Nutrition information: cats

As your cat passes through various life stages, their needs and lifestyle will change. Altering their feeding routine accordingly and considering other diets will ensure their needs are still being met.

How much to feed your cat

Every cat is an individual. Like people, some pets put on weight more easily than others and need less food to keep them slim and fit, while others need extra to keep them at their ideal body weight. Feeding guides are as accurate as possible but sometimes you may need to feed a pet more or less food to achieve their optimum body condition.

Assess your cat’s body condition by trying to feel its ribs. You should just be able to feel them under a firm covering of flesh. There should be a waist between the ribs and hips and the tummy should be tucked up. Cats tend to get plump, saggy stomachs first and then start to put on weight over the ribs.

Feed your pet less or more depending on how your cat measures up to this ideal. Once your cat is at the ideal weight, further slight adjustments may be necessary.

What to feed your cat

There are a number of specific articles on the Purina site with feeding advice for cats by life stage and lifestyle. However, this quick nutritional guide is designed to highlight particular needs and how a specially formulated diet can help. You’ll also discover which Purina brands are best for your cat.

Kittens

Kittens can grow up to 20 times bigger in just 5-6 months! This rapid transition to adulthood means their bodies have to manufacture muscle, bone, hair, teeth and a fully developed immune system in a short amount of time. Kittens also burn as much as three times more calories a day than an adult cat as they explore their new world… to read the rest of this Purina article, click here.