Adult Cat Food

The amount of food an adult cat needs depends on factors like their weight and the recipe you′re serving. As a starting point, check the back of your particular Meow Mix^® cat food packaging for feeding guidelines and instructions. Then check with your vet about whether/how to adjust the portion size up or down based on your cat′s activity level, age or special medical needs.

The feeding guidelines are an estimate based on the overall adult cat population′s calorie needs, but some need a lot more or a lot less to maintain an ′′ideal′′ weight. Some cats also eat more in the winter, which is fine, as long as they aren’t gaining unnecessary pounds.

Whatever your particular cat′s caloric needs, remember to account for any treats you give them and reduce their meal portions accordingly so that they aren′t getting too many calories per day. And always make sure your cat has access to plenty of fresh water.

A lot of adult cats eat two meals per day, usually first thing in the morning and around dinnertime. But you can also choose to divide their daily total into smaller meals that you serve more often.

Some adult cats would happily eat as many as 10 small meals a day (which is perfectly fine, as long as all that grazing doesn′t add up to more than the recommended amount of daily calories). Of course, refilling the bowl that often is not usually convenient for their humans.

If your cat seems to prefer grazing over big meals, you might want to try what′s called ′′free feeding′′ — leaving dry food out for them to nibble on throughout the day, whenever they feel like it. (Don′t try free feeding with wet food, which shouldn′t be left sitting out for too long.) When free feeding, make sure to measure out your cat′s daily allowance of food, minus their treat allowance.

One more important heads-up: If your cat has any sort of medical condition, be sure to check with your vet about when and how much to feed them. Some conditions, like diabetes, require a stricter schedule.

Adult cats need a cat food that′s 100% complete and balanced for adulthood (rather than kittenhood or pregnancy). To be sure that′s what you′re getting, check the back of the label for the nutritional statement, which all reputable brands will include. It should say that the food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by AAFCO (the Association of American Feed Control Officials) for either ′′adult maintenance" or ′′all life stages."

Beyond that, you′ve got options! As you can see above, Meow Mix^® offers a variety of wet and dry cat food flavors that are both tasty and healthy for adult cats. Some cats prefer only wet food, some prefer only dry, and some like both. And that′s great because each kind offers advantages.

Cats need a variety of nutrients, including proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals — but it′s not enough just to get some of each. It′s also important to know your cat′s getting the right kinds and amounts of each, not too much and not too little. When we say our food is ′′complete and balanced,′′ that′s what we mean.

The other important detail? The right balance of nutrients is different depending on your cat′s life stage. That′s why kittens need kitten food, and adult cats need adult cat food specifically.

While kitten food is nutritionally sound for most adult cats, it may provide too many calories for some, and that can lead to excess weight gain. For helping adult cats stay trim, Meow Mix® Indoor Health or Meow Mix^® Hairball Control are great choices.

Whether it′s time to introduce your cat to adult cat food for the first time or you′re just trying a different recipe, it′s best to make the switch gradually. Start by mixing a little bit of the new food into the food your cat′s used to. Every day, for about seven to ten days total, serve a little more of the new food with a little less of the usual food, until the whole meal is the new stuff.