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Cat Calorie Intake

Free Cat Calorie Intake calculator with clear step-by-step results.

About Cat Calorie Intake

Feline energy needs scale with metabolic body weight rather than weight itself, so the resting requirement uses the standard 70 x kg^0.75 relationship. A life-stage factor turns that into a maintenance requirement, and the food's energy density converts it into grams you can actually weigh.

Formulas

Resting energy requirement

RER = 70 x (body weight kg)^0.75

Daily requirement

Daily kcal = RER x life-stage factor

Worked example

With the default values below, Cat Calorie Intake returns Daily energy requirement of 260. Change any input above and every figure here is recalculated in your browser.

Inputs used

Cat's weightaccepts 0.2–15 kg
4.5 kg
Life stage and activityone of Kitten under 4 months, Kitten 4-12 months, Adult, neutered, Adult, intact, Senior, less active, Weight loss programme
Adult, neutered
Meals per dayaccepts 1–6
2
Food energy densityminimum 20 kcal/100g
380 kcal/100g

Results

Daily energy requirement
260 kcal
Resting energy requirement
216 kcal
Calories per meal
130 kcal
Food to weigh out each day
68.3 g

Step by step

  1. 1Values used
  2. 2Resting energy requirement
  3. 3Daily requirement
  4. 4Daily energy requirement= 260 kcal
  5. 5Resting energy requirement= 216 kcal
  6. 6Calories per meal= 130 kcal
  7. 7Food to weigh out each day= 68.3 g

Assumptions and limits

  • The result is derived only from the 4 inputs listed above. Anything not among them is not part of the calculation.
  • In particular, this calculator does not take inflation, tax, fees or charges or compounding frequency into account.
  • Figures are rounded for display to 1 decimal place, so totals built from several rounded parts can differ slightly from the unrounded arithmetic.
  • General guidance only. Energy needs vary with breed, health status, medication and pregnancy. Discuss any feeding change - especially weight loss - with your veterinarian.

How these calculators are built and tested is described on the Methodology page. If a figure looks wrong, please report it.

General guidance only. Energy needs vary with breed, health status, medication and pregnancy. Discuss any feeding change - especially weight loss - with your veterinarian.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why weigh food instead of using the scoop?

Cup markings on kibble vary by more than 20% with kibble size and settling. Cats maintain on 200-300 kcal a day, so that error is the difference between stable and obese.

My cat needs to lose weight - can I go below 0.8?

Not without veterinary supervision. Cats are prone to hepatic lipidosis when calories are cut sharply, so weight loss should be slow and monitored.

Related Calculators

Cat Calorie Intake – Calculate Daily energy requirement