Cat Food Calculator

Work out how many cans of wet food and how much dry food your cat needs a day.

Unit
Per can or pouch
Dry food in grams (optional)

Each day, feed about

1½ cans + ⅜ cup dry

Calories per day
260 kcal (235–285)
From wet food
131 kcal
From dry food
131 kcal
Dry food in grams
about 34 g
Treats (max 10%)
26 kcal
Meals
2 or more small meals

How: 70 × 4.54 kg0.75 = 218 kcal, × 1.2 (neutered adult) = 261 kcal.

Quick answer

A healthy 10 lb neutered adult cat needs about 260 calories a day. That’s about 3 cans of a 90 kcal wet food, or about ⅝ cup of a 400 kcal/cup dry food, or a mix: 1½ cans plus about ⅜ cup of dry. Check the calories on your cat’s food labels.

How do I use the cat food calculator?

  1. Enter your cat’s weight and choose its life stage.
  2. Choose how you split food: all wet, all dry, or a mix by calories.
  3. Enter the calories per can (or pouch) from the wet food label and kcal per cup from the dry food bag.
  4. Read cans and cups per day. For grams of dry food, open the optional section and add kcal per kg.
  5. Split the total into two or more meals and weigh your cat once a month.

What formula does the cat food calculator use?

RER = 70 × (weight in kg)0.75
Daily calories = RER × factor
Cans = daily calories × wet share ÷ kcal per can
Dry cups = daily calories × dry share ÷ kcal per cup
Cat factors used by the calculator (× RER)
CatFactor
Neutered adult1.2
Intact adult1.4
Inactive or obesity-prone1.0
Kitten2.5
Weight loss (vet plan, at ideal weight)0.8 (in the cat calorie calculator)

The factors are from the Merck Veterinary Manual’s maintenance energy table. As with dogs, real cats vary; two cats of the same weight can differ by 30% or more, so use the result as a start and adjust.

How is the calculation done?

For the default example, a 10 lb neutered adult, half wet (90 kcal/can) and half dry (400 kcal/cup, 3,800 kcal/kg):

  1. Convert weight: 10 lb ÷ 2.2046 = 4.54 kg.
  2. RER = 70 × 4.540.75 = 70 × 3.108 = 218 kcal.
  3. Neutered adult factor 1.2: 218 × 1.2 = 261 kcal a day.
  4. Split 50% wet: 261 × 0.50 = 131 kcal from wet, 131 kcal from dry.
  5. Wet: 131 ÷ 90 kcal per can = 1.5 cans (about 1½).
  6. Dry: 131 ÷ 400 kcal/cup = 0.33 = ⅜ cup, or 131 ÷ 3.8 kcal/g = 34 g.

Worked example: a 4 lb kitten on mostly wet food

A 4 lb (1.8 kg) kitten needs 70 × 1.80.75 × 2.5 = about 274 kcal a day. With 75% from wet food at 90 kcal per can and the rest from a 450 kcal/cup kitten kibble, that’s 2.3 cans plus ⅛ cup of dry, over 3–4 meals. Kittens grow quickly, so re-weigh every couple of weeks.

How much should a cat eat by weight?

Neutered adult cats: daily calories, all-wet and all-dry amounts
Weightkcal a dayCans (90 kcal)Dry cups (400 kcal)
6 lb1802.0½
8 lb2202.5½
10 lb2602.9⅝
12 lb3003.3¾
14 lb3353.7⅞

Read more in our guide: how much wet food to feed a cat.

When should you see your vet?

  • Your cat is overweight. A vet-supervised plan keeps weight loss safe.
  • Your cat skips meals for more than a day or loses weight without trying.
  • Your cat has kidney disease, diabetes, urinary crystals or another condition that needs a special diet.
  • You have a pregnant or nursing cat: energy needs rise a lot.

Frequently asked questions

How much wet food should I feed my cat?

A typical 10 lb neutered indoor cat needs about 230–290 kcal a day. With 3 oz cans at about 80–100 kcal each, that’s roughly 2½–3 cans if feeding only wet. Check your can’s label for its calories.

How do I split wet and dry food?

Choose what share of calories comes from wet, for example 50%. The calculator gives cans for that share and converts the rest to cups or grams of dry using your kibble’s kcal per cup.

How many times a day should I feed my cat?

Adult cats do well on two or more meals. Kittens need three or four. Several small meals can also help indoor cats manage weight.

Can my cat lose weight fast if I cut food a lot?

No. Rapid weight loss in cats can trigger a serious liver condition (hepatic lipidosis). Any weight-loss plan should be gradual and supervised by your vet.

Does a kitten need more food?

Yes. Kittens need about 2.5 times their resting energy, so choose “Kitten” in the calculator. Many vets are also fine with kittens eating freely from a bowl of kitten food.

Is wet food better than dry food for cats?

Both can be complete and balanced. Wet food adds water and is often more filling per calorie, which can help urinary health and weight. Dry food is cheaper and easier to leave out. Many owners feed a mix.

Sources

  1. Merck Veterinary Manual. Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals: cat MER factors (neutered 1.2, intact 1.4, obesity-prone 1.0, kitten 2.5 × RER). merckvetmanual.com
  2. Cline MG, et al. 2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats. JAAHA 2021;57(4):153–178. aaha.org
  3. WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee. Global Nutrition Guidelines and toolkit. wsava.org
  4. AAFCO. Understanding pet food labels: calorie content statement. aafco.org
  5. Merck Veterinary Manual. Hepatic Lipidosis in Cats. merckvetmanual.com

By Malik Khurram Last updated How we calculate

Vet disclaimer: These are estimates for healthy pets. Your vet knows your pet. Ask them before changing diet or care, especially for puppies, kittens, seniors, pregnant pets or pets with health conditions. Read our medical disclaimer.