01/10/2026
Cat Calorie Requirements – How Many Grams of Food Should You Feed Your Cat?
Are you wondering what your cat’s calorie requirements are and how to translate them into the right amount of food in their bowl? There is no one-size-fits-all answer to how many grams of food you should feed your cat. It all depends on their weight, age, activity level, and whether they have been spayed or neutered. You can estimate your cat’s energy requirements using the RER and DER formulas, but it is always best to follow the manufacturer’s feeding guidelines on the packaging, as these take into account the actual calorie content of the specific recipe.
Table of Contents
Cat Calorie Requirements – What Factors Affect Them?
How to Calculate Your Cat’s Calorie Requirements
How Much Food Should You Feed Your Cat Daily? Carnilove Dry Food Examples
How Many Grams of Wet Food Should You Feed Your Cat? Carnilove Product Examples
Cat Calorie Requirements – Summary
Cat Calorie Requirements – What Factors Affect Them?
When determining how many grams of food to put in your cat’s bowl, consider the following factors:
Breed – the larger the cat, the higher its energy requirements.
Age – growing kittens need up to 2–2.5 times more calories per kilogram of body weight than adult cats.
Activity level – cats that spend a lot of time playing burn more energy than less active cats.
Spaying/neutering – after the procedure, a cat’s metabolism slows down, and its calorie requirements may decrease by up to 30%. This is why manufacturers offer specially formulated food for sterilised cats.
The type of food you feed your cat also matters. Dry food has a higher energy density than wet food, which means smaller portions are needed by weight. For example:
3,875 kcal/kg for Carnilove Active complete dry food with salmon and turkey for adult cats.
1,025 kcal/kg for Carnilove Cat Can Paté complete wet food with salmon and turkey.
Find out how many times a day you should feed your cat.
How to Calculate Your Cat’s Calorie Requirements
To calculate how much food your cat needs each day, you can use two formulas commonly used by animal nutrition specialists: Resting Energy Requirement (RER) and Daily Energy Requirement (DER).
Resting Energy Requirement (RER)
RER represents the basic amount of energy your cat needs while at rest. It is calculated using your cat’s current body weight:
RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75
Daily Energy Requirement (DER)
DER takes into account your cat’s life stage and actual activity level. To calculate it, multiply the previously calculated RER by the appropriate factor.
Cat characteristics | DER factor |
Growing kitten (up to approximately 12 months old) | DER = RER × 2.5 |
Active, unneutered adult cat | DER = RER × 1.2–1.4 |
Neutered or less active adult cat | DER = RER × 1.0–1.2 |
Overweight cat or cat on a weight-loss diet | DER = RER × 0.8–1.0 |
Example
Your cat weighs 4 kg and has been neutered. Its RER is approximately 198 kcal (70 × 4^0.75), while its DER is approximately 237 kcal per day (RER × 1.2).
If the food contains, for example, 380 kcal per 100 g, your cat will need approximately 62 g of food per day.
Learn how to recognise whether your cat is overweight using the Body Condition Score (BCS) system.
How Much Food Should You Feed Your Cat Daily? Carnilove Dry Food Examples
Both RER and DER are estimates that can serve as a starting point for determining your cat’s calorie requirements. However, you should always check the feeding guide on the packaging of the specific product.
Below are feeding recommendations for selected complete dry foods from the Carnilove range.
Carnilove Active Cat with Salmon and Turkey for Adult Cats
This complete dry food, with increased protein and energy content, has been specially developed for active cats.
Cat weight (kg) | Daily feeding amount (g) |
2–3 | 40–45 |
3–5 | 50–70 |
5–7 | 70–85 |
7–9 | 85–100 |
Carnilove True Fresh Cat with Duck for Sterilised Cats
This recipe has been tailored to the lower energy requirements of cats after sterilisation. As a result, the recommended portions are smaller than those for Carnilove Active Cat at the same body weight.
Cat weight (kg) | Daily feeding amount (g) |
2–3 | 30–45 |
3–5 | 45–65 |
5–7 | 65–80 |
7–9 | 80–90 |
Looking for the right food for your sterilised cat? Check out our ranking of the best cat foods for sterilised cats!
How Many Grams of Wet Food Should You Feed Your Cat? Carnilove Product Examples
Wet food contains more water and has a lower energy density than dry food, which means larger portions are needed by weight.
Check out the feeding recommendations for three Carnilove products – two available in pouches and one in a can.
Carnilove Cat Pouch Gravy with Trout and Echinacea
Below are the feeding recommendations for these delicious meat fillets in a flavourful gravy, enriched with echinacea.
Cat weight (kg) | Number of pouches per day |
3 | 3.5 |
4–5 | 4–4.5 |
6–8 | 4.5–5 |
Carnilove Cat Pouch Jelly with Turkey and Pheasant
The feeding recommendations for these meat fillets in jelly are the same as those for the fillets in gravy.
Cat weight (kg) | Number of pouches per day |
3 | 3.5 |
4–5 | 4–4.5 |
6–8 | 4.5–5 |
Carnilove Cat Can Paté with Chicken and Lamb
This complete canned wet food can be served as a standalone meal or combined with Carnilove dry food. If you choose mixed feeding, make sure to reduce both portions accordingly, following the manufacturer’s recommendations.
Cat weight (kg) | As a complete food (g) | As part of mixed feeding (50% with dry food) (g) |
1 | 155 | 77.5 |
2 | 205 | 102.5 |
3 | 245 | 122.5 |
4 | 275 | 137.5 |
5 | 300 | 150 |
Cat Calorie Requirements – Summary
If you want to determine how many grams of food to feed your cat, start by checking the feeding guide on the packaging of your chosen product. Keep the following points in mind:
Your cat’s calorie requirements depend primarily on its weight, age, and activity level.
Spaying or neutering also plays an important role, as the procedure can reduce a cat’s calorie requirements by up to 30%.
Dry food has a higher energy density than wet food, so smaller portions are needed by weight.
The RER and DER formulas can help you estimate your cat’s average daily energy requirements.
Exact feeding amounts vary depending on the specific recipe, so always check the feeding guide on the packaging.
If you combine dry and wet food, such as Carnilove canned food and dry kibble, reduce both portions accordingly.