Daily calories and grams for a 5.5 kg (12.1 lb) cat
Resting energy for 5.5 kg is 251 kcal (70 × 5.50.75). 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 | 302 | 89 | 79 | 72 |
| Intact adult | 352 | 104 | 93 | 84 |
| Inactive or prone to weight gain | 251 | 74 | 66 | 60 |
| Kitten | 629 | 185 | 165 | 150 |
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) | 40 g each |
|---|---|
| Three meals a day | 26 g each |
| Treat allowance (10% of calories) | 30 kcal: 15 pieces of 2 kcal, or 3.8 of 8 kcal |
| Dry food as a share of body weight | 1.4% a day |
| Calories per kilogram of body weight | 54.9 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 | 9.53 | 14.29 | 19.05 |
| Wet food at 1,000 kcal/kg (price per kg: 3.00, 5.00, 7.00) | 27.15 / 45.25 / 63.35 | ||
How long a bag lasts
| Bag size | 2 kg | 4 kg | 8 kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days at 79 g a day | 25 | 50 | 101 |
On wet food only, a 5.5 kg (12.1 lb) cat needs about 3.5 cans of 85 kcal a day.
A sample day for a 5.5 kg (12.1 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 | 36 g |
| During the day | Treats and training rewards (counted) | 30 kcal |
| Evening | Meal | 36 g |
| All day | Fresh water | Always available |
Meals are smaller than the table above because the treat allowance of 30 kcal is taken out of the day's 302 kcal: 272 kcal of meals is 71 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 302 kcal.
| Share of calories from wet food | Wet food | Dry food |
|---|---|---|
| 25% | 75 g | 60 g |
| 50% | 151 g | 40 g |
| 75% | 226 g | 20 g |
Do not add wet food on top of the full dry amount: that doubles the calories it replaces.
How 5.5 kg compares with nearby weights
| Weight | kcal a day (neutered adult) | g of 3,800 kcal/kg food | kcal per kg of body weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 6 kg (13.2 lb) | 322 | 85 | 53.7 |
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 5.5 kg to 6 kg is a 9% weight increase but only about 7% more calories. At 5.5 kg (12.1 lb), the neutered figure is 54.9 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 5.5 kg (12.1 lb) cat eat a day?
A neutered adult of 5.5 kg (12.1 lb) needs about 302 kcal a day. On a 3,800 kcal/kg dry food that is about 79 g. Intact and inactive cats need 352 and 251 kcal.
How many meals a day for a 5.5 kg cat?
Two meals of about 40 g, or three of about 26 g, using the same 3,800 kcal/kg food. Your vet may suggest a different pattern.
How many treats can a 5.5 kg cat have?
Treats should stay within about 10% of daily calories, which is 30 kcal: 15 pieces of 2 kcal or 3.8 pieces of 8 kcal. Subtract them from the meals.
Other weights
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.