Once you have the right type of cat food for your cat, establish an appropriate amount for each meal and how often they should be served. Fashion your cat's eating habits around nutritional guides and the recommendations of your vet to find out which feeding model is best for your cat.

• Free choice: Food is available to your cat at all times.
• Time-limited feeding: Food is available to your cat for a limited time.
• Meal feeding: A regulated amount of food is available to your cat at specific times of the day.

Keep track of your cat's physical condition and weight. Do this every 6 months and base a cycle around the progress you see in your cat's healthy growth.

As your cat continues to grow, exercise is crucial, especially if you have an indoor cat. Outdoor cats will maintain exercise through hunting, roaming the yard, and exploring. Let your indoor cat play with toys, stuffed animals, paper grocery bags, or cardboard boxes; this is a good way to help them vent energy and stay active. Along with being healthier, exercise will increase your cat's happiness as well.

When addressing an adult cat's needs, remember these four steps:

• Track your cat's weight.
• Include healthy activity.
• Visit your veterinarian often.
• Maintain an ideal weight for life.