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Energy (kcal) in dog and cat diets

A short guide to the role of Energy (kcal) in dog and cat nutrition.

Energy (kcal)

Key points

The energy of a diet is the number of kilocalories that the animal actually uses — technically we call it metabolizable energy (ME). It is what decides how much the animal should eat. Energy comes from three components: fat (the most), protein and carbohydrates [1].

Why we calculate everything per 1000 kcal

In BARFLAB we recalculate every nutrient per 1000 kcal ME. The NRC does the same [1]. Thanks to this, the diet of a small cat and a large dog can be compared on the same scale — we do not look at the raw grams in the bowl, but at how much of a given nutrient falls on each 1000 kcal of energy. A small portion and a large portion become comparable in terms of nutrient density.

RER and MER — how much energy the animal needs

Energy requirement is usually calculated in two steps [2]:

  • RER (Resting Energy Requirement) — energy for the resting metabolism, depending mainly on body weight.
  • MER (Maintenance Energy Requirement) — RER multiplied by a factor for activity, life stage, neutering, etc. This is the real daily pool of calories.

BARFLAB calculates the requirement from the animal's profile (weight, activity, life stage) and on this basis selects the portion size.

What to remember

Energy is the "calorie budget" of the diet and the common denominator of all calculations. The best test of whether the budget is right is body condition — regular weighing and assessment of the silhouette are more important than the formula itself [2].

Sources

  1. National Research Council (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. National Academies Press. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10668/nutrient-requirements-of-dogs-and-cats
  2. Merck Veterinary Manual. Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/management-and-nutrition/nutrition-small-animals/nutritional-requirements-of-small-animals