food bowl is empty. They often are perennially hungry, and we cannot resist but feed them whenever they meow miserably for it.
But feeding our furry felines randomly or whenever they want can be extremely dangerous for them. Many cats today tend to overeat their dry cat food. So, obesity and secondary diseases like diabetes, arthritis, and so on have become common among cats today.
It is extremely important to exercise care and caution in feeding cats, ensuring they get balanced, nourishing, and satiating meals. We need to find the right dry cat food, effectively plan their meals, and get the feeding frequency and portion size correctly to ensure happy, healthy cats. In this blog, we will help you understand all of this and more.
Benefits of Dry Cat Food
One critical aspect of the well-being of cats is their diet and cat owners are often confused as to which kind of cat food to choose. Should it be dry cat food or fresh meals prepared at home? But the popular choice is dry cat food, often referred to as kibbles, due to its various benefits listed below.
Nutrient-Packed Formulation
Dry cat food, from the best brands, is formulated to ensure complete and balanced nutrition for cats. They come packed with all essential vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and fibers. It is extremely difficult to achieve the same level of balance in home-cooked meals for cats. Choose high-quality dry food from any cat shop online to equip your cat with the necessary building blocks for their health and well-being.
Convenience
One of the most important benefits of dry cat food is that it is incredibly convenient for pet owners, especially those with busy lifestyles. You don’t have to bother with meal planning and preparation to ensure a balanced diet. You can simply shop from a cat shop online and readily serve dry cat food at mealtime.
Long Shelf Life
Dry cat food has a long shelf life and minimal chances of spoilage, provided it is stored properly without moisture in a dry place. It is super easy to store even if you prefer to buy large quantities. Opened packages of dry food don’t have to be refrigerated, unlike wet cat food.
Dental Health Maintenance
Dry cat food has a crunchy texture which requires the cat to bite and chew, ensuring the maintenance of their dental health. Chewing dry food helps reduce plaque and tartar buildup in their teeth, promoting healthier gums and teeth.
Portion Control
It is much simpler and easier to control your cat's portion sizes with dry cat food. You can seamlessly measure the quantity of food and ensure they don’t eat more than the required quantity. You can also monitor their daily food intake to ensure they are eating properly. This way, you can prevent your cat from overeating and ensure that they maintain a healthy weight.
Reduced Mess
In comparison to wet cat foods, dry cat foods are less messy to serve, easy to store, and easier to clean, making them a more practical option.
Economical Choice
Dry cat food is often more cost-effective than wet cat food since you can buy and easily store larger quantities at once with reduced chances of spoilage. This makes them a pocket-friendly food option for most cat owners who want to provide a purr-fectly balanced meal for their cats without breaking the bank.
Finding the Purr-fect Balance: How Much Dry Cat Food to Give Your Furball?
Factors to Consider
The healthy calorie requirement for cats ranges between 150 to 300 calories per day. The actual requirement for each cat varies on a number of factors including their age, size, activity level, body weight, and so on. It is best to ask your veterinarian as to how many calories your cat needs per day.
Now, let us look at the factors to consider while deciding the portion size for your feline friend.
Age and Life Stage:
Age is the most important consideration when deciding the portion size of dry cat food for your cat. Kittens, adult cats, and senior cats have varied nutritional requirements. While kittens typically require more calories (usually between 300-500 calories per day) for their healthy growth, senior cats may need a diet that supports their aging joints and overall health. Pregnant cats typically have different nutritional needs. So, it is important to decide the portion size based on their age and life stage.
Weight and Body Condition:
It is critical to constantly monitor your cat's weight and body condition, accordingly, adjusting the portion size. Based on the breed type, you need to ensure your cat is around the ideal weight. Adjust the portion size to help your cat maintain their ideal weight. If your cat is overweight, they may require a calorie-controlled diet of dry cat food while underweight cats may need a higher calorie intake.
Level of Physical Activity:
Some cats are playful and active throughout the day while others may prefer lying down for most of the day. In the former case, the cat will burn more calories than in the latter case. Plus, the breed type and their metabolic rate also play a role in how well your cat burns calories. If your cat is active and gets a lot of exercise, they may need more dry cat food than a cat that does not get enough physical activity.
Indoor vs Outdoor Cat:
The environment in which your cat lives also impactx their dietary requirements. If yours is an outdoor cat, they may burn more calories due to increased physical activity. Naturally, they will need more dry cat food than an indoor cat. Plus, outdoor cats in colder climates need more food intake than outdoor cats in warmer climates.
Health Conditions:
Cats with health conditions, such as diabetes, arthritis, kidney disease, or allergies have specific dietary requirements. For such cats, decide the portion size and type of dry cat food based on your vet’s advice.
Should You Feed as Per the Feeding Guidelines on the Packaging?
The feeding guidelines on the dry cat food packaging are general advice and give pet owners direction. You should use it as a starting point and tailor the quantity of food based on the unique needs of your feline companion. You could consult with your vet if you are unsure and decide on the calorie intake and serving size.
How Many Times to Feed the Cat Each Day?
Having discussed how much to feed dry food, let us now look at how many meals should a cat be given each day. Based on your cat’s eating habits and needs, you can make this decision. Based on the daily calorie requirements, you can either leave the entire quantity for the day in your cat’s feeding bowl and let them eat it as they please. Or you can split the total quantity into two or three meals and serve across the day.
Always Measure the Food to Prevent Overfeeding
It is critical that you properly measure dry cat food before feeding your cat. Use a digital measuring scale to measure out in advance. It is advisable to pre-measure the food the night before and store it in a separate container. If there are multiple feeders, this will help prevent confusion and the possibiliy of overfeeding.
Which Dry Cat Food Brand to Choose?
While there are plenty of options available in the market, the range of dry cat food from PetsnPets is top-notch. Our dry cat food options are healthy, nourishing, balanced, and delicious. We offer various flavors and age-appropriate options to choose from for your furry companions. Our products are top-quality and use the best ingredients from quality sources. Our dry cat food range is free of any additives, artificial ingredients, or toxic substances, and is easily digestible.
You don’t even have to go to a cat food shop near you; you can order from the comfort of your home and PetsnPet will deliver to your doorstep. Head onto our website for more information on our dry cat food range.
