How much food should I feed my cat?

Every cat is an individual. Like people, some pets put on weight more easily than others and need less food to keep them slim and fit, while others need extra to keep them at their ideal body weight. Feeding guides are as accurate as possible, but some pets may need less or more than this "ideal".
Assess your cat's body condition by trying to feel it's ribs - you should just be able to feel them under a firm covering of flesh. There should be a waist between the ribs and hips and the tummy should be tucked up. Cats tend to get plump, saggy tums first, and then start to put on weight over the ribs. Feed your pet less or more depending on how your cat measures up to this ideal. Once your cat is at the ideal weight further slight adjustments may be necessary.
 

What’s the best way to feed dry foods?
Most dry foods can be fed either dry or soaked in gravy or with water. As a rule most cats prefer to eat their food dry and it usually becomes less attractive to them when soaked. Some dogs also enjoy the food dry while others may prefer soaking. This is usually the case if the dog has been used to eating a canned food before. Soak the food in warm water and allow to cool before offering it to these dogs. Remember that gravy can be quite salty and there is usually no need to offer this with a dry complete food that contains all the nutrition a dog needs. The time for the food to soak will vary according to the particular food but as a rough guide 30 minutes is usually enough.
 

My cat is very fussy. What’s the best thing to feed it?
Every cat is an individual and like people can have taste preferences. Cat foods are available in many different forms such as chunks in jelly, chunks in gravy or a meatloaf type. If your cat is very fussy warming the food slightly will help to release the natural aromas. Hand feeding can also be very useful to tempt a cat that is convalescing after an illness. One trick is to try offering a "platter" with a little of each different types of food on it and watch for the one your cat shows a preference for. Don't forget that some cats prefer crunching on a dry food.