Outdoor cats have special nutritional requirements. They hunt, climb and are exposed to different weather conditions. In addition, there are possible territorial fights, traffic noise and other factors that not only challenge the cat physically, but can also cause stress. This means that the needs of outdoor cats are different from those of indoor cats. Whether it´s parasites such as worms, fleas or ticks, joint wear and tear from increased strain, the risk of injury during fights or stress – outdoor cats need to be in good health so that they can face these risks on a daily basis.
In this guide, you will learn how to feed your outdoor cat correctly, what to look for when choosing food and how to avoid risks from prey or unfamiliar food.
The natural eating behaviour of outdoor cats
In the wild, a cat can go hunting about every two hours. Outdoor cats spend a large part of the day hunting or engaging in hunting-related behaviours such as stalking, chasing or killing. This hunting is not always successful, but a cat in the wild can still eat 10–20 small meals a day.
Feeding outdoor cats properly – what your outdoor cat needs
Cats are naturally carnivores and therefore depend on a protein-rich, animal-based diet. In nature, they hunt several times a day and catch small mammals such as mice, but also birds and insects. They eat their prey "with skin and hair", although they may leave certain parts, such as the digestive tract uneaten.
To this day, their basic needs have not changed – regardless of whether your cat is an outdoor or indoor cat. Nutrients such as taurine, high-quality proteins, fats, vitamins and minerals are important for the proper nutrition of outdoor cats, while carbohydrates should play a minor role.
Wet or dry food for outdoor cats
All cats are naturally wired to acquire their fluid requirements via their prey, which is why they tend not to drink much on their own. As they are obligatory carnivores, they require carbohydrates more in the role of fibre than as an energy source. What does this mean for the correct feeding of outdoor cats?
Although dry food is very practical, it has no health advantages over wet food, as dry food contains much less moisture. This means that cats do not get the moisture they need while eating, as nature intended. If the dry food is also extruded, this makes the situation even worse: the extruded food absorbs liquid, which can lead to a deficit in the cat's fluid balance. However, this is not the only reason against feeding your cat dry food. Dry Food contains a higher proportion of carbohydrates in order to make a pressable kibble. As pure carnivores, cats do not need this amount of carbohydrates.
In healthy amounts, high-quality, cold-pressed dry food can supplement the diet of outdoor cats, for example, if you feed it as a snack between meals or use it as a reward during training. However, you should always feed wet food as the main food if you want to feed your outdoor cat properly.
High-quality, natural wet food as the basis for feeding outdoor cats properly
High-quality, natural cat food, such as Felins Plus® Complete Tinned Meals , covers the requirements for protein, taurine and fatty acids. All our complete tinned meal varieties are balanced, complete foods for cats, tailored to their needs, with high-quality meat, fish, fibre, minerals, taurine and eggshell powder. A high meat content specially tailored to cats' needs provides outdoor cats with all the important nutrients they need for an active life. Our wide variety of flavours also ensures plenty of variety in terms of taste.
Felins Plus® Chicken
Also suitable as a light diet
Easily digestible chicken meat is suitable for everyday feeding and as a light diet for cats with sensitive stomachs.
Felins Plus® Pollock
Marine variety in the bowl
Fish provides valuable essential fatty acids and complements the popular chicken meat. Particularly suitable for cats with sensitive stomachs and older cats.
Felins Plus® Beef
A hearty meal for active felines
Beef is hearty and aromatic, refined with cottage cheese to make it particularly tempting for many cats.
Felins Plus® Rabbit
A treat for gourmets
Tender rabbit meat, carrots and catnip provide a delicate flavour and are also a great alternative for cats with allergies.
Special snacks for the proper feeding of outdoor cats
In addition to high-quality wet food on a natural basis, you can of course also offer your outdoor cat special snacks – for example, if you want to encourage them to come home at a certain time in the evening.
Our Felins Plus® Chicken Mousse is made from the finest chicken meat and is particularly creamy and tender. Whether they are fussy or have sensitive stomachs, outdoor cats can't get enough of our chicken mousse.
Felins Plus® Poultry & Fish: Unique, cold-pressed dry food for cats
Even though outdoor cats should be fed a high-quality, natural wet food as their main diet, Dry Food can be added to their diet if it is fed in appropriate quantities, consists of natural ingredients and is cold-pressed, i.e. does not swell. If you want to feed your outdoor cat properly, then in addition to the main meals, you should also give them small snacks during training or play sessions. Our Felins Plus® Poultry & Fish is particularly well suited for this purpose. The pellets are the ideal size for training snacks, allowing you to reward your cat quickly without keeping them occupied for too long – so you can continue training straight away.
Felins Plus® Poultry & Fish
Cold-pressed Cat Food made from natural ingredients
Felins Plus® Poultry & Fish Dry Food is a cold-pressed, natural dry food with a high meat content. Tender chicken and duck meat, easily digestible salmon, dried krill and green-lipped mussel meat provide outdoor cats with lots of valuable protein. Our natural dry cat food is unique because it does not swell or bind fluid during digestion.
Our feeding recommendation for outdoor cats
Kittens can eat as much as they like from our Felins Plus® Complete Tinned Meals. From the age of 6 months, they should be given approx. 5% of their body weight per day of Felins Plus® Complete Tinned Meals; for older cats and seniors, this should be between 3.5-5% of their body weight.
Feeding examples for Felins Plus® Complete Tinned Meals:
| Young cats: Your cat weighs 1 kg and is 2.5 months old She can eat as much as she wants | As long as your cat is not overweight and exhibits normal eating behaviour (no competition for food with other animals in the household, etc.). |
| Adult cats: Your cat weighs 5 kg and is 6 years old 5 kg x 5% = 0.25 kg = 250 g of food per day | As long as your cat is not overweight and gets sufficient exercise. |
| Senior cats: Your cat weighs 7 kg and is 14 years old 7 kg x 3.5% = 0.245 kg = 245 g of food per day | This is based on the assumption that they maintain their ideal weight with this amount of food, as not all cats automatically become less active at the age of 14. |
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Feeding recommendation for outdoor cats
These examples are based on average values. How much food you need for your cat depends on many different factors, such as the cat's hunting success, its activity level and, of course, its age. If you want to feed your outdoor cat properly, you should always take these factors into account and adjust the amount of food accordingly.
Combining wet and dry food
If you want to combine wet and dry food, we recommend our Felins Plus® Poultry & Fish. As a cold-pressed dry food for outdoor cats, it is unique because, unlike conventional extruded foods, it does not swell at all. Nevertheless, 80% of the daily ration should consist of natural wet food – and a maximum of 20% of the daily ration should consist of our dry food – so that outdoor cats get enough fluids with their food.
Feeding examples Felins Plus® Poultry & Fish as a supplement to wet food:
| Kittens and young cats (up to 12 months) | Only as an occasional supplement* |
| Cats up to 3 kg | Up to approx. 15 g per day* |
| Cats from 4 - 6 kg | Up to approx. 15–20 g per day* |
| Cats weighing 7 - 10 kg | Up to approx. 20–25 g per day* |
*In addition to the daily wet food ration.
Suitable snacks for outdoor cats
You can choose snacks for outdoor cats according to your cat's preferences and, of course, the occasion. If you want to quickly reward good behaviour during training, small snacks such as single pellets of our Felins Plus® Poultry & Fish are ideal. If you want your outdoor cat to spend more time with a snack, it should be a little larger. If you would like to offer your cat a special extra meal every now and then we recommend our Felins Plus® Chicken Mousse.
It is important to ensure that snacks for outdoor cats do not contain any artificial preservatives or colourings and, of course, no hidden sugars. Air-dried meat or fish, 100% natural – this is what makes up the perfect snack for your outdoor cat.
If you would like to find out more about suitable snacks for outdoor cats, please visit our page "Healthy Cat Treats".
How often and how much should an outdoor cat eat?
As already mentioned, a cat in the wild can go hunting about every two hours. It is not always successful, but a cat can eat 10-20 small meals a day. The actual amount of food your outdoor cat needs is significantly influenced by this. For this reason, you should keep an eye on your cat's physical condition, weigh them regularly and adjust the amount of food to your cat's actual needs.
Feeding strategies for outdoor cats
We recommend feeding your outdoor cat its main meal at fixed times in the morning and evening, as this gives you a certain degree of control over your outdoor cat's eating habits. The morning meal ensures that your outdoor cat starts the day well fed, while the evening meal, which should always be given at the same time, can motivate your outdoor cat to come home before dark. Please feed your outdoor cat indoors, where it can eat in peace and safety.
Challenges when feeding outdoor cats
Your cat's hunting instinct is instinctive and remains intact even when well fed. Even if hunting behaviour is partly playful, many outdoor cats eat their prey even when they have already eaten. In addition, outdoor cats often find food while out and about, for example at the neighbour's cat's bowl. These unknown amounts of food make it difficult to feed outdoor cats properly, as they can vary from day to day and you never know exactly how much your outdoor cat has already eaten during the day.
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The right amount of food for outdoor cats
Keep an eye on your outdoor cat and check its weight regularly – this is the easiest way to find out whether your cat needs more or less food. The optimal amount of food is very individual and depends on the season – for example, if it is very cold in winter, outdoor cats need to consume more calories to stay warm.
Diet, allergies, BARF – how to feed your outdoor cat if it has special needs
Outdoor cats are self-sufficient: their typical feline charm makes it easy for them to find food in the neighbourhood, and they also hunt, so you have no control over what prey they catch.
If your cat can only eat special food for health reasons, for example because its kidneys are not working properly or it has allergies, this can of course be somewhat difficult. You can get your cat used to a leash and take it for walks, or you can set up an area in your garden that you fence in to make it cat-proof – this way, your cat can still go outside while you maintain control over what it eats.
The situation is different if your cat is allowed to eat anything, but you prefer a particular diet, such as BARF. In this case, you may need to compromise – feed your cat BARF at home and, as soon as your outdoor cat is out and about, let it hunt for its own food.
Are you interested in the topic of BARF for cats? Our guide "First steps to BARF for cats" shows you how to calculate the BARF ration for your cat, while our guide "BARF for Cats. Which BARF ingredients are best suited for cat BARF?" presents various, well-tolerated BARF ingredients for cats.
Changing the diet of outdoor cats
If you want to feed your outdoor cat properly, the first step is to switch to a natural cat food, such as Felins Plus® Complete Tinned Meals.
In theory, changing the diet of outdoor cats is very simple: ideally, you should offer the new food in a separate bowl and wait until the cat accepts it, or you can slowly introduce the new food by mixing small amounts of it into the familiar food.
In practice, however, this is much more difficult, because if your outdoor cat does not want to eat the new food, it will simply leave it and go outside to hunt.
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What to do if your outdoor cat won't eat – tips for dealing with outdoor cats that refuse food
Unfortunately, many commercially available Cat Foods are modified with flavour enhancers, colourings or flavourings to make them tastier or more appealing, or to increase their acceptance. We do not use such additives in any of our Felins Plus® meals. As a result, cats that have never been fed natural food in their lives and are being offered our Felins Plus® for the first time may be somewhat reluctant or critical at the beginning of feeding and refuse to eat the food.
As the issue of cats refusing food is very complex and also very common, we have dedicated a separate guide to it. Click here for the guide "Why Your Cat Won’t Eat: Causes, Risks & Tips for Changing Their Food".
Creating the right feeding area for outdoor cats
You should feed your outdoor cat indoors, where it can eat in peace. Fixed feeding times provide structure and ensure that your cat instinctively comes home when it is time to eat. Offer food and water in wide, flat bowls, preferably made of porcelain, ceramic or clay. Food and water bowls should not be placed in the immediate vicinity of the litter tray. In addition, many cats prefer to have a choice of drinking options rather than just a water bowl located right next to their food bowl.
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Drinking behaviour of cats
Many cats avoid drinking from water bowls if they are placed in close proximity to their food bowl. If the water is too close to the food bowl, it can become contaminated with food residues or take on the smell of the feeding area. It is better to place your cat's water in a different, quiet location. Ideally, you should even offer your cat several different drinking options around the house.
Please refrain from offering your outdoor cat feeding places outside where food is freely available day and night. Not only will you be feeding your cat, but you will also be attracting other outdoor cats, strays and wild animals such as mice, rats or hedgehogs to your garden. This is problematic for several reasons:
- Not every outdoor cat is allowed to eat your cat's food (due to allergies or other illnesses).
- You also don't want your cat to stay away for days because it is getting food from your neighbour (with a food quality of which you have no control over!).
- You don't want other outdoor cats or strays to claim your cat's territory for themselves.
- Wild animals such as mice, rats or hedgehogs are carriers of fleas – if they share a bowl with your cat, it can also get fleas.
Outdoor cats and cat protection
Many people want to do something good for hungry cats and provide them with food. This often attracts cats that actually have a home where they are well fed. How sure can you be that the cat in front of you is really a stray? From a cat protection point of view, it is also a problem when people feed cats but do not feel responsible for them in any other way:
- Uncontrolled reproduction: Every fed, unneutered cat can have several litters per year, and the kittens often become feral, reproduce and exacerbate the problem.
- Spread of diseases: Close gatherings at feeding stations promote the transmission of diseases such as cat flu, FIP or FIV.
- Lack of long-term responsibility: Those who feed cats without providing for neutering, medical care or safe accommodation are merely postponing the problem or even exacerbating it.
Of course, you should help if you find a cat in a neglected state or even injured. Ask around the neighbourhood to see if anyone is missing their cat and take the cat to the vet if it needs treatment. The vet, animal shelter or cat protection association can check whether the cat is microchipped and thus locate its owner. If no owner can be found, the animal shelter or a local cat protection association are also good points of contact. The cat will be cared for, safely housed, neutered and, in the best case scenario, placed in loving hands. These measures provide a long-term solution and are much better than simply providing food without taking further responsibility for the animal.
What are the dangers for outdoor cats?
Outdoor cats are at greater risk of parasites such as worms, ticks or fleas, injuries from territorial fights, infections from bites or contact with wild animals, and of course stress, for example from living in urban areas.
Health care: parasites & more
How you can prevent your cat from getting parasites depends on various factors that you should take into account. Firstly, the region in which you live or in which your outdoor cat spends time plays a major role. In warmer regions, for example, you are more likely to encounter fleas than in cooler regions. If you live with your outdoor cat on the edge of a forest, your cat is likely to come into contact with wild animals, which also increases the risk of fleas and ticks. If you live with your outdoor cat in an area where there are many stray cats, the risk of various infectious diseases increases, making vaccinations relevant. In addition, prey animals can be infected with parasites such as worms or pathogens, and your cat can become infected through its prey.
If you want to keep your outdoor cat healthy for a long time, it is therefore advisable to consult a local vet to find out about possible infection risks and preventive measures. Vets usually know exactly which diseases are circulating in the area around their practice and can make recommendations regarding necessary vaccinations. You should also check your cat regularly for fleas and ticks and have faecal samples examined to rule out worm infestation.
Valuable nutrients for active outdoor cats
Changing weather conditions, other animals, road traffic, parasites – if your cat is an outdoor cat, it will have to face these challenges. A healthy and strong immune system is therefore very important for your cat. If you want to feed your outdoor cat properly, you should look for a holistic feeding concept that not only takes into account your cat's energy requirements, but also its living conditions.
Supporting the gut health and immune system of outdoor cats
A strong immune system is essential for outdoor cats, as they can be exposed to all kinds of dangers on their adventures. Things like wind and rain or stress caused by territorial fights or road traffic – all these factors weaken your outdoor cat's defences. In addition, there are vaccinations that may be necessary in your region, and of course, your cat may also be injured in a territorial fight, making the administration of antibiotics unavoidable. Felins Plus® Petflora is a natural single feed with billions of cultivated lactic acid bacteria that can promote intestinal flora and support your cat's immune system. Felins Plus® Ceolife® can promote your cat's health by binding harmful substances in the digestive tract before they are absorbed into the bloodstream. This can relieve the immune system and detoxification organs and promote overall metabolism.
Stress in outdoor cats
If your outdoor cat suffers from stress, for example because visits to the vet or the journey to the vet are very stressful for them, Felins Plus® Tranquil Pet can help. Felins Plus® Tranquil Pet capsules support the normal functioning of the nervous system, which can help to alleviate anxiety-related mood swings.
Promoting healthy joints in outdoor cats
If your outdoor cat is a real daredevil who climbs a lot and jumps from great heights, it makes sense to regularly feed them something that can promote healthy joints. Felins Plus® Green-lipped Mussel Powder strengthens the function of healthy joints, ligaments and tendons. New Zealand green-lipped mussels naturally contain high levels of omega-3 fatty acids, minerals, amino acids and glycosaminoglycans (GAGs). GAGs can make a valuable contribution to maintaining the health of the musculoskeletal system as a source of nutrients for joints, synovial fluid and cartilage, thus preventing signs of wear and tear, overuse or arthritic changes. Active and older outdoor cats and senior cats benefit from regular 4-6 week feeding.
You can also supplement Felins Plus® Krill Oil if you want to support particularly active or older outdoor cats. Our krill oil capsules have impressive properties and are therefore the purest "fit fat" for cats: the high-quality, essential omega-3 fatty acids fill nutritional gaps and the ratio of omega-3 to omega-6 fatty acids is particularly favourable. The easily digestible omega-3 fatty acids can make a positive contribution to heart health and help to keep the entire musculoskeletal system healthy. This means that nutritional measures can be taken at an early stage to prevent wear and tear and joint problems such as osteoarthritis, arthritis or stiffness of the joints and the associated pain.
Supporting outdoor cats during recovery
If your outdoor cat needs to recover from an infection, our Felins Plus® Full-cream Goat’s Milk Powder can help them regain their strength quickly. Our goat's milk powder contains many valuable nutrients and a healthy portion of fat. Therefore, not only cats in recovery phases, but also young cats, active cats and senior cats benefit from regular feeding.
If you want to feed your outdoor cat properly, you should keep an eye on its seasonal calorie requirements. Cats expend a lot of energy outdoors, especially in winter, to maintain their body heat. Goat's milk can be a valuable aid in this regard: it provides quickly available calories, high-quality proteins, healthy fats and minerals. Compared to cow's milk, goat's milk is easier for cats to digest and is better tolerated by many. It helps to replenish energy reserves, strengthen the immune system and keep outdoor cats fit and resilient during the cold season.
Outdoor cats and parasite prevention
If your cat is a successful hunter that regularly catches mice, the risk of worm infestation is very high. You should therefore regularly feed your cat something that promotes a worm-resistant intestinal environment and helps your pet to remain worm-free for longer. Our Felins Plus® Vermprevet® is a gentle herbal mixture that can make it difficult for worms such as tapeworms, roundworms, hookworms and whipworms to colonise the intestines. If a worm infestation does occur (you should have this checked regularly by having a faecal sample tested for worms by your vet or in a laboratory), Felins Plus® Vermcurat® helps to eliminate worms via the faeces through diet.
A high-quality, natural Cat Food is the basis for the proper nutrition of outdoor cats. However, in special situations – such as increased energy requirements or to support the immune system, skin and coat – natural supplements for cats provide valuable services. If you would like to learn more about natural supplements for outdoor cats that can be used to specifically round off their diet, please take a look here.
If you are interested in feeding indoor cats, you will find detailed tips on food quantities, food types and changing your cat's diet in the guide "How to feed your indoor cat correctly for optimal health and wellbeing". Feel free to take a look.
Further information and frequently asked questions (FAQ) about feeding outdoor cats correctly
How often you should feed your outdoor cat depends on various factors, such as the age of your outdoor cat, its activity level and its hunting success. The number of meals and the amount of food should therefore be individually adapted to the needs of the outdoor cat. We recommend that you feed your cat at least twice a day: the first meal in the morning so that your cat can start the day well fed, and the second meal in the evening. If your outdoor cat is supposed to stay indoors overnight, you can motivate it to come home on time in the evening. Would you like to learn more about species-appropriate cat feeding? Then take a look here.
If your outdoor cat eats outside – whether hunting mice or eating food from neighbours – you cannot completely control the amount of food it consumes. It is therefore important that you offer high-quality, natural cat food at home, such as Felins Plus® Complete Tinned Meals, at fixed times and regularly check your cat's weight and health. This will ensure that your outdoor cat is properly fed, even if it catches prey while out and about.
Yes, in winter, your outdoor cat will have higher energy requirements due to the cold if it is very active outside. However, there are also outdoor cats that spend more time at home in winter. Whether your cat needs more food or an additional source of energy, such as our Felins Plus® Full-cream Goat’s Milk Powder, depends on your cat. So keep an eye on them – if they lose or gain weight in winter, you should adjust their diet accordingly.
To ensure that outdoor cats are fed correctly, it is advisable to focus on wet food, such as Felins Plus® Complete Tinned Meals. Consistently grain-free, cats enjoy these delicious menus with a meat and fish content of 85–90% tailored to their individual needs. With a variety of flavours, our complete tinned meals offer real variety for a balanced and tasty diet. Our cold-pressed dry food for cats can also be used as a supplement, but should not make up more than 20% of the daily ration.
If your outdoor cat has fleas, various measures are necessary, depending on whether your cat is exclusively outdoors or also stays indoors. Our guide "Fighting fleas in cats naturally – here's how!" provides detailed information on this topic.
Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact us by phone. We are here to help you with comprehensive advice. You can reach us Monday to Friday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. by phone at 0208 - 531 7804 or mail info@naturavetal.co.uk.
