Here’s exactly how much to feed your cat and how to fully convert them to B&L foodies!
Wet Food: Daily Cans by Weight
Every recipe in the Gourmet Cat Food Entrée line — Tuna Tuesday, Seafood Sunday, and the rest of the tuna lineup — is complete and balanced for all life stages. These are the official daily amounts printed on every can. One can is about 3 oz.
Dry Food: Daily Cups by Weight
Whether it’s the Chicken Meal & Brown Rice recipe or the grain-free Duck Meal & Herring Meal, both meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for all life stages. Amounts below are based on a standard 8 oz measuring cup — not the scoop that came with your last bag.
Where in the Range Should You Land?
Every bracket above is a range on purpose — a lounging senior and a zoomie-prone kitten of the same weight don’t eat the same amount. Vets typically build daily calories from a resting-energy baseline, then adjust up or down for activity, spay/neuter status, and life stage. You don’t need the math to use it — just this:
- Lower end — Calmer & less active: indoor loungers, most spayed/neutered adults, seniors, and cats who need to trim down.
- Middle — Typical house cat: a healthy adult with normal play, climbing, and the occasional 3am sprint.
- Upper end — Active, young, or lean: kittens, intact cats, outdoor-access cats, and naturally lean or underweight cats.
The 10-Second Body Check
Run a hand along your cat’s side. No scale required.
- Too thin: ribs, spine, or hips are visible or feel sharp. Feed the upper end of the range and check in with your vet.
- Just right: ribs are easy to feel under a slight padding, with a visible waist behind the ribs. Stay the course.
- Carrying extra: ribs are hard to find and the waist has disappeared. Feed the lower end and skip the free-feeding.
How Often to Fill the Bowl
Total daily amount matters more than the clock, but spacing meals out helps digestion and keeps everyone from begging at 5am.
Mixing Wet & Dry
Plenty of Birdie & Louie cats eat both — wet food brings moisture that supports hydration and the urinary tract, while kibble’s crunch offers a bit of mechanical dental cleaning. If you mix, don’t just add a full portion of each.
Pick your cat’s daily amount from the wet chart and the dry chart above, then feed about half of each — for example, a 10 lb adult cat might get roughly 1 1/2 cans of wet food plus 1/3 cup of kibble, rather than a full portion of both. Fresh water should always be out, especially on days with more dry food.
Your 7–10 Day Transition Plan
Cat stomachs are creatures of habit. Swapping foods overnight is the #1 cause of new-customer tummy trouble — not the food itself. Slow and steady wins here.
Quick Answers
My cat is a notoriously picky eater. Any tips? Try warming wet food slightly to bring out the aroma, and lean on the variety pack to find a favorite texture or flavor before committing to a single recipe. Many picky cats respond well to the flakes-in-broth style if pâté isn’t landing.
Is it okay to free-feed dry food all day? For most healthy adult cats, two measured meals a day are easier to manage than free-feeding, which can lead to quiet weight gain over time. Free access is fine for kittens, and for pregnant or nursing cats.
How do treats factor into these amounts? Keep treats — including lick mats and jerky — to no more than about 10% of your cat’s daily calories, and feed a little less at the next meal to balance it out.
My cat seems hungrier than the chart suggests. What do I do? Move up within the range first, especially for kittens, very active cats, or naturally lean breeds. If they’re still acting ravenous at the top of the range, or losing weight, check in with your vet.
Does my cat need this much water if they’re eating wet food? Yes — fresh water should be available at all times regardless of diet. Wet food helps with hydration, but it isn’t a replacement for a full water bowl.
From Our Family to Yours
We’re a family business named after our own pets, and we’re genuinely glad you’re feeding yours with us. We’re work very hard to bring your pets the best delicious and nutritious meals, and we have donated millions of meals to shelter animals with you help ❤️.
This guide offers general starting points based on Birdie & Louie’s printed feeding instructions and widely accepted feline nutrition guidance (AAFCO nutrient profiles; AAHA/WSAVA feline life-stage feeding principles). It isn’t a substitute for veterinary care — always check with your vet for kittens under 8 weeks, pregnant or nursing cats, or cats with a medical condition.
When to Call Your Vet
A little loose stool or pickiness in the first few days of a switch is common. These aren’t:
- Any refusal to eat for 24 hours or more — cats can develop serious complications from not eating, even briefly
- Vomiting or diarrhea that continues past the transition window, or shows blood
- Noticeable weight loss or gain, or a sudden drop in energy
- Excessive thirst, straining in the litter box, or changes in urination