Cat Food Portion Calculator
Calculate daily food portions for your cat based on weight, activity, and life stage.
What is Cat Food Portion Calculator?
The cat food portion calculator applies similar math to dogs but with cat-specific multipliers (cats eat less per pound than dogs).
Formula
RER = 70 × kg^0.75. DER = RER × stage × activity. Cats: ~1.4× RER for adults.
Worked example
10-lb adult cat, moderate activity: 4.5 kg → RER 217 kcal → DER 304 kcal. At 380 kcal/cup: 0.8 cup/day. Or 10 oz wet food.
How to use this calculator
- Enter cat weight and life stage.
- Pick activity level.
- Daily portion in cups (or wet food ounces) appears.
Frequently asked questions
Wet vs dry food?
Wet has more water (good for hydration), fewer calories per ounce. Dry is shelf-stable, can leave out, but less moisture. Mix often works best.
Free-feed cats?
Indoor cats often graze rather than eat at set times. Free-feeding works for non-overweight cats. If your cat is gaining weight, switch to scheduled meals.
How many meals per day?
Adults: 2 meals. Kittens: 3–4. Senior cats: 2–3 smaller meals if dental issues. Consistency reduces begging behavior.
Cat-specific nutrition?
Cats are obligate carnivores — they need meat. Avoid dog food (lacks taurine). Cats need higher protein (35–50% of diet) than dogs.