How many calories should a cat eat per day? It depends on weight, age, and how active the cat is — not on the breed name alone. A cat of 4 kg needs a different number of calories from one of 2 kg or 11 kg, and a puppy or kitten needs a different number from an adult or a senior. This guide is the calorie guide in words: the resting energy requirement (RER) formula vets use, the full calorie table for cats at every weight, how to turn calories into cups and grams, and how to tell whether the number is right for your individual cat. Every figure is an estimate, and the right amount is the one that keeps weight steady.
The short answer is that a typical neutered adult cat of 4 kg needs about 240 calories a day. The table below gives the figure at every weight from 2 kg to 11 kg, for every life stage, so you can find your cat's row and read the number. The rest of this guide explains what the number means, how to use it, and what to do when it does not seem right.
How the calorie formula works
Veterinary nutritionists start with the resting energy requirement, or RER — the calories a cat burns at rest in a neutral temperature, doing nothing at all. The formula is: RER equals 70 times body weight in kg to the power of 0.75. Daily needs are then the RER multiplied by a factor for life stage and activity: about 1.2 for a typical neutered indoor adult, about 1.4 for an intact adult, about 1.4 to 1.6 for an active or outdoor cat, about 2.5 for a kitten, and about 1.1 to 1.4 for a senior.
For a cat of 4 kg, the RER is 70 times 4 to the power of 0.75, which is about 200 calories a day. Multiply by the factor for the cat's life stage to get daily needs: a typical neutered adult of 4 kg needs about 240 calories a day, while the same cat doing long daily runs or working all day could need about 295. These factors are the standard ones used in veterinary nutrition, but they are still starting points. A cat that is mostly a couch companion needs less than one that is out all day, and a cat that has been neutered typically needs about 10–20% fewer calories than before. The right amount is the one that keeps weight steady: weigh the cat monthly, and if weight drifts up, cut food by about 10% and re-weigh in a month rather than changing everything at once.
Cat calories per day: the full table
Use the row nearest your cat's weight, then pick the column that matches the cat's life. If your cat is between two rows, take the lower figure first: it is easier to add food to a cat that is losing weight than to take weight off a cat that has gained it.
| Body weight | Neutered indoor adult (×1.2) | Intact adult (×1.4) | Active / outdoor (×1.5) | Kitten (×2.5) | Senior (×1.2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 kg | 140 | 165 | 175 | 295 | 140 |
| 2.5 kg | 165 | 195 | 210 | 350 | 165 |
| 3 kg | 190 | 225 | 240 | 400 | 190 |
| 4 kg | 240 | 275 | 295 | 495 | 240 |
| 5 kg | 280 | 330 | 350 | 585 | 280 |
| 6 kg | 320 | 375 | 405 | 670 | 320 |
| 8 kg | 400 | 465 | 500 | 830 | 400 |
| 11 kg | 505 | 590 | 635 | 1055 | 505 |
Note that calories are the real target and cups or grams are only a translation. Different foods have very different calorie densities, so always check the kcal per cup or per 100 g on your own bag or tin and work from that. A typical dry food is around 350 kcal per cup or per 100 g, and a typical wet food is around 70 to 100 kcal per 100 g — but your food may differ by a wide margin, and the bag's number always wins over this guide's. The the cat food calculator by weight and age guide gives the same numbers by weight and age, and the the cat feeding chart by weight guide gives them in chart form.
From calories to cups and grams
To turn calories into food, divide the daily calories by the kcal per cup or per 100 g on your own bag or tin. For a cat of 4 kg needing about 240 calories a day, that is roughly 0.7 cups or about 69 g of a typical dry food at 350 kcal per cup or per 100 g. If you feed wet food, the same cat would need roughly 282 g of wet food a day, at 70 to 100 kcal per 100 g. Mixed feeding is fine as long as the total calories add up — the common mistake is to give a full measure of dry food plus a full tin or pouch of wet food, which roughly doubles the ration.
Measure food with scales or a measuring cup, not a mug or a handful. A 'cup' in one house can be half as much again as a cup in another, and that hidden extra is often the whole reason a cat is overweight. Weigh the daily amount once, note what it looks like in your cup, and use that cup every time. Treats count too: they should stay under 10% of daily calories, which for a 4 kg cat is under about 25 calories of treats a day. The treat calorie calculator works out what a treat is worth, and the cat food calculator gives the daily figure for your cat's exact weight.
Calories by life stage
Kitten (up to about 12 months). A young animal needs more calories per kilo than an adult, because it is growing. Use the ×2.5 factor on the RER at the young animal's current weight, and re-weigh every two weeks, because the amount changes quickly as it grows. Feed a food labelled complete and balanced for kittens, in three to four meals a day until about six months, then two meals a day. Do not overfeed a young animal to make it grow faster: rapid growth and excess weight strain developing joints, and in a large-breed puppy that matters more than in a small one.
Adult (about 18 months to senior age for cats). Two meals a day, a complete adult food, measured amounts, and a monthly weigh-in. This is the stage where weight most often creeps up, because the cat has stopped growing but the owner keeps feeding young-animal amounts, or because exercise drops while food stays the same. If your cat is neutered, expect to cut food by roughly 10–20% after the operation and watch the waistline for the next few months.
Senior (from about 11 years). Older cats often need fewer calories — the ×1.1–1.4 range — because they move less, but they still need good protein to hold muscle. A senior food, or an adult food fed in a smaller amount with your vet's agreement, is usually right. Some seniors develop kidney or other health issues that change the diet entirely, which is a vet decision, not a food-brand decision. The the kitten feeding schedule by age guide and the the how much food should a senior cat eat guide cover the young and senior stages in detail.
When the calorie number does not seem right
If the number in the table does not match your cat — the cat is gaining weight on the table's figure, or losing weight on it — the table is not wrong, but the factor is: your cat's activity, neuter status, or health is different from the table's assumption. A cat that is gaining weight on the neutered adult figure needs the senior or weight-loss factor, or a smaller portion, and a cat that is losing weight on it needs a higher factor or a vet check. Weigh the cat monthly, feel the ribs, and look for a waist from above and from the side: you should feel the ribs easily under a thin layer of fat. If you cannot feel the ribs or there is no waist, the cat is probably overweight — cut food by about 10%, keep treats under 10% of daily calories, and ask your vet to set a target weight.
Do not feed by the packet's chart alone: packet charts are generous, because they are written for active animals and rounded up, so treat them as a maximum, not a target. And do not change the diet suddenly if the number seems wrong — change the amount by about 10%, wait a month, and re-weigh. Slow, measured change is how weight is managed safely. The cat ideal weight calculator gives a target weight range.
For related reading, see the cat food calculator, the the cat food calculator by weight and age guide, the the cat feeding chart by weight guide, the cat ideal weight calculator, the treat calorie calculator, the the how much food should a senior cat eat guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many calories should a cat eat per day?
A typical neutered adult cat of 4 kg needs about 240 calories a day, using the RER formula with the 1.2 factor. Find your cat's weight in the table above for the exact figure, and adjust by body condition and your vet's advice — active, intact, young, and senior cats all differ.
How do I work out calories for my cat's exact weight?
Take the RER — 70 times weight in kg to the power of 0.75 — and multiply by the factor for your cat's life stage from the table above. Or use the cat food calculator, which does the same calculation for any weight, and the the cat food calculator by weight and age guide for the full table by weight and age.
How many calories are in a cup of cat food?
It depends on the food: a typical dry food is around 350 kcal per cup or per 100 g, and a typical wet food is around 70 to 100 kcal per 100 g, but foods vary widely. Always check the kcal per cup or per 100 g on your own bag or tin and work from that — the bag's number always wins over this guide's.
How many calories should a kitten eat per day?
Use the RER formula with a factor of about 2.5 for kittens, applied to the young animal's current weight and re-checked every two weeks as it grows. A food labelled complete and balanced for kittens is the right base.
How many calories should a senior cat eat per day?
Older cats often need fewer calories — the ×1.1–1.4 range — because they move less, but they still need good protein to hold muscle. A senior food, or an adult food fed in a smaller amount with your vet's agreement, is usually right. If your cat has a health condition, ask your vet before choosing a special diet.
How do I know if my cat is eating the right amount?
Weigh the cat monthly and feel the ribs: you should feel them easily under a thin layer of fat, and see a waist from above and from the side. If weight is steady and the cat is in good condition, the amount is right. If weight drifts up or down, change the amount by about 10% and re-weigh in a month.
Results on this page are estimates for general information only and are not veterinary advice. If your pet is ill, underweight, overweight, pregnant, or has a health condition, consult your veterinarian before changing diet or care.