Any recommendation I make about serving sizes can only ever be a starting point. (This chapter focuses on feeding adult cats. For information about feeding kittens, please refer to the relevant section.)

There’s no one-size-fits-all chart that says, “If your cat weighs this much, feed her that amount.” Cats are individuals. Some are big but lean, others are small but chunky. They may be young or old, male or female, energetic or laid-back—you get the idea.

Creating a simple portion chart becomes even more complicated with homemade food, as results vary depending on the type of meat you use and how closely you follow the recipe. Some people use lean poultry; others use fatty beef. Naturally, fatty beef is more filling and calorie-dense than the same volume of lean turkey. Some add extra water, increasing volume without increasing calories, while others skip the water entirely—then wonder why their cat is gaining weight on such a small amount of food.

WHEN FEEDING RAW CAT FOOD CREATED WITH TCfeline MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE HAS BEEN THAT THE RESTING ENERGY REQUIREMENT (RER) IS SUFFICIENT as Daily Energy Requirement (DER), possibly because the food is more digestible. The following table gives a simple guide of translating how much of my raw food your cat needs based on body weight in kilogram. If your cat is overweight, feed based on ideal body weight.

Many caregivers worry when their cat finishes a meal in under a minute, then begs for more, loiters near the fridge, or raids the bin. It’s easy to assume this means the cat is starving or missing something in the diet. In reality, this is normal behaviour! Cats are opportunistic by nature—it’s part of their survival strategy. And let’s be honest, they’ve trained us more than we’ve trained them.

Portion size should be guided by body condition, not behaviour. If your cat starts losing weight for no clear reason, do consult your vet. It’s especially tricky to monitor food intake in cats who roam outdoors. They might regurgitate food somewhere you can’t see it, catch and eat prey (which adds calories and increases the risk of intestinal parasites), or they may be getting second dinners from friendly neighbours. Outdoor cats often cover long distances, which uses up more calories, but they may also scavenge rubbish or sneak into kitchens.

Unlike big cats, domestic cats and their small wild cousins hunt prey that’s smaller than themselves—typically several times a day. A cat in the wild might eat 5-8 mice per day, each weighing between 16-26 grams. Based on this natural model, the ideal feeding pattern would be five to eight small meals per day, each about the size of a tablespoon or two. And yes, cats do thrive on such a schedule. Sadly, most humans who feed cats do not. However, it has proven agreeable to cats and practical to cat parents to divide the daily food requirement into 2-3 portions. (See table above)

Cats generally prefer to eat from a flat dish, such as a saucer, that doesn’t interfere with their whiskers. Cats may avoid eating from a deep dish or pick food out of the dish and eat it off the floor, because of discomfort known as “Whisker Fatigue”.  Although 2 meals a day works well for most cats, they digest food better—and pester you less—when their daily portion is divided into smaller, more frequent meals (3–5 times daily). Most cats don’t tolerate large food portions at all; anything more than ⅓ cup may lead to indigestion or regurgitation. The ability to handle larger meals may declines with age.

Young cats can be very food-obsessed. They may climb you while you’re dishing up, leap into the fridge, or appear at the first rustle of a sandwich wrapper. That said, every cat is different. Some remain excited about food their entire lives, while others seem indifferent and need encouragement to eat—even as kittens. A cat’s relationship with food is influenced not just by personality, but by early life experiences. Things like competition from littermates, the kind of food offered, and how often it was fed all shape their lifelong eating habits. Your cat’s eating behaviour also reflects how successfully they’ve trained you. Do you offer them a morsel every time you open the fridge, prepare your own meal, or feel guilty at their pleading eyes? If so, you’ve unintentionally reinforced the begging. A rewarded behaviour is a repeated behaviour—even if the reward was unintentional.

If you find begging intolerable, start early and be consistent:
Feed your cat in a quiet, designated place (not the kitchen or dining room), so they don’t associate those areas with food. Feed them the amount they need to maintain body weight, split into three meals—morning, evening, and bedtime works well. Avoid giving tidbits from your plate or fridge. Offer treats away from your own eating spaces, and make sure groceries and rubbish are out of reach.

If your cat is allowed in the kitchen or on counters, it’s up to you to keep food out of reach. If your cat succeeds in stealing food, they’ll keep trying. They’re not daft, and instinct will always win over politeness.

Regurgitation can almost always be prevented by keeping meals under 35 g and spreading the daily amount over 3–5 meals. If your cat needs more than 140 g per day—common for young, large, or very active cats—add an extra meal rather than making the existing portions bigger.