How Much Should I Feed My Cat? Portions, Weight and Raw Feeding

One of the most common questions we receive at CatSlaves is how much to feed a cat. It sounds simple but the answer depends on several factors: the cat's age, current weight, activity level, life stage and what type of food you are feeding. A kitten on a raw BARF diet has very different requirements from a neutered adult cat that grazes on high quality dry food between raw meals.

This guide gives you clear numbers to work from. It is based on how we feed cats at Bangkok Cats, where our champions eat a BARF diet and have done so their entire lives. Use our cat food calculator to get a personalised portion recommendation based on your cat's specific weight and life stage.

The foundation: feeding by percentage of body weight

The most reliable way to calculate how much to feed a raw-fed cat is to use a percentage of the cat's current body weight as a daily food target. This approach accounts for the cat's size automatically and adjusts naturally as the cat grows or its weight changes.

The percentages vary by life stage. A kitten in its fastest growth phase needs significantly more food relative to its body weight than a settled adult cat. A pregnant or nursing queen needs more again to support herself and her kittens.

Here are the Bangkok Cats feeding guidelines for cats on a raw BARF diet:

Age Group	Daily % of Body Weight	Recommended Meals per Day
Kitten 2 to 6 months	6 to 10%	3
Kitten 6 to 12 months	4 to 6%	2 to 3
Adult (1 year and older)	2 to 4%	2
Pregnant or Nursing	4 to 6%	3 to 4

To use this table, weigh your cat and multiply the body weight in grams by the relevant percentage. A four-kilogram adult cat eating at three percent of body weight needs one hundred and twenty grams of raw food per day, split across two meals of sixty grams each.

Use the CatSlaves cat food calculator

Rather than doing the calculation manually, use our cat food calculator. Enter your cat's weight, age and life stage and it gives you the daily portion recommendation instantly. It is free and takes less than a minute. It is the same calculation we use at Bangkok Cats for every cat in our cattery.

Why meal frequency matters as much as quantity

The number of meals per day matters not just for convenience but for your cat's biology. Cats are natural hunters that eat multiple small meals rather than one large one. Feeding two structured meals per day for adult cats and three for kittens more closely mirrors this natural pattern than a single large meal or unrestricted grazing on dry food.

For raw-fed cats specifically, meal structure is important for food safety. Raw food should not be left out for more than thirty minutes, particularly in Thailand's heat. A structured meal that the cat eats within that window is safer than an open bowl left available throughout the day. If your cat consistently leaves food in the bowl after thirty minutes, the portion is too large. Reduce it slightly at the next meal.

Kittens: why they need so much more

The feeding percentage for a young kitten between two and six months looks shockingly high compared to an adult cat. Six to ten percent of body weight per day is a lot of food. The reason is growth rate. A kitten at this stage is doubling or tripling its body weight within weeks. The energy and protein demands of that growth are enormous. Underfeeding a kitten at this stage has consequences for muscle development, bone density and immune function that carry through into adulthood.

At Bangkok Cats, kittens eat three meals per day of raw food from weaning. By the time they leave us at twelve weeks, they are eating confidently and their portions are already adjusted to their individual growth rate rather than a fixed number. Weighing your kitten weekly and adjusting portions accordingly is more accurate than following a fixed table.

The transition from kitten to adult feeding rates happens gradually between eight and twelve months as growth slows. Do not switch abruptly from kitten portions to adult portions. Reduce the percentage incrementally over several weeks as the cat approaches its adult weight.

Adult cats: the importance of not overfeeding

Two to four percent of body weight per day covers most adult cats comfortably. The range exists because activity level varies significantly. A highly active Bengal or Abyssinian burning energy through play and climbing may need closer to four percent. A more sedentary indoor cat with minimal exercise may only need two percent. Neutered cats often need slightly less than intact cats of the same weight because the hormonal changes associated with neutering reduce metabolic rate somewhat.

The most reliable way to know whether you are feeding the right amount is to monitor body condition rather than following a number rigidly. You should be able to feel your cat's ribs without pressing hard. There should be a visible waist when viewed from above. The belly should not hang noticeably. If your cat is gaining weight on its current portions, reduce by ten percent and reassess after two weeks. If the cat is losing condition, increase by ten percent.

We covered the health consequences of overfeeding in detail in our article on why fat cats are not healthy cats. Obesity is one of the most preventable health problems in domestic cats and portion control is the primary tool for managing it.

Pregnant and nursing queens: significantly higher requirements

A pregnant queen's nutritional requirements increase steadily through gestation and peak during nursing when she is producing milk for an entire litter. Four to six percent of body weight per day and three to four meals is a starting point but individual queens vary considerably. Some nursing queens eat almost continuously and still lose condition. Monitor body condition closely and feed to appetite during nursing rather than restricting to a fixed portion.

The quality of food matters even more during pregnancy and nursing than at other life stages. This is not the time to compromise on protein quality or nutritional completeness. A raw BARF diet with adequate organ content, particularly liver for vitamin A, and adequate bone content for calcium, supports both the queen and her developing kittens far better than processed food.

Freeze-dried treats and toppers: how to account for them

If you are using freeze-dried treats or a protein topper alongside raw meals, account for the caloric contribution in the daily total. Treats and toppers should make up no more than ten percent of total daily food intake. For a four-kilogram adult cat eating one hundred and twenty grams per day, that means no more than twelve grams of freeze-dried treat or topper across the day.

The Kelly and Co freeze-dried chicken breast and the Kelly and Co Dinner Booster protein powder are both used at Bangkok Cats within this framework. They are part of the daily feeding programme, not additions on top of a full portion.

What to do if your cat is not finishing meals

A raw-fed cat that consistently leaves food in the bowl is telling you the portion is too large. Reduce it. Do not leave uneaten raw food out in Thailand's heat. Discard anything not eaten within thirty minutes and offer a slightly smaller portion at the next meal.

A cat that was eating well and suddenly loses interest in food is a different situation entirely. This is a health signal rather than a portion problem. If a cat skips more than one meal without an obvious environmental reason such as stress from a visitor or a change in routine, a veterinary check is warranted. Loss of appetite in cats can indicate a range of conditions from minor to serious and is worth investigating promptly.

Frequently asked questions

Should I weigh my cat's food at every meal?
Yes, at least initially. Most owners develop a good eye for portion size after a few weeks of weighing and can then eyeball it reliably. A kitchen scale that measures in grams is an essential tool for any raw-feeding household. Accuracy matters more for kittens and cats managing their weight than for healthy adults on a stable diet.

My cat seems hungry after meals. Should I feed more?
Not necessarily. Cats that are transitioning from dry food to raw often appear hungry after raw meals because raw food is digested more efficiently and the stomach empties faster than with dry food. This usually settles within a few weeks as the cat adapts. If the cat is genuinely losing body condition, increase the portion. If the cat's weight and condition are stable, the hunger display is behavioural rather than a sign of underfeeding.

How do I know if my cat is the right weight?
Use the body condition score rather than a target number on a scale. You should be able to feel the ribs without pressing hard but not see them. There should be a visible waist when you look down at the cat from above. The belly should not sag noticeably when the cat stands. Different breeds have different ideal shapes so breed-specific knowledge matters. A Bengal at its correct weight looks very different from a British Shorthair at its correct weight.

Can I use these percentages for wet food or dry food?
These guidelines are calibrated for raw BARF feeding. Dry food and wet food have different caloric densities and moisture contents, so the percentages do not translate directly. For the most accurate guidance on any food type, use our cat food calculator and consult the feeding guidelines on the specific product you are using.

How often should I weigh my cat to track portions?
Monthly for healthy adult cats is sufficient to catch gradual weight creep before it becomes a problem. Weekly for kittens, which are growing rapidly and whose portions need regular upward adjustment. Weekly also for cats that are actively managing their weight up or down.