Life stage changes the calorie target. Water needs track the food. The safe-food chips open the species note rather than a generic list.
Kittens need a complete growth diet and several meals a day. A hungry kitten who is still growing should not be switched to an adult food early to slow the weight.
Most indoor adults gain weight on free-choice dry food. Measure meals, use play before dinner, and keep a waist you can see behind the ribs.
From about 11 years, watch the scale. Weight loss with a strong appetite can be thyroid disease. A cat who skips meals can develop hepatic lipidosis, so call rather than waiting out a fast.
A practical planning figure is about 1 milliliter of water for each kilocalorie eaten. Wet food already contains moisture, so the bowl may look quieter. A sudden increase in drinking, or a cat who will not drink and will not eat, needs a veterinarian.
