How many calories does a cat need?

Less than most people think. A typical indoor, neutered cat weighing 10 lb needs only around 260 kcal a day. That’s about three small 3 oz cans of wet food, or roughly two thirds of a cup of many dry foods. It’s easy to overshoot, and it’s a big part of why so many indoor cats are overweight.

This cat calorie calculator uses the two-step method vets use.

Step 1: resting energy requirement (RER). The energy your cat burns at complete rest:

RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75

Step 2: multiply for lifestyle. These multipliers come from the Merck Veterinary Manual and the Pet Nutrition Alliance:

Your cat	Multiplier
Adult, spayed or neutered	× 1.2
Adult, not neutered	× 1.4
Indoor or inactive, gains weight easily	× 1.0
Weight loss (using target weight)	× 0.8
Kitten, under 12 months	× 2.5

An example: Mochi is a 10 lb spayed indoor cat. 10 lb is 4.5 kg, so her RER is 70 × 4.5^0.75 ≈ 218 kcal. Multiplied by 1.2, she needs about 260 kcal a day, with treats kept under about 25 kcal of that.

Cat calorie chart by weight

Daily calorie targets for adult cats, rounded to the nearest 5 kcal. These assume the cat is already at a healthy weight. If yours is overweight, use the weight-loss setting or the cat weight calculator instead.

Body weight	Neutered adult	Not neutered	Inactive
6 lb (2.7 kg)	180	210	150
7 lb (3.2 kg)	200	235	165
8 lb (3.6 kg)	220	260	185
9 lb (4.1 kg)	240	280	200
10 lb (4.5 kg)	260	305	220
11 lb (5.0 kg)	280	325	235
12 lb (5.4 kg)	300	350	250
14 lb (6.4 kg)	335	390	280
16 lb (7.3 kg)	370	435	310

Why indoor cats need fewer calories

An outdoor cat might patrol, climb and hunt for hours. An indoor cat often sleeps 15 hours, eats, and naps again. Neutering lowers energy needs further and tends to raise appetite at the same time. That mix is why the “inactive” setting exists. If your indoor cat keeps gaining weight on the neutered-adult number, drop to inactive and check again in a month.

Kittens are different

Kittens need about two and a half times their resting energy while they grow, and their needs are highest when they’re young. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes kittens can also simply be fed free choice. Use the kitten setting with your kitten’s current weight and recheck every couple of weeks, because the number climbs fast. Not sure how old your kitten is? Try the kitten age calculator.

Treat the result as a starting point

Every formula is an average, and real cats vary. Feed the calculated amount for three to four weeks, weighing your cat every couple of weeks. Gaining? Trim about 10%. Losing when you don’t want to? Add 10%. And look at the cat too: from above you should see a waist behind the ribs, and you should feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat.

Never put a cat on a crash diet or let it go without food. Cats that suddenly eat very little can develop hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease), which can be life-threatening. Weight loss should be slow and planned with your vet.

Common questions

How many calories should a 10 lb cat eat?

About 260 kcal a day if spayed or neutered, nearer 305 if not, and about 220 if very inactive.

How many calories are in cat food?

It varies a lot. Small 3 oz cans of wet food often have somewhere around 70 to 100 kcal, and dry foods often land around 350 to 500 kcal per cup. Always check the label, which lists kcal per can or per cup.

Do senior cats need more or fewer calories?

It depends. Many middle-aged cats need fewer as they slow down, but some older cats lose weight and need more. Weigh regularly and let the scale guide you.

Should treats count?

Yes. Most vets suggest keeping treats under 10% of daily calories. The calculator shows that allowance separately.

Can I use this for dogs?

No, dogs use different multipliers. Try the dog calorie calculator.

Sources

Last reviewed November 5, 2026.