How much should I feed my cat each day?
This cat food calculator works out how many calories your cat needs and turns them into amounts you can actually measure: grams of dry food, grams of wet food, pouches or cans, and cups. Most cats today eat a mix of wet and dry, so you choose what share of the calories comes from each and the tool splits the day for you.
It uses the veterinary method — resting energy requirement from body weight, multiplied by a life-stage factor from the 2021 AAHA nutrition guidelines and the Merck Veterinary Manual. You type the calorie content from your own labels, so it works with any brand and any country: kcal per kg on US and Indian packs, kcal per 100 g on UK and European ones.
Treat the result as a starting point. Cats are individuals, and indoor neutered cats in particular often need less than any formula says, so a kitchen scale and a monthly weigh-in matter more than the exact number.
How to use the Cat Food Calculator
- Enter your cat’s current weight in kg or lb.
- Choose the life stage and lifestyle; the energy factor fills in with its published range. For weight loss, also enter the target weight.
- Move the wet food slider to the share of calories you want from wet food — 0% for dry only, 100% for wet only.
- Type the energy from the dry and wet labels, choosing kcal per kg or per 100 g, and the pouch or can size.
- Read the grams of each food, the number of pouches and, if you entered kcal per cup, the cups of dry food.
Cat Food Calculator features
Wet and dry split by calories
Splitting by calories, not by weight, keeps the total right — wet food has a quarter of the energy of dry per gram.
UK, US and Indian labels
Each food has its own unit: kcal per kg or kcal per 100 g, plus pouch size and optional kcal per cup.
Seven life stages
Neutered, intact, inactive, weight loss, kitten, pregnant and nursing, each with the AAHA or Merck factor and range.
Every step shown
RER, the factor, the treat allowance and the wet/dry split are written out so you or your vet can check them.
kg or lb
Switch units at any time; the weight converts and your choice is remembered.
Formula and worked example
RER = 70 × weight in kg0.75 kcal a day, the energy a cat uses at rest. Daily needs = RER × a factor. A 4.5 kg neutered adult: 4.50.75 = 3.09, so RER = 216 kcal and × 1.2 = about 260 kcal a day.
Fed half and half: 130 kcal of dry food at 3,800 kcal/kg is 34 g; 130 kcal of wet food at 85 kcal per 100 g is 153 g — just under two 85 g pouches.
| Cat | Default factor | Published range |
|---|---|---|
| Neutered adult | 1.2 | AAHA 1.2–1.4; Merck 1.2 |
| Intact adult | 1.4 | AAHA 1.4–1.6; Merck 1.4 |
| Inactive or obesity-prone | 1.0 | AAHA 1.0; Merck 1.0 |
| Weight loss | 0.8 at target weight | AAHA 0.8 |
| Kitten | 2.5 | AAHA, Merck 2.5 (or free choice) |
| Pregnant | 2.0 | AAHA 1.6–2.0; PNA 2–3 |
| Nursing | 3.0 | AAHA 2.0–6.0 |
Sources and limits
Factors: AAHA 2021 Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats; Merck Veterinary Manual, “Daily Maintenance Energy Requirements for Dogs and Cats”; Pet Nutrition Alliance (PNA), “Calculating Calories Based on Pet Needs”. Checked October 2026. AAHA notes that indoor and sedentary cats may need less.
The tool does not cover cats with kidney disease, diabetes, hyperthyroidism or other conditions — those need a diet plan from your vet. Pregnant and nursing queens and young kittens are usually allowed to eat freely.
Tips for feeding cats well
- Weigh dry food on a kitchen scale; scoops and cups can be 20% or more out.
- Wet food adds water to the diet, which many vets like for cats that drink little.
- Keep treats to 10% of calories or less, and count them in the slider.
- For weight loss, aim for slow, steady progress agreed with your vet. Cats that suddenly stop eating can develop hepatic lipidosis, a dangerous liver condition.
- Feeding a dog too? Use the dog food calculator — dogs use different factors.
Cat Food Calculator FAQ
How do I use the cat food calculator for dry food only?
Move the wet food slider to 0%. All the calories then come from the dry food; add kcal per cup from the label if you measure with a cup.
How many pouches should my cat have a day?
It depends on the pouch’s calories. A typical 4.5 kg neutered cat needs about 260 kcal; at 85 kcal per 100 g that is about 305 g, or three and a half 85 g pouches if fed wet only.
My label shows kJ, not kcal. What do I do?
Divide kJ by 4.184 to get kcal. For example, 1,600 kJ per 100 g is about 382 kcal per 100 g.
How much should a kitten eat?
Kittens need about 2.5 times their resting energy, and many vets suggest letting them eat freely while they grow. Re-weigh often, as the amount changes every few weeks.
Is this the same as my vet’s advice?
No — it is general information. Ask your vet, especially for kittens, overweight or underweight cats, pregnant or nursing cats and cats with any illness. To see how old your cat is in human years, try the cat age calculator.