How much should I feed my cat?

Start with calories, not cups. An average spayed or neutered indoor cat of 10 lb needs about 261 kcal a day. How much food that is depends entirely on the food. Wet food is mostly water, so a can holds far fewer calories than the same weight of kibble. Two dry foods can also differ by 30% or more per cup.

So this cat food calculator works out your cat’s calorie needs first, using the RER formula vets use, then splits them between wet and dry food in whatever mix you choose, using the calories printed on your labels.

An example: Mochi weighs 10 lb and needs about 261 kcal a day. Her owner keeps 10% back for treats, leaving 235 kcal, and feeds half wet, half dry. With 85 kcal cans and 400 kcal-per-cup kibble, that’s about 1 ½ cans of wet food and ¼ cup of dry food a day.

How much wet food to feed a cat

For a wet-only diet, divide your cat’s daily calories by the kcal in one can. With typical 3 oz cans of around 85 kcal, a 10 lb neutered cat needs roughly 3 cans a day. Bigger 5.5 oz cans hold more, so check the label rather than counting cans.

Wet food has real advantages for many cats. The extra water helps cats that don’t drink much, and the lower calorie density can make it easier to keep weight down. Opened cans keep in the fridge for a day or so with a lid on. Many cats prefer it slightly warmed to room temperature.

Cat feeding chart

This chart is for spayed or neutered adult cats at a healthy weight, with no treats. It assumes 85 kcal per can of wet food and 400 kcal per cup of dry. Your food will differ, so use the calculator for exact numbers.

Cat weight	kcal a day	Wet only (cans)	Dry only (cups)	Half and half
6 lb	178	2	½	1 + ¼
8 lb	221	2 ½	½	1 ¼ + ¼
10 lb	261	3	⅝	1 ½ + ⅜
12 lb	299	3 ½	¾	1 ¾ + ⅜
14 lb	336	4	⅞	2 + ⅜

Kitten feeding

Kittens need about two and a half times their resting energy while growing. Choose “Kitten” in the calculator and use their current weight, then recalculate every couple of weeks as they grow. Most kittens do best on three or four small meals a day until about six months old, and many vets are happy for kittens to free-feed dry kitten food. Use our kitten age calculator to check where your kitten should be.

Is the label’s feeding guide wrong?

Not wrong, but generous. Feeding guides are written for a broad range of cats, often more active than a typical indoor pet. If your cat is slowly getting rounder on the label amount, calculating is the fix. If your cat needs to lose weight, the cat weight calculator works out a safe plan.

Never cut a cat’s food sharply or switch to a starvation diet. Cats that stop eating can develop fatty liver disease. Change portions gradually, and see a vet if your cat stops eating for more than a day.

Common questions

How much dry food should a cat eat a day?

For a 10 lb neutered cat and a food with about 400 kcal per cup, roughly ⅝ cup a day. Foods vary, so check your bag’s kcal per cup.

Is it OK to mix wet and dry cat food?

Yes, and many vets like the combination. Just count the calories from both, which is exactly what the calculator does.

How many times a day should I feed my cat?

Two meals suits most adult cats. Some do better with three or four smaller meals, especially those that gulp food or beg constantly.

Where do I find the calories on cat food?

Look near the guaranteed analysis or feeding guide for “Calorie content (ME)”. Wet food lists kcal per can, dry food lists kcal per kg and usually per cup.

My cat always seems hungry. Should I feed more?

Go by body shape and the scale, not begging. Splitting the same amount into more meals, or using a puzzle feeder, often helps more than adding food.

Sources

Last reviewed November 5, 2026.