How Many Calories Should a Cat Eat Per Day

Updated October 2026 · Energy factors: this site's calculator, following the NRC energy equations

A neutered indoor cat of typical activity needs roughly 191 kcal a day at 3 kg, 238 kcal at 4 kg, 281 kcal at 5 kg and 322 kcal at 6 kg. The weight of the cat matters less than people expect: the spread across those four weights is about 130 kcal, while the step from an indoor cat to an outdoor one is worth about 40 kcal at 4 kg on its own.

If you want the number for your own cat, the cat food portion calculator does it in one step. This page explains where that figure comes from, and where it does not apply. (How cats and dogs differ is a separate comparison: cat vs dog calorie needs.)

Where the number comes from

Two steps, the same two the calculator runs. First the resting energy requirement:

RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75

Then a multiplier for life stage, neutering and activity. For an adult cat that multiplier is 1.0 for a low-activity indoor cat, 1.2 for a typical indoor cat, and 1.4 for an active or outdoor cat.

Daily calories by weight

Neutered adult cat, by activity

Body weight	Low activity (1.0 × RER)	Typical indoor (1.2 × RER)	Active / outdoor (1.4 × RER)
3 kg (7 lb)	160 kcal	191 kcal	223 kcal
4 kg (9 lb)	198 kcal	238 kcal	277 kcal
5 kg (11 lb)	234 kcal	281 kcal	328 kcal
6 kg (13 lb)	268 kcal	322 kcal	376 kcal

Resting energy requirement, left to right: 159.6 · 198.0 · 234.1 · 268.4 kcal. Figures come from this site's calculator, which uses the NRC resting energy equation with the usual life-stage and activity multipliers.

The other profiles, in one place

Intact (not neutered) cats need one step more than neutered ones: 1.2 at low activity, 1.4 at typical, 1.6 when active. Put another way, an intact cat at typical activity needs what a neutered cat needs when active.

Kittens are a different calculation again: 2.5 × RER under four months and 2.0 × RER from four to twelve months. The kitten feeding schedule has the amounts and the meal pattern by age.

Weight loss is fed at 0.8 × RER of the cat's ideal weight, never its current weight. How to help a cat lose weight sets out the rate that is safe.

A note on cats over eleven

Senior cats get a single multiplier here: 1.1 × RER, whatever their activity level. That is a simplification, and the published framework is more useful than our single number.

The AAFP/AAHA feline life stage guidelines put the requirement at about 1.0 × RER for a middle-aged cat (7 to 10) and 1.10 to 1.25 × RER for a cat over ten — because older cats digest less efficiently, lose muscle, and often need more energy to hold their condition, not less. Our 1.1 sits at the bottom of that band.

Which is why the step from a young adult (1.2 ×) to a senior (1.1 ×) reads here as a small reduction. Read it as the floor rather than the target: a cat over ten that is losing weight or muscle should be fed up towards 1.2–1.25 ×, not down. The full picture, including the checks that come with it, is on the senior cat nutrition page.

Why the cat figure is not the dog figure

Same equation, different multipliers — and the gap is wide enough that swapping them matters. A 4 kg cat at typical indoor activity needs about 238 kcal a day. A 4 kg dog needs about 317 kcal at the same life stage and activity: a third more, for the same body weight. Cat vs dog calorie needs works through where that gap comes from.

Turning calories into food

The calories are the target; the grams depend on the food in the bowl. For dry food, the cat food portion calculator converts the figure using the kcal per cup on your bag. For wet food, the wet food page does it in cans. Treats come out of the same daily budget — see cat treat calories. And whether the cat is carrying the right amount is a body condition question, not a scale question.

When it is not a calorie problem

A cat that is losing weight while eating normally is not a feeding problem. That pattern points at hyperthyroidism, chronic kidney disease or diabetes, and it needs a blood test rather than more food. The same goes for a cat that stops eating for more than a day: a cat that stops eating can develop hepatic lipidosis, which is an emergency and not something to wait out.

When a diet is genuinely needed, 0.5–2% of body weight per week is the safe rate of loss, and the starting weight should be the cat's ideal weight, not the number on the scale today. Both of those should be set with your vet rather than self-managed.

One practical note: if a cat is more than about 20% above its ideal weight, the calculator deliberately stops rather than return a number. That is not a limitation — it marks the point where home weight management stops being the right tool and the plan belongs with a vet. How to help a cat lose weight covers what happens instead.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories does an indoor cat need?

A neutered indoor cat of typical activity needs about 191 kcal a day at 3 kg, 238 kcal at 4 kg, 281 kcal at 5 kg and 322 kcal at 6 kg. An indoor cat that moves very little needs about 1.0 × resting energy instead of 1.2 ×, which comes to roughly 198 kcal at 4 kg.

Do indoor cats need fewer calories than outdoor cats?

Yes. The multiplier is 1.2 × resting energy for a typical indoor cat and 1.4 × for an active or outdoor cat — at 4 kg that is 238 kcal against 277 kcal, about 40 kcal a day. An indoor cat that is also inactive drops to 1.0 ×, or about 198 kcal at 4 kg.

How many calories should I feed my cat to lose weight?

Weight loss is fed at 0.8 × the resting energy requirement of the cat's ideal weight, not its current weight. For a cat whose ideal weight is 4 kg that is about 158 kcal a day. Safe loss is 0.5–2% of body weight per week, and the plan should be set with your vet.

Is a cat's calorie need the same as a dog's?

No. The equation is the same, but the multipliers are not. A 4 kg cat at typical activity needs about 238 kcal; a 4 kg dog needs about 317 kcal — a third more for the same body weight.

Source

Energy factors: this site's calculator, which follows the NRC Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats energy equations and the WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines, applied as a two-step resting-energy calculation. The senior figure and its comparison against the AAFP/AAHA 2021 feline life stage guidelines are set out in full on the senior cat nutrition page. This page is general information, not veterinary medical advice.