394
kcal/day
630
kcal/day
1.8
cups/day
394
kcal/day
630
kcal/day
1.8
cups/day
The Pet Food Requirement Calculator determines how much food your dog or cat needs per day based on their body weight, activity level, and the energy density of their food. The calculator uses the standard veterinary formula for Resting Energy Requirement (RER) and applies an activity factor to derive the Daily Energy Requirement (DER), then converts this into practical feeding amounts.
Proper nutrition is fundamental to pet health. Overfeeding leads to obesity and associated diseases, while underfeeding causes malnutrition and poor development. This tool helps you find the right balance using the same approach veterinary nutritionists use in clinical practice.
The calculator uses the metabolic body weight formula recommended by the National Research Council (NRC) and WSAVA:
The 0.75 exponent reflects metabolic scaling, meaning larger animals need proportionally fewer calories per kilogram than smaller ones. Activity factors range from 1.0 (weight loss) to 3.0 (heavy working dogs), with most adult pets falling in the 1.2-1.8 range.
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Results
A 10 kg neutered adult dog needs about 551 kcal/day, or roughly 1.6 cups of a standard 350 kcal/cup food.
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Results
A 30 kg working dog with moderate activity needs about 1793 kcal/day or 4.5 cups of a 400 kcal/cup food.
For most neutered adult pets with moderate activity, use 1.4. Intact adults typically use 1.6. Senior or inactive pets use 1.2. Pets on a weight loss program use 1.0 (RER only). Working dogs or highly active dogs may need 1.8-3.0. Growing puppies and kittens typically use 2.5. Consult your veterinarian for the best factor for your specific pet.
The caloric content is listed on the pet food packaging, usually in the "Calorie Content" or "Guaranteed Analysis" section. It is typically given in kcal per cup, kcal per can, or kcal per kg. If only kcal per kg is listed, divide by approximately 4 for a rough kcal per cup estimate (since one cup of dry food weighs about 100-120 grams).
Yes. The RER formula (70 x BW^0.75) applies to both dogs and cats. However, cats generally have lower activity factors (1.0-1.4 for most indoor cats). Also, for cats over 2 kg, some veterinarians prefer the simpler formula RER = 30 x BW + 70. Both approaches give similar results for typical cat weights.
Roboculator Team
The Roboculator Team explains calculations, planning tools, and practical formulas in clear language for real-life situations.
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