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Cat Nutrition
Everything you need to know about feeding your cat - from kitten to senior, from calories to food safety. These vet-backed guides cover the most common nutrition questions cat owners have.
Most kittens switch to adult food around 12 months, but large breeds like Maine Coons need kitten food for much longer. This guide covers the veterinary nutrition guidelines for when and how to make the transition safely, including a step-by-step switching schedule and what to do if your cat gets diarrhea during the switch.
The average cat needs about 200-300 calories per day, but it depends on weight, age, activity level, and whether you feed dry or wet food. This vet-backed calorie guide includes feeding charts, body condition scoring, and how to adjust portions for weight loss or gain.
Cat food recalls happen more often than you think, from salmonella to bird flu. This guide covers what the AAFCO label really tells you, the truth about raw diets, grain-free, and byproducts, and how to check if your cat food has been recalled.
Cats are pregnant for about 63-65 days. This week-by-week gestation guide covers what to feed a pregnant cat, how her nutritional needs change during pregnancy and nursing, and how to prepare for the kittens arrival.
Most kittens can switch to adult cat food at around 12 months of age. However, large breeds like Maine Coons and Norwegian Forest Cats should stay on kitten food until they are 18-24 months old, because they continue growing for much longer. The switch should be gradual over 7-10 days to avoid digestive upset.
Read the full guideThe average indoor cat needs about 200-300 calories per day, but this varies widely based on weight, age, activity level, and whether the cat is spayed or neutered. A 10-pound indoor cat typically needs about 200 calories, while an active 12-pound cat might need 280. The best approach is to use body condition scoring and adjust portions accordingly.
Read the full guideDespite marketing claims, grain-free cat food is not inherently better for cats. The FDA investigated a potential link between grain-free diets and dilated cardiomyopathy in dogs, and while the evidence in cats is less clear, most veterinary nutritionists do not recommend grain-free diets unless your cat has a specific diagnosed allergy. What matters more is that the food meets AAFCO nutritional standards.
Read the full guidePregnant cats should be fed kitten food throughout their pregnancy and while nursing, because it has higher calories, protein, and calcium. A pregnant cat may eat 1.5 to 2 times her normal amount. Free-feeding is usually recommended during the last two weeks of pregnancy and throughout nursing.
Read the full guideNo. Kittens should not eat adult cat food until they are fully grown, because kitten food has higher protein, fat, and calorie levels that growing kittens need. Feeding adult food to a kitten can lead to stunted growth and nutritional deficiencies. Most kittens are ready for adult food at 12 months, or 18-24 months for large breeds.
Read the full guideThe FDA maintains a searchable database of pet food recalls, and the AVMA also posts recall alerts. Common reasons for cat food recalls include salmonella contamination, excess vitamin D, and more recently, bird flu (H5N1) in raw cat food. If your cat food is recalled, stop feeding it immediately and contact your vet.
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