Cat Feeding Guide: Nutrition, Portions & Recipes
Keep your cat healthy and happy with expert nutrition advice and homemade treat recipes — updated with a fresh tip every day.
Feeding a cat well comes down to four things: enough animal protein, the right number of calories, plenty of moisture, and strict limits on treats. An average 4–5 kg indoor adult cat needs about 200–250 calories a day across two measured meals.
Cats are obligate carnivores, so meat should be the first ingredient in their food. Treats must stay under 10% of daily calories, and several common human foods are toxic and must be avoided entirely.
💡 Today's Feeding Tip
⚠️ Foods That Are Toxic to Cats — Never Feed These
- Onions & garlic — destroy red blood cells
- Chocolate & caffeine — cardiac and nervous system toxin
- Grapes & raisins — acute kidney failure
- Xylitol / artificial sweeteners — liver failure
- Raw dough & alcohol — dangerous fermentation in stomach
- Lilies — even touching the pollen can cause kidney failure
- Raw fish in large amounts — thiamine deficiency
- Macadamia nuts — neurological effects
🍴 Homemade Cat Recipes
All recipes are vet-safe and made from whole ingredients. Always introduce new foods gradually.
📅 Recommended Feeding Schedule by Life Stage
3–4 small meals daily. High-protein kitten-formula food. Free access to fresh water. Do not give cow's milk.
2 meals per day. Mix wet and dry food. Measure portions — aim for 200–250 calories daily for a 4–5 kg cat.
Senior-formula food with joint support. Increased wet food for hydration. Vet check every 6 months.
🥗 Nutrition Tips
Cat Treats: The Complete Guide
The right treats in the right amounts make training easier and bonding stronger. The wrong ones quietly undermine your cat's health.
The 10% Rule — Non-Negotiable
Treats should never exceed 10% of your cat's total daily calorie intake. A typical adult indoor cat needs around 200–250 calories per day — that's just 20–25 calories from treats. Most commercial treats contain 2–5 calories each, meaning 5–10 treats a day is already your ceiling. Exceeding this regularly contributes directly to obesity, which affects over 50% of pet cats.
✅ When to Give Treats
How to work out your cat's daily food portion
Cat food portions are based on calories, not cups. The method vets use is:
- Estimate your cat's daily energy requirement. For a neutered indoor adult this is roughly 45–55 calories per kilogram of healthy body weight.
- Read the calorie content on the food packaging — usually given as kcal per 100 g or per can.
- Divide the daily calorie target by the food's calorie density to get the daily weight of food, then split it across meals.
Treats are then capped at 10% of that calorie total, and their calories are subtracted from meal portions so the daily total stays the same.
Worked example: feeding a 4.5 kg indoor cat
The numbers
Bella is a 4.5 kg neutered indoor adult at a healthy weight. At 50 calories per kg, her daily target is 4.5 × 50 = 225 calories.
Her wet food provides 80 kcal per 85 g pouch, and her dry food provides 350 kcal per 100 g.
- Treat allowance: 10% of 225 = 22 calories — about 5–6 small treats.
- Remaining for meals: 225 − 22 = 203 calories.
- Two wet pouches = 160 calories, leaving 43 calories — roughly 12 g of dry food (43 ÷ 350 × 100) as a topper.
Result: two measured wet meals, a small dry topper, and a 5–6 treat ceiling — totalling 225 calories with no overfeeding.
Frequently asked questions about feeding cats
How much should I feed my cat each day?
A typical 4–5 kg adult indoor cat needs roughly 200–250 calories per day, split across two meals. Check the calorie content on the packaging and measure portions rather than free-feeding, since overfeeding is the leading cause of feline obesity.
Is wet food or dry food better for cats?
Both can be nutritionally complete, but wet food adds important moisture because cats have a naturally low thirst drive. Many vets suggest a diet that is at least half wet food, or dry food paired with plenty of fresh water.
How many treats can a cat have per day?
Treats should make up no more than 10% of daily calories — about 20–25 calories for an average cat. Since most treats are 2–5 calories each, that is roughly 5–10 treats a day at most.
What foods are toxic to cats?
Never feed onions, garlic, chocolate, caffeine, grapes, raisins, xylitol, alcohol, raw dough, or large amounts of raw fish. Lilies are also highly toxic. If your cat eats any of these, contact a vet immediately.
Can cats drink cow's milk?
Most adult cats are lactose intolerant, so cow's milk causes digestive upset. Fresh water is what cats need; if you want to offer a milk treat, use a reduced-lactose cat milk in small amounts.