Dog & Cat Daily Feeding Amount & Calorie Calculator (by Weight & Life Stage)
A free tool that calculates how many calories (MER) your dog or cat needs per day, just from their weight and life stage. Enter your food's calorie density (kcal/100g) and it also works out the daily feeding amount and how much to serve per meal.
MER coefficient reference chart by life stage
| Species | Life stage | MER coefficient | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dog | Puppy (under 4 months old) | 3.0 | The period of growth with the highest energy needs |
| Dog | Puppy (4 months old until adult) | 2.0 | Growth rate slows down during this period |
| Dog | Adult dog (not spayed/neutered) | 1.8 | Typical maintenance energy for an adult dog |
| Dog | Adult dog (spayed/neutered) | 1.6 | Metabolism tends to slow down after spaying/neutering |
| Dog | Senior dog (roughly 7 years and up) | 1.4 | Reflects reduced activity and muscle mass |
| Dog | Dog on a weight-loss plan | 1.0 | Assumes a weight-loss plan supervised by a veterinarian |
| Dog | Very active dog | 3.0 | For working dogs and dogs with very high activity levels |
| Cat | Kitten (under 4 months old) | 3.0 | The period of growth with the highest energy needs |
| Cat | Kitten (4 months old until around 1 year) | 2.5 | Growth rate slows down during this period |
| Cat | Adult cat (not spayed/neutered) | 1.4 | Typical maintenance energy for an adult cat |
| Cat | Adult cat (spayed/neutered) | 1.2 | Metabolism tends to slow down after spaying/neutering |
| Cat | Senior cat (roughly 7 years and up) | 1.1 | Reflects reduced activity and muscle mass |
| Cat | Cat on a weight-loss plan | 0.8 | Assumes a weight-loss plan supervised by a veterinarian |
| Cat | Very active cat | 1.6 | For cats with high activity levels |
What is the dog & cat feeding amount and calorie calculator?
The dog & cat daily feeding amount and calorie calculator estimates roughly how many calories your pet needs per day (MER: Maintenance Energy Requirement) just from their weight and life stage — such as puppy or kitten, adult, senior, or after spaying/neutering. If you also enter your food's calorie density (kcal/100g), it automatically calculates the actual feeding amount in grams.
The feeding chart printed on a food package is only a general guide based on an average body size and activity level, so it can be off for pets that have been spayed or neutered or that are especially active. This tool uses RER (Resting Energy Requirement) and MER coefficients that are widely referenced in veterinary practice to calculate a feeding estimate tailored to your pet's situation on the spot. All calculations run entirely in your browser, and none of your input is sent to a server.
How to use the feeding amount calculator
- Choose the species (dog or cat) The life stage options shown will change depending on the species.
- Choose the weight and life stage Enter your pet's current weight (kg) and select the life stage closest to their growth stage, spay/neuter status, and activity level.
- (Optional) Enter the food's calorie density Enter the metabolizable energy value (kcal/100g) printed on the food package to also calculate the feeding amount in grams.
- Choose the number of meals per day An estimated amount per meal will be shown.
Tips for getting more out of it
- Using the "metabolizable energy (ME)" value printed on your food's package gives a more accurate feeding amount. If it isn't printed, check the manufacturer's official website.
- If you feed more than one type of food or treats, remember to add up the calories from all of them to manage your pet's total daily intake.
- Metabolism tends to slow down after spaying or neutering, so it's a good idea to keep an eye on weight changes and review the feeding amount regularly.
- The result is only an estimate, so check your pet's actual weight every one to two weeks and adjust the amount if they are gaining or losing too much.
When to use the feeding amount calculator
Switching to a new food
Quickly recalculate the right feeding amount whenever a food's calorie density changes.
Managing food right after spaying or neutering
Switch life stages to match the change in metabolism and re-check the estimated feeding amount.
Managing multiple pets individually
Check the feeding amount separately for each dog or cat, even when their weights and life stages differ.
Terms related to the feeding amount calculator
- Resting Energy Requirement (RER)
- An estimate of the basic amount of energy an animal uses per day at complete rest, calculated from its weight. It is approximated by the formula RER = 70 × weight (kg) to the power of 0.75.
- Daily Maintenance Energy Requirement (MER)
- An estimate of how much energy a pet needs per day for everyday life, found by multiplying RER by a coefficient based on life stage and activity level.
- Metabolizable Energy (ME)
- The portion of a food's nutrients that the body can actually use as energy. The kcal/100g or kcal/kg value printed on a food package usually refers to this figure.
- Life stage
- A classification based on growth stage and physical condition, such as puppy/kitten, adult, or senior. Energy needs vary considerably between these stages.
- Spaying/neutering
- Surgery that removes reproductive function. Metabolism tends to slow down afterward, which is known to reduce energy needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Side Note — Why energy needs are calculated using "weight to the power of 0.75"
The amount of energy an animal uses isn't simply proportional to its weight. As an animal gets larger, its body surface area relative to its weight shrinks, and so does the proportion of energy it loses as heat. Because of this, rather than using weight directly, using weight raised to the power of 0.75 (three-quarters) is said to give an approximation that works reasonably well across a wide range of body sizes, from small dogs to large ones.
This "weight to the power of 0.75" relationship comes from research into animal energy metabolism, known as Kleiber's law. It has been observed across many species of very different sizes, from mice to elephants, that basal metabolic rate is roughly proportional to weight to the power of 0.75. This relationship underlies the widely used formula for RER (Resting Energy Requirement) in pet nutrition as well.
That said, RER is only an estimate of energy needs at complete rest. In everyday life, factors such as growth, reproduction, exercise, temperature, and stress all change how much energy is actually used, so RER is multiplied by a coefficient based on life stage and activity level (the MER coefficient) to approximate the energy needed for daily life (MER). This tool calculates the feeding amount based on that same idea.