It is especially important to be aware of the calorie content of the food you are feeding your animals because this content varies from one food to another.  In particular, if you are changing brands or flavors of food, knowing the calorie content will assist you in not over or under feeding you pet.  When you switch from a food with lower calories to one with more calories you need to feed less food.  Feeding the same amount of a higher calorie food will result in weight gain and possibly impair your pet’s digestion and health. 

Below you will find some general guidelines for caloric intake for dogs and cats based on their size/weight.   We have also provided a list of several of the high quality kibble dog and cat foods that we carry at The Critters & Me along with their calorie content per one cup of dry food. 

Your animal’s appetite is generally a good guideline for how much to feed, however paying attention to the calories you are feeding will insure that you are not over or under feeding. 

Average Caloric Needs for Adult Dogs: 

Weight (lbs.)                       Calories/Day
   10                                       410
   15                                       550
   25                                       840
   40                                     1150
   50                                     1380
   60                                     1555
   70                                     1690
   80                                     1890
 100                                     2270

(Increase values during cold weather or for working dogs) 

Average Caloric Needs for Adult Cats: 

Weight  (lbs.)                 Inactive Cat Calories/Day                 Active Cat Calories/Day
     6                                         191                                                   218
     7                                         223                                                   254
     8                                         255                                                   290
     9                                         286                                                   327
    10                                        319                                                   363
    12                                        383                                                   463

(Cats eat on a 28 hour cycle so it is normal for them to refuse food occasionally) 

Below is a list of dog and cat dry foods that you can find at Critters along with their calorie content per cup of food. 

DOG FOOD                                                   CALORIES PER CUP 

Go! Turkey Recipe                                                          473 

Go! Salmon Recipe                                                         427 

Go! Chicken Recipe                                                        467 

Go! Duck Recipe                                                             438 

Go! Lamb Recipe                                                            451 

Go! Chicken/Turkey/Trout Recipe                                  435 

Healthwise Chicken/Oatmeal                                          453 

Healthwise Weight Control                                              373 

Horizon Pulsar Turkey Formula                                       392 

Horizon Pulsar Chicken Formula                                    408 

Horizon Complete                                                           415 

Now Adult GF                                                                 407 

Now Puppy GF                                                                412 

Now Senior GF                                                                341 

Petkind Bison Formula                                                    370 

Petkind Lamb Formula                                                    364 

Petkind Salmon Formula                                                363 

Petkind Beef Formula                                                     369 

Petguard Lifespan Chicken & Veggie                             460 

PureVita Salmon                                                            454 

PureVita Turkey                                                             462 

PureVita Bison                                                                415 

Victor Ocean Fish w/Salmon                                          405 

Victor Chicken Meal w/Brown Rice                                391 

Victor Beef Meal w/Brown Rice                                      390 

Victor Hi-Pro Plus                                                           450 

Zignature Turkey                                                            466 

Zignature Lamb                                                              430 

Zignature Salmon                                                           420  

CAT FOOD                                                    CALORIES PER CUP 

Go Trout/Salmon                                                        489 

Go Chicken/Turkey/Duck                                            473 

Go Chicken                                                                  552 

Now Adult Turkey/Salmon                                           444 

Now Adult Trout/Salmon                                              439 

Now Senior                                                                   393 

Now Kitten                                                                   454 

PureVita Salmon                                                         475 

PureVita Chicken                                                        484 

Wellness Core Original                                               502 

Wellness Complete Health                                         389