For example, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Kitten Chicken Grain-Free Canned Cat Food advises that you feed your kitten as much as they'll eat in three or four daily feedings until they're 20 weeks old. After that, ½ can of food per pound of body weight every day is appropriate until 30 weeks.
When your kitten is over three months old, you should add one and a half pouches of kitten wet food to their daily diet of four to five meals. If your kitten is ready for a mixture of wet and dry food, reduce the amount of wet food to between half a pouch and one pouch (one pouch = 100 grams).
You can feed your cat wet food daily. If you're wondering, “how much wet food should I feed my cat?” check the can or consult your veterinarian for feeding recommendations. In general, you can feed an average-sized adult cat one 3-ounce can per 3 to 3½ pounds of body weight daily.
While the specifics vary from brand to brand and between different types of canned food, as a very rough guideline, a 3-ounce can of cat food has around 70 to 100 calories, so the average adult cat would need to eat two or three cans of food per day.
For example, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Kitten Chicken Grain-Free Canned Cat Food advises that you feed your kitten as much as they'll eat in three or four daily feedings until they're 20 weeks old. After that, ½ can of food per pound of body weight every day is appropriate until 30 weeks.
For little cats, a half of a 3 oz. can (Fancy Feast-size can) twice daily may work better. This amount is also cat-specific and often needs adjusting up or down. Feeding canned food seems to create the best balance between calories and feeling full, and the meal seems to tide the cat over better than a dry food meal.
Cat Food Portions Matter
But, in general, cats do best when they eat multiple smaller meals throughout the day—two at a minimum, but more might be better. The math that you just performed can help inform your decision. In the example that we've used, the cat should be eating 3 1/3 cans per day.
An average can of FF has 80 calories in it - and an indoor cat needs 20 calories per pound of body weight, so, 200 calories If the cat is 10 pounds. By that calculation, it would need 2.5 cans per day. If you give dry food too, can be less.
Cats can and should eat wet food every day because it agrees with the feline digestive system better than dry or semi-moist food. Wild cats hunt and eat bugs, rodents, and small birds.
Feed 1 can per 3 to 3-1/2 pounds of body weight daily. Divide into 3 or more meals. Continue to adjust as needed to maintain your kitten in ideal body condition and avoid excess weight gain. Refrigerate unused portion.
In most cases a kitten will alert you when she has had enough at individual feeding times. If you overfeed her she will then be predisposed to constipation, bloating, gas, diarrhea, or other serious gastrointestinal complications. In newborns, these can be fatal.
If you are feeding your kitten both dry and canned foods, then twice a day canned feedings are sufficient. If they're only eating canned food, they should be fed four times daily.
Wet Food Keeps Cats Hydrated
Unlike dry cat food, wet food has enough water in it to provide your cat with much of the hydration they need. You can then use a running source of water (like a pet fountain) to provide the rest of the hydration that they need.
Fancy Feast acquires milk from approved sources to ensure quality. It's recommended to feed 1 can per 3 to 3-1/2 Pounds of body weight daily. A 5 Pound kitten would require approximately 1 1/2 cans of food daily.
The Bottom Line. While Fancy Feast can be part of a balanced diet for your cat and provides complete nutrition, it may not be quite as fancy as the name suggests. As with any food, ensure the first few ingredients are high-quality, natural proteins like fish, chicken, or meat.
While the total number of calories in a single can of cat food will vary based on the brand, type of food, and size of the can, the following is a rough estimate of most canned cat food: In a 3-ounce can: 70–125 calories. In a 5.5-ounce can: 120–180 calories. In a 12.5-ounce can: 360–450 calories.
Cats should eat at least two meals each day, about 12 hours apart. But a breakfast, lunch, afternoon, dinner, and right before bed schedule is an equally great option. If more than 12 hours elapses between meals, the stomach can become hyperacidic causing nausea.
Another big disadvantage is that wet foods are not as convenient as dry foods. Meals can be messy and require more cleanup. They spoil quickly (within a few hours) if left out, so any uneaten portions must be thrown away. Opened cans or pouches must be refrigerated (and many cats don't care for cold leftovers).
For canned food, you should feed as much as the kitten will eat, ideally in four or at least 3 meals per day until the kitten gets to be four months old. From four to six months old, you'd feed roughly 2/3 of a 3-oz. can per pound of body weight per day, and from six months to a year, about half a 3-oz.
Unfortunately, overfeeding can also lead to health problems in kittens and cats. The good news is, there are some pretty simple rules when it comes to how often to feed newborn kittens. The amount you need to feed your kitten depends on its age and weight.