Feeding guide

How much should a 17 lb cat eat?

About 390 calories a day.

Updated October 2026Numbers calculated for this page

A typical 17 lb spayed or neutered adult cat needs about 390 calories a day. That is roughly 0.97 cups of a 400 kcal/cup dry food, or about 4.3 cans of a 3-oz, 90-calorie wet food.

Daily calories by situation

Your cat	Calories/day	Dry cups (400 kcal)	3-oz cans (90 kcal)
Spayed/neutered adult	390	0.97	4.3
Intact adult	450	1.13	5.0
Weight loss (at goal weight)	260	0.65	2.9
Senior, less active	360	0.89	4.0
Kitten (growing)	810	2.02	9.0

Resting energy = 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75: about 324 calories for 17 lb (7.7 kg), multiplied by a life-stage factor. Check your food label for the real calories per cup or can.

Is 17 lb overweight? For many domestic cats, yes, though large breeds like Maine Coons and Ragdolls can be healthy at this weight. Ask your vet for an ideal weight and feed for that, not the current weight.

Feeding tips

Split food into 2–4 small meals; cats are natural snackers.
Wet food adds water, which helps cats that don't drink much.
Weight loss should be slow: about 1–2% of body weight per week. Fast diets are risky for cats.

Feeding schedule and routine pages

Pet Care Planner (printable) · $6.99

18 printable pages for feeding schedules, routines, grooming and vet notes. Works for dogs and cats.

See it on Etsy →

Other weights

13 lb 14 lb 15 lb 16 lb 17 lb 18 lb 19 lb 20 lb

Questions people ask

How many calories should a 17 lb cat eat?

About 390 a day for a spayed or neutered adult.

How many cans of wet food for a 17 lb cat?

About 4.3 3-oz cans a day if each has about 90 calories, or 2.2 5.5-oz cans of about 180 calories.

The Paw Plan shares general pet care information, not veterinary advice. Figures on this page are estimates calculated from the assumptions shown. Every pet is different, so check with your vet about yours.