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Pet Calorie Calculator
Computes a dog's or cat's resting energy requirement (RER = 70 × kg^0.75) and multiplies it by the life-stage factor used by veterinary nutrition services (e.g. neutered adult dog 1.6, cat 1.2) to give daily maintenance calories.
When to use
You need a starting daily calorie target for a dog or cat from its weight and life stage, e.g. to portion food from the kcal/cup value on the bag.
Do not use when: The animal is pregnant, lactating, doing heavy work or is ill; those needs (2–8 × RER or disease-specific) require veterinary guidance. For people use tdee.
Formula
RER = 70 × weight_kg^0.75; MER = RER × factor (dog: neutered adult 1.6, intact 1.8, inactive 1.3, weight loss 1.0, puppy <4 months 3.0, puppy 4 months–adult 2.0, light work 2.0, moderate work 3.0; cat: neutered 1.2, intact 1.4, inactive 1.0, weight loss 0.8, kitten 2.5)
Factors follow the Ohio State University Veterinary Medical Center table used with the WSAVA nutrition toolkit; the inactive dog factor is the midpoint of the published 1.2–1.4 range. The result is a starting point: weigh the animal every 2–4 weeks and adjust portions by about 10% to hold ideal body condition.
Inputs
| Parameter | Type | Unit | Required | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
species | enum: dog | cat | yes | Dog or cat; selects the factor table. | |
weight_kg | number | kg | yes | Current body weight in kilograms (use the target weight for a weight-loss plan). Range: ≥ 0.3, ≤ 120 |
life_stage | enum: neutered_adult | intact_adult | inactive_obese_prone | weight_loss | growth_under_4_months | growth_4_months_to_adult | light_work | moderate_work | default neutered_adult | Life stage or activity level; each maps to a multiple of RER. |
Outputs
| Output | Type | Unit | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
rer_kcal_per_day | number | kcal/day | RER = 70 × weight_kg^0.75. |
mer_factor | number | Multiplier applied to RER. | |
mer_kcal_per_day | number | kcal/day | Maintenance energy requirement = RER × factor. |
mer_kj_per_day | number | kJ/day | Same requirement in kilojoules (1 kcal = 4.184 kJ). |
weight_lb | number | lb | Body weight in pounds. |
Example
10 kg neutered adult dog: {"species":"dog","weight_kg":10,"life_stage":"neutered_adult"} → {"rer_kcal_per_day":394,"mer_factor":1.6,"mer_kcal_per_day":630,"mer_kj_per_day":2635,"weight_lb":22}
4 kg neutered adult cat: {"species":"cat","weight_kg":4,"life_stage":"neutered_adult"} → {"rer_kcal_per_day":198,"mer_factor":1.2,"mer_kcal_per_day":238}
GET https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/pet-calories?species=dog&weight_kg=10&life_stage=neutered_adult
Machine access
- API:
GET https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculate/pet-calories(query parameters) orPOSTwith a JSON body{"inputs": {...}} - Schema: https://tttkmbb.com/api/v1/calculators/pet-calories · Markdown: https://tttkmbb.com/everyday/pet-calories.md · JSON definition: https://tttkmbb.com/everyday/pet-calories.json
- MCP: server
https://tttkmbb.com/mcp, toolrun_calculator with calculator_id="pet-calories" - OpenAPI operationId:
calculate_pet_calorie_needs - Freshness:
static. Authentication: none. Rate limit: fair use (see rate limits).
Sources
FAQ
How do I turn calories into cups of food?
Divide the daily calories by the kcal per cup (or per 100 g) printed on the food label; typical dry dog food is 300–400 kcal per cup.
Why is the result lower than the feeding guide on the bag?
Bag guides are often based on intact, active adults (1.8 × RER or more). Neutered, indoor pets need less, which is why many are overweight when fed by the bag.
Related calculators
- Dog Age Calculator — Life stage from the dog's age.
- Cat Age Calculator — Life stage from the cat's age.
- TDEE Calculator — The equivalent calculation for people.