Feeding & Medication Planner

How much should my cat eat per day?

A cat’s energy needs depend on weight, life stage and activity. Vets calculate in two steps: first the resting requirement (RER), worked out as 70 × body weight in kilos to the power 0.75, and then the actual daily requirement (MER) by multiplying that resting requirement by a factor. A neutered adult cat gets a factor of about 1.2, an unneutered cat about 1.4, a growing kitten up to 2.5, and a cat that needs to lose weight about 0.8. The calculator above does this calculation for you and instantly translates the result into grams of wet food and kibble.

Important: these are guidelines for healthy cats. Every cat is different, so weigh your cat monthly and adjust. If weight is going up, give a little less; if your cat is unintentionally losing weight, have your vet take a look first.

How many grams of kibble does a cat need per day?

An average neutered adult cat of 4 kg needs about 240 kcal a day. Kibble contains around 375 kcal per 100 grams, so that works out to roughly 60–65 grams of kibble a day — much less than most people think. Always check the packaging of your own food too: calorie density varies by brand.

How much wet food per day for a cat?

Wet food contains only about 85 kcal per 100 grams on average, because it’s mostly moisture. That same 4 kg cat may therefore have around 280 grams of wet food a day, or just over three 85-gram pouches. A combination of wet and dry food is fine: wet food helps with moisture intake (good for the bladder and kidneys), and kibble is handy for food puzzles and dental care.

How do I know if my cat is too fat?

Don’t just look at the scale — feel and look: with the Body Condition Score (1–9) you assess whether the ribs are palpable under a thin layer of fat and whether your cat has a waist seen from above. Score 5 is ideal; each point above it roughly represents 10% excess weight. If you want your cat to lose weight, always do it under your vet’s guidance — losing weight too fast is dangerous for cats (fatty liver disease).

How much food does a cat on a diet get?

Less than you think — and here is the crucial part: you portion for the target weight, not the current one. Feed a 6 kg cat that should weigh 5 kg for its 6 kg, and you keep alive exactly the body you are trying to lose. The veterinary rule of thumb is 80% of the resting requirement at that target weight: for 5 kg that is roughly 190 kcal a day. The pace matters just as much: 0.5 to 1% of vets treat 0.5 to 2% of body weight a week as safe, and the planner deliberately aims at the lower half of that — for a 6 kg cat that means 30 to 60 grams a week. Above 2% it becomes dangerous, because a cat losing weight too quickly, or refusing food, can develop fatty liver disease (hepatic lipidosis). Expect a kilo to take months. The weight-loss plan in the planner above works this out for you, including the expected timeline, and picks up the target weight from the weight check if you have done one. Discuss the plan with your vet: excess weight often comes with a thyroid, joint or glucose problem.

How often should I feed my cat?

Spread the daily portion over at least 2–3 meals; several small portions best match the natural eating pattern of cats, which in the wild eat 10–15 small prey a day. Kittens and seniors prefer to eat even more often and in smaller amounts. Not sure whether a snack or scrap from the table is allowed? Check it first in Can My Cat Eat This?

These calculations are guidelines for healthy cats and do not replace veterinary advice. Always discuss dosing and diet — especially with medication, excess weight or illness — with your vet.