How much food should a shorthair cat eat? It depends on weight, age, and how active the cat is — not on the coat length alone. Shorthair cats are the largest group on this site, with 44 breeds, from about 2 kg to about 11 kg as adults, so daily food for a typical neutered indoor adult in the group ranges from roughly 140 to roughly 505 calories a day. This guide works it out properly: the resting energy requirement (RER) formula vets use, the calorie table for shorthair cats at different weights, grams per day, feeding by life stage, and the mistakes that most often lead to an overweight shorthair cat.
Coat length does not change how much a cat should eat: a shorthair cat and a longhair cat of the same weight need the same calories. What changes the amount is weight, age, and activity — a calm indoor cat burns far less than an active one that plays hard and patrols a garden, so two shorthair cats of the same weight can need quite different amounts of food. Use the tables below as a starting point, then adjust by body condition: you should be able to feel the ribs easily under a thin layer of fat and see a waist from above and from the side. The figures in this guide are ranges from the breed data on this site, and every calorie figure is an estimate.
How many calories does a shorthair cat need?
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 shorthair cat at the middle of the group's weight range, about 6 kg, the RER is about 285 calories a day, so a typical neutered indoor adult needs about 340 calories a day, while the same cat living an active outdoor life could need about 425. These factors are the standard ones used in veterinary nutrition, but they are still starting points. A cat that sleeps most of the day indoors needs less than one that hunts, climbs, and plays for hours, 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.
Shorthair cat daily calories by weight
Use the row nearest your cat's weight, then pick the column that matches the cat's life. A kitten's row is different — see the life-stage section below — and a pregnant or nursing cat needs considerably more, which your vet should set individually.
| Body weight | Neutered indoor adult (×1.2) | Intact adult (×1.4) | Active / outdoor (×1.5) | Weight loss (×0.9) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 kg | 140 | 165 | 175 | 105 |
| 3 kg | 190 | 225 | 240 | 145 |
| 4 kg | 240 | 275 | 295 | 180 |
| 5 kg | 280 | 330 | 350 | 210 |
| 6 kg | 320 | 375 | 405 | 240 |
| 8 kg | 400 | 465 | 500 | 300 |
| 11 kg | 505 | 590 | 635 | 380 |
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. Note that calories are the real target and grams are only a translation. Different foods have very different calorie densities, so always check the kcal per 100 g on your own bag or tin and work from that. The grams figures below assume a typical dry food at around 350 kcal per 100 g — a common figure, but your food may differ, and the packet's number always wins over this guide's.
How much food in grams per day
| Body weight | Calories (neutered indoor adult) | Grams of dry food per day |
|---|---|---|
| 2 kg | 140 kcal | 40 g |
| 3 kg | 190 kcal | 54 g |
| 4 kg | 240 kcal | 69 g |
| 5 kg | 280 kcal | 80 g |
| 6 kg | 320 kcal | 91 g |
| 8 kg | 400 kcal | 114 g |
| 11 kg | 505 kcal | 144 g |
Split the daily amount into two meals for an adult shorthair cat — morning and evening — or use a puzzle feeder so the cat works for its food, which slows eating and adds mental stimulation. If you feed wet food, use the tin's kcal figure to convert: a typical wet food is around 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 pouch of wet food, which roughly doubles the ration. Measure food with scales, not a scoop or a handful: a scoop in one house can be half as much again as a scoop in another, and that hidden extra is often the whole reason a cat is overweight. Treats should stay under 10% of daily calories.
Shorthair breeds on this site
There are 44 shorthair breeds on this site, from about 2 kg to about 11 kg as adults, with typical lifespans from 9 to 20 years. Eight of the best-known are in the table below; the full list is on the cat breeds hub.
| Breed | Size | Typical adult weight | Typical lifespan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Siamese | Medium | 3–5 kg | 12–15 years |
| British Shorthair | Medium | 4–8 kg | 12–17 years |
| Bengal | Medium | 4–7 kg | 12–16 years |
| Scottish Fold | Medium | 3–6 kg | 11–14 years |
| Abyssinian | Medium | 3–5 kg | 12–15 years |
| Russian Blue | Medium | 3–5 kg | 15–20 years |
| American Shorthair | Medium | 3–7 kg | 15–17 years |
| Oriental Shorthair | Small | 3–5 kg | 12–15 years |
The breed does not change the feeding maths — a Siamese at 3 to 5 kg and a Savannah at 5 to 11 kg both follow the same RER formula, at different weights. What the breed changes is the weight to use in the formula, and sometimes the activity level: a very active breed such as a Bengal or an Abyssinian may need the active factor, while a calmer breed such as a British Shorthair may need only the neutered indoor factor. Judge the individual cat, not the breed label, and adjust by body condition.
Feeding a shorthair cat by life stage
Kitten (up to about 12 months). A shorthair kitten grows fast and needs a kitten food — one labelled complete and balanced for kittens — fed in three to four meals a day until about six months, then two meals a day. Use the ×2.5 factor on the RER at the kitten's current weight, and re-weigh every two weeks, because the amount changes quickly as the kitten grows. Do not overfeed a kitten: excess weight in kittenhood sets up weight problems for life. The kitten cat food calculator guide covers the same ground in more detail.
Adult (about 1 to 10 years). 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 kitten amounts, or because the cat becomes indoor-only while food stays the same. If your shorthair 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. Mention any change in appetite, thirst, or weight to your vet promptly rather than adjusting food on your own. The senior cat food calculator guide explains how to adjust portions for an older cat.
Common feeding mistakes with shorthair cats
The most common mistake is free-feeding — leaving a full bowl of dry food down all day. It makes it impossible to know how much the cat has eaten, it hides appetite changes that are often the first sign of illness, and it is the fastest route to an overweight cat. The second is feeding by the packet's chart alone: packet charts are generous, because they are written for active cats and rounded up, so treat them as a maximum, not a target. The third is treat creep: a treat here, a piece of cheese there, and the cat's daily calories rise by a quarter without anyone noticing. The fourth is milk: most adult cats cannot digest lactose well, and milk is not a substitute for water — fresh water should always be available. The fifth is switching foods suddenly, which upsets digestion — change foods gradually over a week, mixing the old and new in increasing proportions.
Foods a shorthair cat should never eat include onions, garlic, leeks, and chives; chocolate and cocoa; grapes and raisins; xylitol; alcohol; and raw fish or raw meat that has not been handled safely. Lilies are also highly toxic to cats — even the pollen — so keep lilies out of a house with a cat. If your cat eats any of these, call your vet or an animal poison line straight away. Cats are obligate carnivores, so their food must contain animal protein and nutrients such as taurine that cats cannot make themselves — a dog food, or a vegetarian diet, is not safe for a cat. The cat food calculator works out the figure for your cat's exact weight, and the small cat breeds food guide gives the same numbers for the smallest cats.
For related reading, see the cat food calculator, the small cat breeds food guide, the kitten cat food calculator guide, the cat breeds hub, the Siamese food guide, the senior cat food calculator guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much food should a shorthair cat eat per day?
A typical neutered indoor adult shorthair cat needs about 240 calories a day at 4 kg and about 320 at 6 kg, using the RER formula with the 1.2 factor. At the ends of the group's weight range the figure is about 140 calories at 2 kg and about 505 at 11 kg. Adjust by body condition and your vet's advice — active, intact, kitten, and senior cats all differ.
How many times a day should I feed a shorthair cat?
Two meals a day for an adult shorthair cat, morning and evening, or the same daily amount in a puzzle feeder. Kittens need three to four meals a day until about six months, then two. Free-feeding — leaving food down all day — makes portion control and appetite monitoring much harder.
How do I know if my shorthair cat is overweight?
Feel the ribs: you should feel them easily under a thin layer of fat without pressing hard. Look from above for a visible waist behind the ribs, and from the side for a tummy tuck. 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. The cat ideal weight calculator gives a starting range.
Can a shorthair cat drink milk?
Most adult cats cannot digest lactose well, so milk often causes an upset stomach and adds calories the cat does not need. Fresh water is what a cat needs — offer it in a clean bowl, away from the litter tray, and consider a water fountain if your cat prefers running water. Kittens should have their mother's milk or a vet-recommended kitten milk replacer, never cow's milk.
What foods are toxic to shorthair cats?
Onions and garlic, chocolate, grapes and raisins, xylitol, alcohol, and lilies — even lily pollen — are all dangerous for cats. If your cat eats any of them, call your vet or an animal poison line immediately and tell them what was eaten, how much, and when.
Does coat length change how much a cat should eat?
No. A shorthair cat and a longhair cat of the same weight need the same calories, because the RER formula depends on weight, age, and activity, not on coat. What changes the amount is the cat's weight — in this group, from about 2 kg to about 11 kg — and how active it is.
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.