Cat Food Portion Calculator
If you've ever asked yourself "how much should I feed my cat?", this free calculator turns that question into an answer you can measure: real cups per day and per meal, plus a suggested feeding schedule. Enter your cat's weight, pick their life stage, and enter the kcal-per-cup from your food's label — the portions are based on the same veterinary energy formulas used to set feeding guidelines, and they update instantly as you type.
Enter your cat's details
Your results
Bowl shows your cat's full daily portion.
| Meal | Suggested time | Portion |
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How to use this calculator
Enter your cat's weight in pounds, choose the life stage that fits best — indoor neutered covers the typical house cat — and enter the kcal per cup from your food's nutrition panel. You'll get the daily portion in cups, the equivalent per-meal amount, and a feeding schedule, all updated instantly as you type.
Try different scenarios: compare the portion for an active cat versus an indoor neutered cat, or see what changes if your food's kcal-per-cup is 350 instead of 400. Because the food label's calorie density is factored in, the answer is measured in your food's cups, not a generic guess.
How it works
Veterinarians start from your cat's resting energy requirement (RER): the calories a body needs at rest. It follows an allometric scaling law:
RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)0.75
The RER is then multiplied by a life-stage DER factor to get daily calories:
- Indoor neutered cat: 1.2
- Active cat: 1.4
- Kitten (under 12 months): 2.0
- Planned weight loss: 0.8
Dividing daily calories by your food's kcal-per-cup gives cups per day, shown with common kitchen fractions (⅓, ½, ⅔, ¾). The daily total is split into 3 meals for kittens and 2 meals for adult cats. For example, a 10 lb indoor neutered cat: RER ≈ 218 kcal/day × 1.2 ≈ 261 kcal/day; at 400 kcal per cup that's about ⅔ cup per day — two ⅓-cup meals.
These are estimates built on published veterinary formulas, not a prescription. Individual cats vary: very lean or overweight cats, pregnant or nursing females, seniors, and cats with medical conditions can differ substantially. Treats and table scraps should stay under 10% of the daily calories shown here. When in doubt — especially with kittens, any weight-loss plan, or any health issue — confirm the portion with your veterinarian.
Frequently asked questions
How much food should I feed my cat each day?
It depends on your cat's weight, life stage, and the calorie density of the food. This cat food portion calculator uses the veterinary RER formula — 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75 — multiplied by a life-stage factor (1.2 for a typical indoor neutered cat, 1.4 for an active cat, 2.0 for a kitten, or 0.8 for planned weight loss), then converts daily calories into cups using your food's kcal-per-cup. For example, a 10 lb indoor neutered cat eating a 400 kcal-per-cup food needs about ⅔ cup per day, split into two ⅓-cup meals.
What does kcal per cup mean, and where do I find it?
Kcal per cup is the calorie density of your cat's food — how many calories are in one standard 8-ounce measuring cup. It is printed on the food bag's guaranteed-analysis or nutrition panel, and for dry cat food usually falls between 300 and 500 kcal per cup (we use 400 as a starting default). Because density varies widely between brands, entering the value from your own bag makes the cup measurement much more accurate.
Should I feed my cat once, twice, or three times a day?
Most adult cats do best with two measured meals a day — one in the morning and one in the evening. Kittens under about six months old should eat three or more smaller meals a day because they are growing fast. Free-feeding (leaving a full bowl out all day) works for some cats but makes it hard to track portions and can lead to obesity in indoor cats. The feeding schedule above reflects this: two meals for adults, three for kittens.
How can I tell if I am overfeeding my cat?
Watch the ribs and waistline, not just the scale. You should be able to feel your cat's ribs easily under a thin layer of fat, and see a visible waistline when viewed from above and the side. If the ribs are hard to feel or the waistline disappears, cut portions back by about 10% and recheck weight in two to three weeks. If your cat keeps gaining or losing weight unexpectedly, talk to your vet.
How is this different from the cat daily calorie needs calculator?
Our cat daily calorie needs calculator answers the question “how many calories does my cat need?” — it stops at the daily energy target. This cat food portion calculator goes one step further: it converts that calorie target into real feeding portions — cups per day, cups per meal, and a suggested feeding schedule — using the kcal-per-cup value from your food's label. Use the calorie calculator for the target, and this one for what goes in the bowl.