Dry cat food grams calculator
Need your food's label numbers? Look them up in the cat food calorie database: Hill's Science Diet calories, Tiki Cat calories, 9Lives calories, Fancy Feast calories, Purina Pro Plan calories, Purina Pro Plan Veterinary Diets calories.
Why grams beat cups
Cups are convenient but imprecise. Kibble shape and scoop technique change the amount. If you can weigh dry food in grams, the portion becomes much more repeatable.
Which label number to use
If the bag lists kcal/kg, divide by 1000 to get kcal per gram. If it lists kcal/100g, divide by 100. If it only lists kcal/cup, weigh one level cup once, then BowlMath can estimate grams from cup calories.
Dry food grams per day: quick reference
If your cat eats dry food only, this is the daily amount in grams by calorie target and food density. Most dry foods run 3.5 to 4.2 kcal per gram; check your bag. Feeding wet food or treats too? Subtract those calories first.
| Daily target | 3.5 kcal/g | 3.8 kcal/g | 4.2 kcal/g |
|---|---|---|---|
| 150 kcal/day | 43 g | 39 g | 36 g |
| 200 kcal/day | 57 g | 53 g | 48 g |
| 250 kcal/day | 71 g | 66 g | 60 g |
| 300 kcal/day | 86 g | 79 g | 71 g |
Daily grams vs meal grams
Calculate the daily dry food grams after wet food and treats are counted. Then divide by meals per day so each serving is easy to repeat.
Questions
How do I convert kcal/kg to kcal/g?
Divide kcal per kg by 1000. A food with 3800 kcal/kg is 3.8 kcal per gram.
Are grams better than measuring cups?
Usually yes. Grams are more consistent, especially for small cat portions.
Sources
- AAFCO: Calorie content on pet food labels
- AAFCO: Reading pet food labels
- WSAVA: Calorie needs for an average healthy adult cat (PDF)
Related guides
Check with your vet. BowlMath gives a practical starting estimate, not veterinary advice. Ask your vet before changing portions for kittens, seniors, pregnant or nursing cats, diabetic cats, cats on therapeutic diets, or cats gaining or losing weight unexpectedly.