Cat food calculator

Healthy-adult estimate: we estimate resting energy with RER = 70 × weight in kg^0.75, then multiply by an adult maintenance factor. This is a general starting point; individual needs vary.

Your calorie target: we use the whole-day kcal amount you enter. Weight, neuter status, and maintenance factors are not used in this mode. A supplied target is not validated as suitable by this tool.

The starting factors below come from the Merck Veterinary Manual’s maintenance-energy table. “Obesity prone” is a separate maintenance category for a pet currently at ideal weight. It is not an automatic deficit or a synonym for low activity.

Neutered adult

Dog: 1.6 × RER · Cat: 1.2 × RER

Intact adult

Dog: 1.8 × RER · Cat: 1.4 × RER

Obesity prone, ideal weight

Dog: 1.4 × RER · Cat: 1.0 × RER

Published methods and individual animals differ. This calculator uses one documented starting method, not a universal requirement. Breed names never trigger hidden multipliers.

Food calories = daily budget − entered extras − calories from the optional fixed food. Divide the remainder by the food’s labeled calories per unit.

• kcal/cup, can, pouch, tray, or oz gives that unit directly.
• kcal/kg: multiply the calorie ratio by 1,000 to get grams.
• kcal/100 g: multiply the calorie ratio by 100 to get grams.
• If you provide grams per cup, cups × grams per cup gives grams. One weight ounce is 28.349523125 g; fluid ounces are not supported.
• Pounds × 0.45359237 gives kilograms. Intermediate values are not rounded.

Mixed feeding keeps the amount you specify for one food and calculates the remainder for the other. It does not choose a wet/dry ratio. Both food amounts are split equally across your selected meals. Display rounding can make rounded meal amounts differ slightly from the displayed daily total.

The automatic mode covers healthy, fully grown household cats at ideal weight. It does not set targets for kittens, senior pets needing individual review, pregnancy, nursing, underweight or overweight pets, medical or therapeutic-diet needs, serious illness, recovery, or unusual activity and metabolism. Use situation-specific advice and the target converter if appropriate.

Automatic weight inputs support 0.5–120 kg for dogs and 0.5–20 kg for cats. Supplied targets accept 1–20,000 kcal/day and meal splits accept 1–12 whole meals. These are software scope and typo guards, not healthy ranges or feeding recommendations.

Food-label input ceilings are 2,000 kcal/cup or pouch, 5,000 kcal/can or tray, 10,000 kcal/kg, 1,000 kcal/100 g, and 300 kcal/oz. Values below 0.01 are not supported. Grams per cup accepts 0.01–1,000. Check unusual values against the manufacturer’s label rather than trying to work around a validation message.

The tool flags extras above 10% of the daily budget, consistent with AAHA guidance on protecting the main diet’s nutrient balance. Enter actual calories; we do not infer them from a treat name. AAHA also recommends gram scales over cup measurements for greater precision. Use a reliable calorie density or food-specific cup weight before converting to grams.

• Merck Veterinary Manual: maintenance energy factors
• Merck Veterinary Manual: RER and individual variation
• AAHA: extras and food measurement
• AAFCO: reading calorie information on labels

We prioritize professional veterinary guidance and primary documentation for the method, and the manufacturer’s label for food energy. Source checks do not amount to professional review or endorsement of this calculator.