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How to Calculate the Calorie Content of Dog Food and Cat Food
You can use this calculator to calculate the calorie content of dog food or cat food by determining the amount of calories in a serving using the analytical constituents or guaranteed analysis. This calculator determines the dry matter content of the food and the amount of metabolisable energy in that dry matter based on energy available from protein, fats and carbohydrates.
To use, simply enter the percentage of each analytical constituent in to the boxes above. For example:
- Moisture: 80%
- Protein: 13%
- Fat content: 3%
- Crude ash: 2.2%
- Crude fibres: 0.5%
Any addition constituents such as Linoleic acid (Omega 6 Fatty Acids) should be included in the ‘Other’ section.
After entering the analytical constituents, press calculate. This will determine the percentage dry matter and nitrogen-free extract (carbohydrates). From this is possible to determine the energy content in the dry matter (as kcal) by using Atwater System values (see here for more).
If you’d like to know the amount of calories for a given serving (for example per treat, if this information is not included on the packaging), simply include the serving size in the ‘Results & Optional Serving Amount’ section.
How Many Calories Does a Cat or Dog Need?
You can determine the amount of calories your dog or cat needs on a daily basis by taking in to account how active they are (e.g. are they they a working dog), how old they are (energy requirements are different between puppies/kittens and fully grown cats or dogs) and also whether they are neutered or spayed.
You will also need to factor in their current weight and ideal weight. If their current weight is above their ideal, you will need to reduce their calorie intake and vice versa,
See our feline calorie requirement calculator here.
See our canine calorie requirement calculator here.