Daily calories and grams for a 4 kg (8.8 lb) cat
Resting energy for 4.0 kg is 198 kcal (70 × 4.00.75). Multiply by the factor for the life stage to get the day's energy, then divide by the food's kcal per gram.
| Life stage | kcal a day | g at 3,400 kcal/kg | g at 3,800 kcal/kg | g at 4,200 kcal/kg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neutered adult | 238 | 70 | 63 | 57 |
| Intact adult | 277 | 82 | 73 | 66 |
| Inactive or prone to weight gain | 198 | 58 | 52 | 47 |
| Kitten | 495 | 146 | 130 | 118 |
These are averages from the Merck/WSAVA energy factors. Your cat may need 10 to 20% more or less. Check the energy on your own food's label and use the calculator below.
Meals, treats and cost
| Two meals a day (neutered adult) | 31 g each |
|---|---|
| Three meals a day | 21 g each |
| Treat allowance (10% of calories) | 24 kcal: 12 pieces of 2 kcal, or 3.0 of 8 kcal |
| Dry food as a share of body weight | 1.6% a day |
| Calories per kilogram of body weight | 59.4 kcal per kg |
Monthly food cost at example prices
Cost = grams a day × 30 ÷ 1,000 × price per kg. The prices are examples; use your own.
| Price per kg | 4.00 | 6.00 | 8.00 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry food, 3,800 kcal/kg | 7.50 | 11.25 | 15.01 |
| Wet food at 1,000 kcal/kg (price per kg: 3.00, 5.00, 7.00) | 21.38 / 35.64 / 49.89 | ||
How long a bag lasts
| Bag size | 2 kg | 4 kg | 8 kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days at 63 g a day | 32 | 64 | 128 |
On wet food only, a 4 kg (8.8 lb) cat needs about 2.8 cans of 85 kcal a day.
A sample day for a 4 kg (8.8 lb) cat
One way to lay out a neutered adult's day on a 3,800 kcal/kg dry food, with treats counted inside the total.
| Time | What | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Morning | Meal | 28 g |
| During the day | Treats and training rewards (counted) | 24 kcal |
| Evening | Meal | 28 g |
| All day | Fresh water | Always available |
Meals are smaller than the table above because the treat allowance of 24 kcal is taken out of the day's 238 kcal: 214 kcal of meals is 56 g.
If you feed wet and dry together
Split the calories, not the grams. This uses a wet food of 1,000 kcal/kg and a dry food of 3,800 kcal/kg for a neutered adult needing 238 kcal.
| Share of calories from wet food | Wet food | Dry food |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | 59 g | 47 g |
| 50% | 119 g | 31 g |
| 75% | 178 g | 16 g |
Do not add wet food on top of the full dry amount: that doubles the calories it replaces.
How 4 kg compares with nearby weights
| Weight | kcal a day (neutered adult) | g of 3,800 kcal/kg food | kcal per kg of body weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 kg (4.4 lb) | 141 | 37 | 70.6 |
| 3 kg (6.6 lb) | 191 | 50 | 63.8 |
| 3.5 kg (7.7 lb) | 215 | 57 | 61.4 |
| 4 kg (8.8 lb) | 238 | 63 | 59.4 |
| 4.5 kg (9.9 lb) | 260 | 68 | 57.7 |
| 5 kg (11.0 lb) | 281 | 74 | 56.2 |
| 5.5 kg (12.1 lb) | 302 | 79 | 54.9 |
Why a cat twice as heavy does not eat twice as much
Energy needs rise with body weight to the power 0.75, not in a straight line. Moving from 4 kg to 4.5 kg is a 13% weight increase but only about 9% more calories. At 4 kg (8.8 lb), the neutered figure is 59.4 kcal per kg of body weight.
What changes your cat's number
- Neutering and activity. The table shows a 10 to 30% spread between stages.
- The food. A richer food means fewer grams for the same calories.
- Treats. They count within the daily total.
- Weight trend. Weigh monthly, score body condition and adjust by about 10%.
- Health. A pet on a veterinary diet or with a health condition should follow the vet's plan.
Frequently asked questions
How much should a 4 kg (8.8 lb) cat eat a day?
A neutered adult of 4 kg (8.8 lb) needs about 238 kcal a day. On a 3,800 kcal/kg dry food that is about 63 g. Intact and inactive cats need 277 and 198 kcal.
How many meals a day for a 4 kg cat?
Two meals of about 31 g, or three of about 21 g, using the same 3,800 kcal/kg food. Your vet may suggest a different pattern.
How many treats can a 4 kg cat have?
Treats should stay within about 10% of daily calories, which is 24 kcal: 12 pieces of 2 kcal or 3.0 pieces of 8 kcal. Subtract them from the meals.
Other weights
- 2 kg cat2 kg (4.4 lb)
- 3 kg cat3 kg (6.6 lb)
- 3.5 kg cat3.5 kg (7.7 lb)
- 4.5 kg cat4.5 kg (9.9 lb)
- 5 kg cat5 kg (11.0 lb)
- 5.5 kg cat5.5 kg (12.1 lb)
Related guides
- How many calories does a cat need?
- How many grams of dry food does a cat need?
- Cat feeding chart by weight
- How much wet food should a cat eat?
How we calculate: RER = 70 × kg0.75, times the life-stage factor, as set out on Formulas & sources. This page is general information, not veterinary advice; ask your vet about your cat.