How Much Canned Cat Food Per Day: A Complete Feeding Guide

Wet cat food provides numerous advantages, including increased hydration and a nutrient-rich composition that promotes your cat’s overall well-being. If you’re considering incorporating wet food into your cat’s diet, you might wonder: just How Much Canned Cat Food Per Day is appropriate?

The answer depends on a variety of factors, including your cat’s age, weight, activity level, and whether they also consume dry food or treats.

We will delve into the essential aspects of feeding wet food to your feline companion, offering advice on portion sizes, feeding frequency, and highlighting the importance of wet food as a vital component of their diet.

Determining the Right Amount of Canned Cat Food

Many pet food manufacturers provide feeding guidelines on their canned wet food products. For instance, consider Farmina® N&D Prime Chicken & Pomegranate canned wet food, which suggests feeding 3.25 cans per day for a 10-pound cat.

It’s crucial to tailor these recommendations to your individual cat. Consulting with your veterinarian regarding the appropriate quantity for your specific pet is always advisable. The amount of food your cat requires depends on a range of variables, including their age, activity level, health status, and genetics.

For instance, your cat may possess a naturally faster metabolism for their age and weight compared to another cat of similar age and weight.

Similarly, cats suffering from hyperthyroidism may exhibit an elevated metabolism, necessitating a significantly higher daily caloric intake than a healthy cat of comparable age and weight.

Age: Age is a critical determinant of the amount of wet food your cat needs. Growing kittens require approximately twice the calories that mature cats do.
Weight: The heavier a cat is, the more energy they require daily for normal bodily functions and lean muscle tissue maintenance.
Activity Level: All cats possess a baseline metabolism, representing their resting energy requirement for maintaining bodily functions and muscle tissue, even before considering activity levels. More active cats typically require more food to sustain their activity compared to less active cats.
Pregnant or Nursing: Female cats that are pregnant or nursing kittens need around 25–50% more calories per day—and thus more wet food—than other adult female cats.
Spay/Neuter Status: When a cat is spayed or neutered, their baseline metabolism decreases by approximately 30%. Keep this in mind if you’ve just had your cat spayed or neutered; you’ll need to reduce their food intake to help them maintain a healthy weight.

Wet Food Feeding Chart for Cats

The following feeding chart is a general guide, assuming you’re feeding your cat wet food containing 90 calories per 2.5-ounce can. This chart is designed for a cat solely on wet food, and assumes your lean cat is spayed or neutered.

Consult your veterinarian to confirm the proper food portions for your individual cat or kitten.

Cat’s Weight	Kitten	Lean Cat	Overweight Cat	Pregnant	Nursing
5 pounds	320 calories	160 calories	130 calories	260 calories	260 calories
	3.5 cans	1.75 cans	1.5 cans	2.75 cans	2.75 cans
10 pounds	550 calories	275 calories	220 calories	450 calories	450 calories
	6 cans	3 cans	2.5 cans	5 cans	5 cans
15 pounds	720 calories	360 calories	300 calories	585 calories	585 calories
	8 cans	4 cans	3.25 cans	6.5 cans	6.5 cans
20 pounds	880 calories	440 calories	370 calories	715 calories	715 calories
	9.75 cans	5 cans	4 cans	8 cans	8 cans

Can of Farmina N&D Ocean Sea Bass, Sardine & Shrimps wet cat food

Let’s consider a couple of practical examples:

If you have a 5-pound kitten, you would feed 3.5 cans per day of Farmina N&D Prime Chicken & Pomegranate Kitten Food (2.46-ounce cans).

If you have a 10-pound overweight adult cat, you would feed 2.5 cans per day of Farmina N&D Prime Lamb & Blueberry Wet Cat Food (2.46-ounce cans).

Wet Food Feeding Frequency for Cats

How often you feed your cat wet food hinges on their specific needs.

For cats exclusively on a wet food diet, you can divide their daily food amount into two or three meals.

If you supplement your cat’s diet with wet food alongside dry food, they might consume wet food only once or twice daily.

Irrespective of the feeding pattern, account for the calories from all food and treats to avoid unintentionally overfeeding your feline friend. This is important because overfeeding can lead to unwanted weight gain and associated health complications.

Some cats might require wet food only when experiencing dental problems, nasal congestion, or when a specialized diet is prescribed for recovery after a hospital stay.

You may also choose to give wet food to your cat as a treat on special occasions or if they are not feeling well, to encourage their appetite.

The Importance of Wet Food in a Cat’s Diet

Wet cat food offers a wide array of benefits, from improved hydration and appetite stimulation to weight management and enhanced nutrition, making it a crucial element in your cat’s diet.

Provides Hydration

Containing approximately 70% more water than dry cat food, wet food is an excellent means of supporting your cat’s hydration, especially since cats often aren’t great drinkers.

The high moisture content facilitates digestion, prevents constipation, and promotes urinary health by diluting urine, reducing the risk of urinary crystal formation.

Wet food can also be beneficial for cats with kidney disease, who need more water to support kidney function.

Stimulates Appetite

Thanks to its strong aroma and flavor, wet cat food is known for its palatability. This can effectively stimulate a cat’s appetite, particularly for picky eaters or cats with a diminished appetite.

Aids in Weight Management

Due to its lower caloric content compared to an equivalent quantity of dry food, wet food is ideal for cats needing to lose weight. Cats can consume the same amount (if not more) of wet food while taking in fewer calories.

Offers Enrichment

Wet cat food comes in a wide variety of textures and flavors, providing sensory enrichment and an enjoyable eating experience.

Easier To Chew

Wet food can be lifesaving for cats with severe dental disease. For those who need extensive tooth extractions, the soft texture of wet food allows them to eat more comfortably and maintain balanced nutrition.

Lower in Carbs

Often much lower in carbohydrates than dry food, wet food is a great option for cats with diabetes, who do better on low-carbohydrate diets.

Key Considerations When Choosing Wet Cat Food

When selecting the best food for your cat, prioritize brands that offer research into their diets and conduct feeding trials to ensure their diets perform as intended.

For example, Farmina employs leading experts in nutrition, veterinary medicine, and food formulation to perform quality controls as well as leading scientific research to ensure their product is backed by nature and science.

Below are some factors to consider, but your veterinarian can help you choose the best food for your feline. They can also advise you on how to transition to a new food, which should be done gradually over a one- to two-week period to avoid causing gastrointestinal upset.

Life Stage

Choosing food tailored to your cat’s life stage helps ensure their specific nutritional needs are met.

For example, a kitten needs a specifically formulated kitten food, such as the Farmina N&D Prime Chicken & Pomegranate kitten wet food mentioned above.

Adult cats should eat a specific adult diet, such as Farmina N&D Ocean Sea Bass, Sardine & Shrimps wet cat food.

Ingredients

To thrive, cats need specific nutrients in their diet, including protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and water.

Protein facilitates cell growth, repair, and proper function. Common protein sources in cat food include fish and chicken, although certain foods may contain novel proteins, like the wild boar in Farmina’s N&D Prime Wild Boar & Apple wet cat food. Incorporating a novel protein into the diet can benefit cats with food allergies or intolerances.

Fats, such as fish oil, are energy-dense and a source of essential fatty acids. Vitamins and minerals are essential for supporting your cat’s overall health. Carbs are another energy source, though cats have relatively low carbohydrate needs, because they get most of their energy from protein and fats.

Look on the food’s packaging for the nutritional adequacy statement from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO). This ensures the diet is complete and balanced specifically for your cat’s life stage.

Health Conditions

Cats with certain health conditions might benefit from a veterinary diet, specially formulated to manage specific conditions and only available with authorization from your vet.

Two common cat health conditions that can be supported, at least in part, with a veterinary diet are:

Lower Urinary Tract Disease: Veterinary diets in this category, like Farmina’s Vet Life Urinary ST Management wet cat food, typically are formulated to prevent urinary stones.

Kidney Disease: Veterinary kidney diets, like Farmina’s Vet Life Cat Renal Recipe in Gravy wet cat food, generally are formulated to help reduce the kidneys’ workload.

Your vet might also recommend a veterinary diet if your cat is recovering from an illness that caused them to lose weight and/or become malnourished.

Farmina’s Vet Life Recoup Recipe wet cat food, for example, is highly palatable, highly digestible, and energy-rich to help debilitated pets recover.

Texture

Wet cat food is available in various textures, including shredded, chunks in broth or gravy, pâté, and puree. You might need to experiment to determine your cat’s preferred texture.

Serving Wet Cat Food

Cats have individual preferences when it comes to enjoying their wet food. Some may like it cold, straight from the refrigerator, while others prefer it at room temperature.

Many cats also enjoy wet food warmed in the microwave as the heat enhances both its flavor and scent, making it more appealing. (Take it out of the metal can before putting it in the microwave.)

Warming up wet food is particularly beneficial for cats with nasal congestion, as it helps release aromas that might be difficult for them to smell otherwise.

If you choose to warm your cat’s food, be sure to check the temperature with your finger before feeding. Extremely hot food can burn your cat’s mouth, so allow it to cool to a safe temperature.

Additionally, avoid overheating the food repeatedly, as this can degrade its nutrients and alter its texture.

Regardless of the temperature, always discard any uneaten wet food within two hours of setting it out. Wet cat food can spoil and lose its freshness if left out for too long.

Storing Wet Cat Food

Here are some helpful tips for storing your cat’s wet food:

Keep unopened wet cat food in a cool, dark location, like the pantry.
Always check the expiration date. (Don’t serve spoiled food!)
Once opened, cover the can of food with an airtight can cover or lid and refrigerate it at 37 degrees Fahrenheit or below.
Throw out open, unused food after three days.

Conclusion

Determining how much canned cat food per day requires considering a range of factors specific to your cat. Consulting your veterinarian is crucial for creating a tailored feeding plan. Remember the numerous benefits of wet food and make informed decisions to ensure your cat’s health and happiness.

Feeding Wet Cat Food FAQs

Can I overfeed my cat wet food?

Yes, overfeeding your cat wet food can lead to weight gain, obesity, and associated health problems. Refer to the manufacturer’s feeding guidelines, but be aware that your cat’s individual needs might vary.

Your veterinarian is the best resource for determining the appropriate amount of food to feed your specific cat.

What is the best ratio of wet food to dry food for cats when feeding both types of food?

Some pet parents like to feed their cats both wet and dry food, either in a mixture that combines the two or as part of a rotational diet, serving wet food for one meal and dry for another meal.

Check with your vet for the right ratio for your pet, but a general rule of thumb is 2/3 wet food to 1/3 dry food.

However, when mixing it can be hard to ensure you are not overfeeding or underfeeding your pet in terms of calories, so ask your vet to help you determine exactly what to feed your cat if you are going to do a mixture.

How long can wet cat food sit out?

Wet cat food should be left out at room temperature for no more than two hours. Any longer, and it can become a breeding ground for bacteria.

This sponsored article was paid for by Farmina Pet Foods. All opinions within belong to Farmina.

WRITTEN BY

Farmina Pet Foods