Advanced options
Uses the standard veterinary resting energy formula (70 x weight^0.75) with lifestyle multipliers. Check against your food's own feeding guide, split into at least two meals, and adjust to body condition. A guide, not veterinary advice; ask a vet about weight changes, kittens and health conditions.
What The Cat Food Calculator Works Out
- Daily calories: the veterinary resting energy requirement (70 x bodyweight in kg to the power 0.75) scaled by lifestyle: 1.2 for a neutered adult, 1.4 for an active outdoor cat and 2.5 for a growing kitten. A typical neutered 4kg cat needs around 240 kcal a day; neutering cuts energy needs by up to a third while increasing appetite, which is why packet guides skew generous.
- As dry food: those calories divided by the energy density of a typical dry food, 350 kcal per 100g, so about 70g a day for that 4kg cat. Weigh it once with kitchen scales: a "cup" is not a unit.
- As wet pouches: the same calories as standard 80 kcal pouches, rounded to the nearest half pouch, about three a day for a typical cat.
- Weight unit and body condition (advanced): enter the weight in pounds if you prefer, and feed 20% below maintenance for an overweight cat or 10% above for an underweight one. Ribs easily felt and a visible waist from above is the target; monthly body condition scoring beats any formula.
- Energy factor override (advanced): replace the lifestyle factor with one your vet has given you, for example 1.0 for a very inactive indoor cat.
- Your own food's energy (advanced): type the kcal per 100g of your dry food and the kcal per pouch or tin of your wet food from the label (pouches range from about 60 to 100 kcal, tins up to 300) so the grams and pouch counts match what you actually buy.
- Mixed feeding (advanced): set how many pouches a day you give and the calculator works out the dry top-up needed to make up the rest of the calories. Mixing has real benefits because wet food carries the water cats chronically under-drink.
- Per meal (advanced): the dry ration split across your chosen number of meals. Multiple small meals suit the grazing instinct; puzzle feeders slow the gobblers.
- Monthly costs (advanced): enter the dry price per kg and the price per pouch to compare feeding all dry, all wet or your mix, per month and per year. Wet-only feeding is typically two to three times the cost of dry-only.
- Weight sensitivity table (advanced): the calories, dry grams and pouches if the cat were 10% or 20% lighter or heavier. Unexplained weight change, especially in older cats, is a vet visit rather than a portion adjustment, as thyroid, kidney and dental disease all announce themselves at the food bowl. Cats must eat meat: taurine deficiency causes blindness and heart disease.
Source and further reading: PDSA pet health advice.