Follow Our Wet Food Guidelines for Cats

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• Not a substitute for professional veterinary help.

Choosing a healthy and balanced food for your cat isn’t the only tricky part of managing their nutrition. The other half of the battle? Understanding how much to feed, especially when it comes to wet food.

The amount of food you offer will likely change over your cat’s lifetime, since it depends on their age, their activity level, their weight, and if they have any preexisting health conditions.

“In general, you can feed an average-sized adult cat one 3-ounce can per 3 to 3½ pounds of body weight daily,” explains Dr. Heather Timmermans, DVM, partner and lead veterinarian at CityVet Richardson. But it’s still important to read the feeding instructions on your can, since calorie counts vary, and to consult your vet about the proper caloric intake for your particular kitty.

Here’s what you need to know to calibrate how much wet food your cat should be getting.

Wet Food Feeding Chart for Cats

Different types and flavors of wet food offer more or fewer calories. A standard 3-ounce can of wet cat food can have as few as 70 calories or as many as 170.

Why the difference? Leaner cat foods with minimal ingredients are typically lower calorie, while wet foods with additives, like gravy and cheese, can bump calories up. Always read the labels to see specific calorie counts.

Here’s what adult feeding instructions look like across five popular wet food brands:

Remember that kittens need more wet food, as much as twice the above amounts, while pregnant and nursing cats may need as much as four times more. Consult your vet to learn about the nutritional needs of your particular cat.

How Often To Feed Cats Wet Food

The feeding instructions on cans of wet food are “one size fits most,” Dr. Timmermans says.

Healthy adult cats typically do well eating two meals a day, one in the morning and one in the evening.

But unlike dry food and kibble that can be left out all day for cats to graze on, it’s not a good idea to leave wet food in your cat’s bowl for any longer than two hours at a time.

“Canned food at room temperature is a breeding ground for bacteria, which can be harmful to your cat’s gut health,” Dr. Timmermans warns. Exposure to room temperature also changes the texture of the wet food. For finicky feline taste buds, it could lead to food aversions and refusal to eat.

So if your cat is a slow eater or prefers to graze on their wet food instead of gobbling it up in one sitting, you can split up their total canned foods for the day into three or four smaller meals instead. If that doesn’t work with your schedule, consider using an automatic feeder designed for wet food.

If your cat is still having trouble finishing a meal in two hours, consider warming up your cat’s wet food. Warming wet food makes the smell more potent and also makes it easier for cats to digest, Dr. Timmermans says.

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What’s the best way to store wet cat food?

After wet food is opened, Dr. Timmermans says you can store it in the refrigerator with an airtight lid for 2-3 days.

Is only wet food a bad idea for cats?

Some cats might enjoy the variety of dry food added to their regular rotation of wet food, but a wet food-only diet isn’t bad.

The biggest perks of adding dry food to your cat’s diet is that kibble is easier to store, is cheaper than wet food, and doesn’t go bad as quickly. Kibble can be a good pick for cats who are slow eaters and prefer to nibble at and graze on their food all day.

Dental formula dry food can also help support your kitty’s oral health. But be aware that a bowl of kibble doesn’t replace the need to take your cat to the vet for yearly professional teeth cleaning or brushing your cat’s teeth.

Factors That Affect How Much Wet Food You’re Feeding Your Cat

Age and activity levels

Different life stages have different caloric and nutritional needs.

Kittens who have rapid growth spurts need more energy-dense foods with higher protein and calories, with as many as four small meals per day.

Healthy adult cats with no medical conditions do well with two meals a day.

Pregnant and nursing cats often need double or quadruple the amount of calories as the typical adult cat. Many vets advise they eat wet kitten food while pregnant and nursing because those foods are specifically formulated to support growth.

Senior cats who have slower metabolisms and are usually less active could eat two or three small meals of specially formulated lower calorie, more digestible senior wet cat food.

Weight

Overweight cats need a less calorie- and carb-dense diet and smaller quantities of food. But if you have a chunky kitty, don’t rush to put them on a crash diet based only on the feeding instructions on the can. It’s better to work with your veterinarian to come up with a safe transition plan.

The same is true if you have an underweight or very skinny cat. Talk with your vet before increasing their food portions. Your vet can help you find out if your cat is naturally small and doesn’t need to gain any weight or if there’s an underlying disease or illness that’s causing weight loss and changes in appetite.

Cat food brand

Not all wet foods are the same. Even different wet food product lines in the same brand can have different calories, fats, carbs, and other nutrients. That means portions will also fluctuate.

To make sure you’re feeding your cat the right amount of wet food, read the ingredients list, nutrition facts, and feeding guidelines on every wet food you feed your cat.

Health conditions

Cats with diabetes, hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, and gastrointestinal problems like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) require specialized diets.

Changes in appetite and drastic weight loss or weight gain are also common with these serious conditions and can be a sign that your kitty needs to see the vet.

What to know if you are feeding your cat wet and dry food

If you’re considering adding dry food to your cat’s traditionally wet diet, you’ll have to do a little bit of math.

Kibble and dry foods are typically higher in calories and carbs per ounce than wet canned foods. That means you might subtract a physically larger amount of wet food and add a seemingly smaller amount of dry food to get the same nutritional outcome.

Always read the labels on your cat’s food, and starting with small portions. If you give your cat too much dry food too fast, it can lead to overeating, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal upset.