Cat Calorie Calculator
A healthy cat's daily calories come from its resting energy (RER = 70 × body-weight-kg^0.75) multiplied by a life-stage factor (MER). A spayed/neutered adult cat of 10 lb needs about 261 kcal/day to maintain weight, or about 174 kcal/day to lose weight safely. Enter your cat's weight below.
261 kcal/day
Based on adult, spayed/neutered.
Resting energy (RER): 218 kcal/day.
An estimate for healthy pets, not a substitute for veterinary advice. For weight loss, confirm the target and plan with your vet.
Cats, not yet
PawAI is built for dogs. The feline side exists under the hood (energy, body condition, toxic foods), but the growth plan and the training program come from canine guidance, and serving those for a cat would sell you as protocol something that isn't one for their species.
Maintenance calories by weight (cat, spayed/neutered adult)
| Weight | Resting (RER) | Maintenance (MER) |
|---|---|---|
| 8 lb (3.6 kg) | 184 kcal | 221 kcal/day |
| 10 lb (4.5 kg) | 218 kcal | 261 kcal/day |
| 12 lb (5.4 kg) | 249 kcal | 299 kcal/day |
| 15 lb (6.8 kg) | 295 kcal | 354 kcal/day |
| 18 lb (8.2 kg) | 338 kcal | 406 kcal/day |
Maintenance uses the neutered-adult factor (1.2 × RER). Intact, senior, growing, and weight-loss numbers differ — the calculator above adjusts for each.
How this is calculated
We use the resting energy formula RER = 70 × (kg)^0.75 and the AAHA/WSAVA maintenance factors, the same method veterinary teams use. Weight loss follows the AAHA rule: 0.80 × RER of the target weight. See the full methodology and sources.
Want to track this over time? PawAI turns the number into a daily plan and follows your cat's weight toward a healthy range. Try the food tools.