How many calories to feed?

[dirtybirdsoaps]

Ive always given my cats wayyyyyy to much food until the past few years. A few years ago I changed their diet and was giving the recommended amount for dry blue buffalo and my 3 cats would also split a 3 oz can of food at night. Now that I'm starting to take a way the dry food I don't know how many calories I am aiming for or how many oz of food to give? Ive searched tons of websites and it seems like everyone has a different opinion. How does everyone here make sure theyre feeding the right amount? Thank you

 

[Larry and Kitties]

The general rule is 20 to 30 kCal per pound of ideal body weight per day. Each cat is different but that is a starting point. Just weight the cats weekly at the same time each weeh and increase/decrease based on the weight.

 

[Chris & China (GA)]

The general formula is [13.6 X optimal lean body weight in pounds] + 70, so if your cat's best weight is 12lbs, it'd be [13.6 X 12 pounds] + 70 = 233 calories.

The number of calories per can of cat food is in the last column of this Food Chart. Most are either 3oz cans or 5.5oz cans

Cat Info is a wonderful site with all kinds of information on feeding, transitioning from dry to wet and just about anything else you'd ever want to know about feline nutrition

An unregulated diabetic cat will need to eat more than a regulated cat because without insulin, they can't get the nutrition out of the food they're eating. They're literally starving despite eating large amounts of food. As they become more regulated, they will eat less and less food (well..they SHOULD..we all know some of our kitties are just plain gluttons :lol: