Many factors including age, breed, activity level, and individual metabolism contribute to the need for adjusting portion sizes. Two to four times more food may be required for kittens, gestating cats, and nursing cats. Kittens weighing less than four pounds and/or younger than six weeks should be fed free choice. Spayed or neutered cats may require up to 25% less food.

If feeding canned food only, the average cat requires 1 oz for each pound of body weight, best fed twice a day.