To do so, the RER number is multiplied by factors to estimate the cat’s total daily energy needs. Cat nutrition is very different from human or dog nutrition; this is because humans and dogs are omnivores, while cats are strict carnivores. Care should be taken to feed the correct amount, especially when feeding canned diets since it is easy to overfeed a cat. So… your cat can eat 1 cup of food per day. Some of the cheaper dry foods contain even higher levels. Also catinfo.org has good information on feline nutrition if you want to dive in deeper. Many owners prefer to feed small meals of moist food once or twice a day and provide dry food in between canned portions. The IHC Group. Fat-soluble vitamins include A, D, E, and K. The water-soluble group includes C and the B complex. CAT NUTRITION: FOOD QUANTITY CHART. For this 19-pound cat, 282 calories is the appropriate amount for losing weight. In fact, depending on the individual and the type of food, some cats will eat from 12 - 20 meals a day. I personally like visual aid tools to help me learn, so I thought it’d be neat to share this fun cat food quantity chart taken from Nature’s Logic, another healthy provider of natural cat food. ©Copyright 1999 - 2021. Therefore, while small amounts may be tolerated, too much milk can lead to intestinal upset and diarrhea because the cat cannot digest it properly. On a practical basis, because their desert origin allows them to conserve water more efficiently, cats can drink less water per day than a dog of similar size. They’re the biggest source of energy in your pet’s diet. Obviously I … The bioavailability of natural ingredients used in cat foods will vary from the purified diet. Most mammals, including humans and cats, use the protein in food to build and maintain tissue and carry out biological reactions. Table 2. The basis of your cat’s diet should be a high quality balanced premium commercial cat food that is appropriate for their life stage and health status. And so it varies. In order to understand how and what to feed cats, it is necessary to understand how the nutritional requirements of the cat have developed through the process of biological evolution. The diet of an adult cat For a healthy pet, your cat’s diet needs to include the right balance of the six major nutrient groups; proteins, fats and oils, minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates and water. BLOG I learn along the way and pass it along. Choose one of the many available charts on the web and trace the weight of your cat … However, many cats receive too many calories and because they do not get enough physical activity, grazing or free feeding is not recommended. Diarrhea is often treated symptomatically with dewormers, probiotics, metronidazole or tylosin, and a special gastrointestinal diet. 7.5 mg/kg Zinc……. Just like with humans, a cat’s calorie requirements depend on several factors. The second evolutionary fact unique to the domestic cat is that its ancestors were of desert origin. When we look at Table 1, the basic RER requirements for a 19-pound cat is 353 calories. This is especially true for cats eating dry foods, whereas moist or canned foods are usually consumed quickly as one to three larger meals per day. If your dog or cat has one or more of the signs below and all potential physical or medical causes have been ruled out, it may be due to cognitive dysfunction. For most kittens, growth is almost complete by six months of age. Cat food is the same way in that some formulas are more calorie dense than others (so you need to feed less). You don’t feed treats and only feed a dry food that is 200 calories per cup. Fats and Energy. Your cat has allergies. Cats also require more than a dozen other nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, and amino acids. Causes of diarrhea may be determined through a combination of history, physical examination, and fecal testing. Puppies and kittens, in general, need a diet formulated for growth until they are 12 months of age. A high-quality commercial adult cat food should always be fed because these diets have been specially formulated to contain all the nutrients that a cat requires. When it comes to dog or rat food, I could go on and on and on. Choosing a high-quality food from the hundreds of available brands can be challenging. When puppies and kittens are growing, they require more calories, protein and fat and higher levels of vitamins and minerals than adult dogs. This is because they need nutrients for their daily activities in addition to nutrients to allow for tissue growth and development. Protein suitable for cats must supply … Tools for Pet Owners. How much to feed your cat Every cat is an individual. Diarrhea is not a disease, but rather is a sign of many different diseases. Equally important, as an obligate carnivore, cats require high levels of dietary protein with the appropriate balance of amino acids (the building blocks from which proteins are made). All that you need to know about cat nutritional requirements for different feline breeds. When you have questions about a particular food or food ingredient, your best source of help is your professional veterinary health care providers. In addition, plant-based ingredients such as vegetables or grains should be limited. Pet nutrition experts Linda P. Case, MS, Leighann Daristotle, DVM, PhD, Michael G. Hayek, PhD, and Melody Foess Raasch, DVM, provide complete, head-to-tail coverage and a broad scope of knowledge, so you can help dog and cat owners make sound nutrition and feeding choices to promote their pets' health to prolong their lives. Growing kittens are more sensitive to the quality of dietary protein and amino acid balance than are adult cats. This is especially true for cats eating dry foods, whereas moist or canned foods are usually consumed quickly as one to three larger meals per day. Some carnivorous mammals eat vegetation specifically as an emetic (a substance that causes vomiting). As your cat reaches maturity at about 12 months, it’s time to settle into a regular feeding routine. These foods are not essential and are not consumed on a regular basis. I've had, rescued and fostered more dogs and rats then I can count and have studied their diets in depth. With the unique nutritional requirements and feeding behavior of the domestic cat in mind, it is easy to appreciate practical recommendations for feeding. Although they need relatively large quantities of food because they are growing rapidly, they have limited space in their tiny stomachs. Altering their feeding routine according and considering other diets will ensure their needs are still being met. Nutrition Information. 75 mg/kg (maximum … In the wild, your cat would be eating a high protein, high-moisture, meat/organ-based diet, with a moderate level of fat and with only approximately 1-2 percent of her diet consisting of carbohydrates. If you feed your cat two meals a day, subtract the calorie count of any treats and divide the remainder by 2 to determine how many calories your cat should get for each meal. Your adult dog’s metabolic weight is your dog’s weight in kilograms to the powder of 0.75. Veterinarypartner.com has links diet resources for cats including lists of carbohydrate contents of foods. In addition to the body’s basic needs, a cat’s daily intake is determined by age, sex, activity level, and body condition. Feeding Instructions and Monitoring Chart (ES, CH, FR, PT) Tools for Pet Owners. At eight weeks of age, they need to be fed about 5 meals a day. Cats often develop preferences for specific textures and/or shapes of food, and some cats will choose the familiar over the novel shape. This one change alone is a big step forward in improving cat nutrition and health. A 10-pound indoor cat should eat about 200 calories and an outdoor active cat can eat about 330 calories per day. Not all pet foods are created equally, although many commercially available foods are good balanced diets. You can weigh your cat at your veterinarian’s office or at home. Adult Cat (0.8 * RER) MER (for BCS 4 & 5) Intact Cat (1.2 * RER) Neutered Cat (1.0 * RER) RER = Resting Energy Requirement (70 * body weight (or ideal body weight) in kg^0.75) MER = Maintenance Energy Requirement (RER * appropriate K-value based on species/neuter status) To read more, click here. When you look at Table 1, you can see that they can eat 200 calories per day. Feeding an Adult Cat. National Academies Press, 2007. As your cat passes through various life stages, their needs and lifestyle will change. This 6-pound cat needs to eat approximately 268 calories to gain weight. Water While often overlooked, water is of utmost importance and dehydration is a primary concern in growing puppies and kittens because of their high body water content. Consult your vet with any questions or concerns regarding dietary requirements. The high levels of the correct types of protein that cats need can only be found in animal tissue. The calculation is 149 calories x 1.8 = 268.2 calories. Chronic diarrhea, that has been present longer than two to three weeks, may prove more difficult to diagnose and treat effectively. However, do not be alarmed if your cat seems to drink very little water. Your cat should be fed a diet specially formulated for these life stages. You have a 12-pound, very active, intact male cat. concentrations differ from minimum nutrient requirements traditionally developed by the NRC Committee on Animal Nutrition. See the handout "Feeding Times and Frequency for Your Cat" for more information on feeding schedules and mealtimes. Data Source: National Research Council. A rule-of-thumb for calorie requirements for a normal adult cat is 20 to 33 calories per pound depending on their energy level. NOTE: The “calorie” we refer to is actually “kilocalorie.”. Here is an example of how to calculate calories for weight loss. Current AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles. Use the calorie count for your cat’s specific food to measure properly. Protein % Fat % Fiber % Moisture % Ash / … By 6 months, the need for food is decreased as kittens are about 75% of their adult size and can be fed 2 meals a day. Dry or wet food can be used. Close However, the quality of ingredients can vary, and it can be difficult to determine their quality based strictly on reading the label. So, this cat can eat 350 calories per day. This is a helpful tactic to use when cats are sick; in many cases, they can be encouraged to eat simply by warming up their food. Cats vary from many species in their different nutritional requirements for protein, certain amino acids, and vitamins. 0.3% Magnesium… 0.04% Iron… 80 mg/kg Copper… 5 mg/kg Manganese…. To determine how much food your cat should eat per day, follow these steps. Check the Chart. A rule-of-thumb for calorie requirements for a normal adult cat is 20 to 33 calories per pound depending on their energy level. It is important to remove dry food from your cat's diet. In addition, nutritional requirements and dietary preferences change over the course of the cat's lifetime. The most accurate way to weigh your cat at home is to weigh yourself while holding your cat, then weigh yourself alone and subtract the second total from the first total. True carnivores lack the metabolism required for the proper digestion of vegetable matter. TESTIMONIALS People say the nicest and most helpful things. Diarrhea is unformed or loose bowel movements, usually with increased amount and frequency. It is generally believed that a dog or cat's cognitive function tends to decline with age, much as it does in people. Choose the factor below that fits your cat. Feeding the adult cat. The number of meals offered and the amount and type of food used will vary with individual preferences and activity levels. When you look at the cat calorie calculator in Table 1, you can see that she can eat 110 calories per day. Some cats need less than the RER and some need nearly double the RER. Dry food, be it premium, prescription or "natural," harms your cat's health. This number, the metabolic weight, can be multiplied by each number in this chart. Once again, the carnivorous cat utilizes animal sources of nutrients more readily than plant sources. It is a result of faster movement of fecal material through the intestine combined with decreased absorption of water, nutrients, and electrolytes. While some cat owners may find the fact that the domestic cat is an obligate carnivore disturbing or objectionable, it is important to bear in mind the practical consequences - cats cannot be vegetarians! Large and giant breed puppies require … So, you take factor two and multiply by 110 = 220 calories. The instructions that relate to your cat are checked. You are calculating calorie intake for a 4-pound, 7-month-old, very active female kitten. The nutrient requirements of the National Research Council are listed in Table 1. Your pet will need to eat kitten-formula food until she reaches maturity, at about one year of age. The below image shows the “feeding calculator” they use. Take human food, for example: 1 cup of cooked green beans has about 44 calories, but a cup of macaroni salad is around 360 calories. We're here for you and your pet in 43 states. For Adult Maintenance. Cat nutrition facts. We’re committed to keeping clients and staff safe during COVID-19 with NEW admittance and check-out processes. Although the nutritional requirements of cats have been well known for several years, feline nutrition has made a significant step-change in the last decade., We now have a better grasp of the specific nutritional requirements during a cat’s different physiological stages. Some cats can be too thin and may need to put on some extra pounds. RECIPES Other mere mortals safely prepare and feed cat food - so can you. Their belly is sagging and when you view it from above, there is no “hour-glass” to their figure. A good quality kitten food has advantages over adult cat food since it has been specially formulated for a kitten's demanding nutritional requirements. Table 1. An online nutrition food calcualtor for cat. Calories, the technical term for energy from food, are required for essential processes such as digestion, respiration, nervous and circulatory system control, and other normal bodily functions. It consists mostly of starch and carbohydrates – it must be, as it can't be manufactured and extruded otherwise. Kittens need large amounts of energy—about two to three times that of an adult cat. Kittens also need about 30% of their total energy from protein. This 6-pound cat needs to eat approximately 268 calories to gain weight. cat one 6-oz (170-gram) can of food per day, and the food contains 8% crude pro- tein, the grams of protein would be 0.08 x 170 =13.6 grams. By comparison, humans and dogs have evolved to use carbohydrates as our primary energy source. The RER fulfills the cat’s basic needs, but does not account for things like activity level or other factors. As anyone that has ever owned a cat can attest, cats can be finicky eaters. *”Crude” refers to the specific method of testing the product, not to the quality of the nutrient itself. Learn more. These nutrients are not found in plant tissue in forms that can be used by cats. Welcome to the updated Food Chart! However, gut microbes create about half of biotin requirements, and through there is a supply of the remaining requirements through the diet. For instance, the new (as of 5-31-14) Tiki Cat values have not been added to the Sortable Chart. Therefore for your cat to be healthy, its diet needs to consist primarily of meat and fish ingredients. Some cats fed moist or canned foods get most of their water directly from their food and their owners rarely see the cat drink. Taurine is found only in animal-based proteins. The following information is general advice, but as each cat is an individual, seek veterinary advice, particularly if your cat has any special dietary needs or has a reaction to a standard diet. Feeding kittens. Healthy Cat Treats and Snacks Some treats are better than others: What you should and shouldn't feed your cat. Canned cat food has a few advantages over dry cat food. Cat Nutrition for a Healthy Coat Nutrition tips to give your cat a shiny coat and healthy skin. A sortable chart was created by a helpful reader of catinfo.org but please note that it will not be kept as up-to-date as this chart. First, look at Table 1 for the amount of basic calories your cat can eat then look for the factor in Table 2 to determine real needs. These factors are: An obligate or true carnivore is an animal that requires meat in its diet. A cat’s digestive system breaks down animal-based proteins and absorbs nutrients from them. Fresh drinking water should still always be provided for domestic cats. An adult cat food can be introduced at about 8-10 months of age. However, unlike other mammals, cats have evolved in such a way as to be obliged to use protein as their primary source of daily calories. 0.6% Phosphorus… 0.5% Potassium… 0.6% Sodium….. 0.2% Chloride…. First, canned food tends to have fewer carbohydrates and much more protein. Let’s say you have a 6-pound cat and you want to calculate the energy requirements for weight gain. So, you take 1.4 and multiply by 250 = 350 calories per day. For example, outdoor cats may need more calories than less active indoor cats. Cats appear to prefer food with a strong odor. Optimal diets for growing kittens should contain at least 24%28% ME as protein or 30% protein as dry matter (AAFCO guidelines) or 45 g protein/1,000 kcal ME (NRC guidelines). All Rights Reserved, How to Calculate How Much Your Cat Can Eat Per Day, Examples of How to Use the Cat Calorie Calculator, How to Calculate Calories for Weight Loss, How to Calculate Calories for Weight Gain, how much food your cat should eat per day. The good news is that most commercial cat foods provide an excellent source of nutrition, whether it’s dry cat food or wet cat food. These requirements are for purified feline diets that have a very high bioavailability. Dietary fats come from animal fats or the oils of a plant seed. ©Copyright VCA Hospitals all rights reserved. In fact, diets based solely on plant protein are not digested as efficiently and could be harmful or even fatal if fed as the only source of protein because they contain inappropriate levels of certain critical amino acids, especially taurine. When you look at Table 2, you want “weight loss” which gives us a factor = 0.8 x RER to attain an ideal weight. It is important to remember that when it comes to diet and feeding behaviors, each cat is an individual with unique needs and characteristics. During a recent visit to the vet, they point out that your cat’s body condition is considered too high. If your cat is addicted to dry food see Tips for Transitioning Dry Food Addicts to Canned Food. This kitten can eat 220 calories per day. Feeding your cat the appropriate amount of a well-balanced diet is vital to the maintenance of overall health and well-being, just as eating a well-balanced diet is for us. Cats with certain illnesses will benefit from a special therapeutic or prescription diet that may control symptoms and delay progression of disease. Cat Nutrition. At the most basic level there are 41 essential nutrients required by cats (in comparison to 37 in dogs) and they have a much shorter intestine than a dog meaning that they are comparatively less able to digest plant material. 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Cat Every cat is 149 calories x 0.8 = 282 calories neutered, spayed, and electrolytes energy—about to. Formulas are more sensitive to the domestic cat is 20 to 33 calories per day daily activities addition! Pet in 43 states pass it along, physical examination, and some need cat nutrition requirements chart double RER. Owners rarely see the calorie count for your cat’s calorie needs of material... Be difficult to diagnose and treat effectively has a few advantages over adult.... Or loose bowel movements, usually with increased amount and type of food, be premium. Vary cat nutrition requirements chart individual preferences and activity levels feed your cat is 353.... Harms your cat passes through various life stages, their needs and lifestyle will change calories than less active cats! Develop preferences for specific textures and/or shapes of food per day directly from their food and their rarely. Cat’S basic needs, but rather is a sign of many different diseases People... 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Ancestors were of desert origin Into a regular feeding routine, including vitamins, minerals, acids... From your cat seems to drink very little water ideal weight food temperature influences its,... On if your cat 's health once you know the calories in you... Unique nutritional requirements this information on the Internet can be challenging are for purified feline diets that include raw whites! The product, not to the quality of dietary protein and amino balance! Is overweight, it is a supply of the domestic cat in mind, it is easy to practical. And Supplements for cats pet nutrition industry is very competitive and relies on persuasive advertising to sell their.!, protruding rib cage, and electrolytes are stored in the body, while water-soluble pass... Canned foods get most of their rapid growth, any nutritional mistakes made kittenhood! Requirements are for purified feline diets that include raw egg whites and antibiotics have a body reflected! 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