Cat Food Portion Calculator
Calculate daily food portions for your cat based on weight, activity, and life stage.
What is a 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.