Pet calorie calculator
Enter your dog or cat's weight and life stage, get the daily calories.
AAHA calculates a weight-loss plan from the ideal weight your vet sets, in the same unit as above.
Find “kcal/cup” in the calorie statement on the bag or can. Leave it blank to skip the cups.
How many calories does my dog need a day?
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) starts from the resting energy requirement, RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75, then multiplies it by a life-stage factor: 1.4 to 1.6 for a neutered adult dog and 1.6 to 1.8 for an intact one. AAHA's own example is a 10 lb (4.5 kg) neutered dog: RER 216 kcal a day, times 1.4, is about 302 kcal a day.
How many calories does my cat need a day?
The same RER formula, with AAHA's cat factors: 1.2 to 1.4 for a neutered adult, 1.4 to 1.6 for an intact adult, 1.0 for an inactive or obese-prone cat and 2.5 for a kitten. A 10 lb (4.5 kg) neutered cat has an RER of about 218 kcal a day and, at 1.2 to 1.4, needs roughly 261 to 305 kcal a day.
How many calories should an overweight pet eat to lose weight?
AAHA bases the plan on the ideal weight, not the current one. Its 2021 table gives a weight-loss factor of 1.0 for dogs and 0.8 for cats, times the RER of the ideal weight. The 2014 guidelines feed 80% of the ideal-weight RER, and say most pets tolerate down to 60% of it; a pet that would need less than that should see a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. Your vet should set the target and check your pet's progress.
How many cups of food is that?
Divide the daily calories by the calories in a cup of your food. AAHA notes that AAFCO requires a calorie statement on dog and cat food labels; look for kcal per cup (or per can or kg) on the bag. AAHA also advises weighing dry food on a scale where you can, because a measuring cup can be imprecise, especially for the small amounts a cat or small dog eats.
How accurate are these numbers?
They are estimates. AAHA calls the life-stage factors “general guidelines” and notes that sedentary and indoor pets may need less than they show. Weigh your pet and check its body condition every few weeks and adjust the amount to match. Treats and extras should stay at 10% or less of the day's calories.
How old is your pet in human years? See the dog age calculator and the cat age calculator.
For general information only — not veterinary advice. Talk with your veterinarian before you change what or how much your pet eats, especially for puppies, kittens, pregnant or nursing pets and pets with a health condition. Sources: American Animal Hospital Association, 2021 AAHA Nutrition and Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats (Box 1, Energy Requirement Calculations; J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 57:153–174) and 2014 AAHA Weight Management Guidelines for Dogs and Cats (J Am Anim Hosp Assoc 50:1–11). How we check our calculators.