Daily Maintenance Energy Requirements for Dogs and Cats
Animal | MERa,b (kcal/day) |
|---|---|
Healthy adult dogs | |
Intact | 1.8 × RER |
Neutered | 1.6 × RER |
Obesity prone | 1.4 × RER |
Healthy puppies | |
< 4 mo old | 3 × RER |
> 4 mo old | 2 × RER |
Healthy adult cats | |
Intact | 1.4 × RER |
Neutered | 1.2 × RER |
Obesity prone | 1 × RER |
Healthy kittens | 2.5 × RERc |
a MER = maintenance energy requirement (remember that any calculation of caloric intake is only a starting point and may need to be modified based on how the patient responds) | |
b RER = resting energy requirement | |
c Kittens can alternatively be fed free choice | |