Cat Food Calculator
How much to feed your cat a day, by weight and life stage. Calories first, then grams, because grams change with every brand and calories do not.
Cats are not small dogs. They are obligate carnivores, they evolved to eat many small meals a day rather than two big ones, and they are poor drinkers, which is why how much wet food they get matters more than most Indian owners are told.
Where the number comes from
The calculation is the resting energy requirement vets use, 70 multiplied by body weight in kilograms to the power of 0.75, then adjusted for life stage. It gives a daily calorie figure, which is the only portion measure that survives switching brands.
Grams are an estimate on top of that, because energy density varies widely between Indian brands. Read the kcal per 100g on your own pack and adjust. Weigh food rather than scooping it, since cup sizes differ and a small daily error becomes a large annual one.
Neutering is where the weight comes from
Energy needs drop noticeably after neutering while appetite does not, and most owners keep feeding the same amount. That gap is the single most common cause of feline obesity, and it starts within months of the operation.
If your cat was neutered and the portion never changed, this calculator will probably tell you to feed less than you currently do. That is the intended answer rather than an error.
Why wet food earns its place in an Indian home
Cats have a weak thirst drive, an inheritance from desert ancestors who got most of their water from prey. On dry food alone many run mildly dehydrated all the time, which is hard on the kidneys and the urinary tract over years.
Urinary blockage in male cats is a genuine emergency and dehydration contributes to it. A wet meal a day is cheap insurance, and in Indian summers it matters more than in temperate countries.
What goes wrong
- Free feeding dry food all day. Cats graze, so the bowl empties and nobody knows how much went in.
- Measuring by cup. Cup sizes vary, kibble density varies, and the error runs every single day.
- Not reducing the portion after neutering.
- Feeding to the current weight of an overweight cat. Feed to the target weight or the diet does nothing.
- Dog food as a substitute. Cats need taurine and dogs do not, and a taurine deficiency damages the heart and eyes.
When to ring rather than adjust the bowl
Appetite changes in cats are worth taking seriously, because they hide illness well and go downhill fast once they stop eating.
- Refusing all food for 12 hours, which is far more urgent in a cat than a dog
- Sudden weight loss with a normal or increased appetite
- Drinking noticeably more than usual
- A male cat straining in the tray and producing nothing, which is an emergency
- Vomiting after most meals rather than occasionally
Questions people ask
How much should I feed my cat per day in India?
Work from calories rather than grams. A neutered adult cat of 4kg needs roughly 240 kcal a day, which is about 63g of dry food, or a mix such as 38g dry plus a 120g wet pouch. Check the kcal per 100g on your own pack, because Indian brands vary widely.
How many times a day should a cat eat?
Three or four small meals suits feline digestion far better than one or two large ones. They evolved to eat several small prey animals across a day.
Is wet food necessary for cats?
Not strictly necessary, but genuinely useful. Cats have a weak thirst drive and often run mildly dehydrated on dry food alone, which stresses the kidneys and urinary tract over time. One wet meal a day is a reasonable compromise on cost.
Why did my cat gain weight after neutering?
Energy needs fall after neutering while appetite does not, and the portion usually stays the same. Reducing the daily amount at the time of the operation prevents most of it.
Can cats eat dog food?
No, not as a regular diet. Cats require taurine, which dogs synthesise for themselves, so dog food is not formulated for it. Long term feeding causes heart and eye damage.
These tools give averages. Averages are a starting point and not a verdict on your dog. Anything here that touches health is written to help you decide whether something is worth a vet's time, never to tell you what is wrong.