How Much Should My Cat Eat To Lose Weight

Knowing how much to fed your cat so they lose weight is really important

The recipes in the Cat 4 Week Weight Management Program are all formulated to a similar calorie density, around 100 – 110 calories per 100 grams.

If you’re used to feeding dry food it can be a little bit confusing to compare calories with fresh food, because they’re really quite different.

This is largely due to the natural water content in fresh food, meaning that it has a lower calorie density, but you feed more of it. This is good news though, because it means our fluffy desert creature stays hydrated. 

A typical weight management dry cat food is around 300 calories per 100g, whereas these recipes are more like one third of that.

The dry food recommends 50g per day for a 4-kilogram cat (which is a miniscule serve!), which works out to be roughly 150 calories.

We would recommend around 150g per day of fresh food, which is also approximately 150 calories. So they are getting a similar number of calories, but the fresh food provides a far greater nutritional outcome, hydrates and is more satisfying than a tiny portion of processed carbs. 

You can work out your cat’s recommended portions using a calorie calculator (eg. https://petnutritionalliance.org/cat.php), or you can base it on a percentage of their ideal bodyweight.

Calories work quite well for cats who are a healthy weight, but they do err on the higher side when compared to the bodyweight method, so just monitor closely and adjust if you’re not seeing the results you want. Fortunately, often the switch to species appropriate foods will result in natural fat loss, even if portions are unchanged. 

Cats are more similar to humans in the sense that our size is fairly consistent (unlike dogs), so there tends to be less variation in the portions they require.

But just like us, some cats will be very food motivated and naturally have a faster metabolism, whereas others are indifferent or even disinterested in mealtimes. Ultimately, how much you need to feed your cat does depend on the individual, their metabolism, and their lifestyle factors.

The feeding guide in this meal plan is designed to facilitate healthy, steady weight loss without depriving your cat of the enjoyment food brings, or any nutritional veracity.

If you do find that some trial and error is necessary, it is helpful to factor in considerations such as age, hormones (desexed or intact) and activity levels, including whether your cat is indoor only or ventures outside.  

To track your cat’s weight loss, it’s a good idea to weigh them regularly, adjusting portions if they are not losing any weight after a few weeks of following this meal plan, or if they are losing weight too rapidly.

Rapid weight loss is not desired as we risk providing inadequate levels of essential nutrients by underfeeding.

You can also use a body condition score if you find it difficult or imprecise to weigh your cat. Digital scales work best and weighing yourself holding your cat and without is a good way to record an accurate reading.