This how much to feed a cat chart will show you the amount of good-quality food to maintain ideal weight and healthy bodily functions.
You should feed your cat the amount required to maintain a healthy, ideal weight.
The average 10 lb (4.5 kg) adult cat eats around 4 oz (113 g) of raw per day.
But it depends entirely on your cat’s individual needs. Use the how much to feed a cat chart and calculator below!
- How much to feed a cat chart
- How much to feed a cat calculator
- How to figure out how much to feed a cat
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How much to feed a cat chart
The following chart is the NRC guidelines for average daily energy needs based on calories per day.
| 5 lb | 10 lb | 15 lb | 20 lb | |
| Kittens (after weaning) | 200 | — | — | — |
| Lean adult cat | 170 | 280 | 360 | 440 |
| Overweight adult cat | 180 | 240 | 280 | 310 |
| Pregnant/nursing cat | 336 | 603 | 851 | 1,091 |
Use this caloric intake as a general guideline and adjust based on your cat’s individual needs.
Big emphasis on general guideline.
Jericho is 10 pounds, lean, and active. His homemade raw meaty bones diet provides 200 calories daily. This amount keeps him at an ideal weight.
How much to feed a cat calculator
This amount is a general guideline. Enter whole numbers below (no decimal points). You can round up if you have to or just leave off the decimal points.
Don’t worry about the long decimal points. Round up or down and adjust as necessary. Adjust your cat’s food intake based on the resources below.
How to figure out how much to feed a cat
Every cat is an individual. And every food is individual.
So there is no “feed this amount” number that anyone can tell you.
Figure out how much to feed a cat with these 5 factors:
- Cat weight
- Body condition score
- Cat food calories
- Cat’s life stage
- Your cat’s individual needs
We must use all 5 in combination.
Cat weight
Your cat’s weight gives you a baseline number to work with.
The cat food label goes by calories and weight. So we need to use weight in our calculations.
Body condition score
A body condition score card helps you determine if your cat is underweight, ideal, or overweight.
Body condition shows you that how much you are feeding is too little, just right, or too much.
Cat food calories
The cat food label feeding guidelines are based on the cat’s weight and the food’s energy density (calories).
We use this to determine how much of that specific food our cat should eat.
Cat’s life stage
The cat’s life stage is either kitten, adult, or pregnant/nursing. Kittens and pregnant/nursing cats require more energy (aka food).
Your cat’s individual needs
You have to adjust how much you feed your cat based on your cat’s individual needs.

How much to feed your cat
You should feed your cat the right amount of calories required to maintain a healthy, ideal weight.
There is no one “feed this amount” number that anyone can tell you.
You have to weigh your cat regularly, check a body condition score, and use the cat food label as a general guideline to determine how much to feed your cat.
Use the calculator on this page as a general guideline. Adjust how much you feed your cat based on your cat’s individual needs.
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Grab Paws of Prey Raw Feeding Starter Kit and get a step-by-step beginner’s plan to transition your cat to raw and feed a balanced diet easily and confidently!
