Boneyard Tools

Cat Food Portion Calculator

Estimate your cat's daily calories and the dry or wet food that meets them. Enter weight, an activity factor and your food's calories per cup or can. This is a general guide, so adjust to keep a healthy body condition and ask your vet about diet plans.

How to use the cat food portion calculator

  1. Enter your cat's weight in pounds or kilograms.
  2. Pick an activity factor (1.2 suits a typical indoor neutered cat).
  3. Enter the calories per cup and/or per can from the label.
  4. Read the daily calories and the suggested cups or cans per day.

Examples

4.5 kg indoor neutered cat

Weight 4.5 kg, activity factor 1.2, food 300 kcal per cup
Resting energy about 216 kcal, daily energy about 260 kcal, roughly 0.87 cups per day

Wet food feeding

Weight 4.5 kg, food 80 kcal per can
About 3.24 cans per day to meet the same daily energy

Frequently asked questions

How is the daily calorie need calculated?

It starts from the resting energy requirement, RER = 70 times body weight in kg to the power 0.75, then multiplies by an activity factor. The default factor of 1.2 reflects an indoor neutered cat at maintenance.

What activity factor should I use?

Common factors are about 1.0 for weight loss, 1.2 for an indoor neutered cat, 1.4 for an active or intact cat, and higher for kittens. Pregnant or nursing cats need much more. Pick the one that best fits your cat.

Can I feed a mix of wet and dry food?

Yes. This tool shows cups and cans separately to meet the full daily energy with each on its own. If you mix them, split the daily calories between the two and feed a partial amount of each.

How accurate is this estimate?

Treat it as a general starting point. Real needs vary with age, neuter status, metabolism, body condition and health. Weigh your cat and watch body condition over a few weeks, then adjust the amount as needed.

How often should I feed my cat?

Many cats do well with two meals a day or small frequent portions. Divide the daily amount across meals. For diet, weight or medical questions, consult your veterinarian.

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