Key nutritional factor Cats Dogs Based on a MER of : 75 kcal / kg 0 . 67 100 kcal / kg 0 . 67 95 kcal / kg 0 . 75 110 kcal / kg 0 . 75 Water
Animals should have unlimited access to clean , fresh water . The daily fluid requirement can be calculated using one of the following formulas : 50 – 60 ml / kg / day or 1 – 2 ml / kg / hour .
Protein 33.3 g 25 g 21 g 18 g
Fat 9.0 g 9.0 g 5.5 g 5.5 g Calcium ( Ca ) 0.53 g 0.40 g 0.58 g 0.5 g Phosphorus ( P ) 0.35 g 0.26 g 0.46 g 0.4 g Ca : P ratio 1:1 ( min )– 2:1 ( max ) 1:1 ( min )– 2:1 ( max ) Potassium 0.80 g 0.60 g 0.58 g 0.50 g Sodium 0.10 g 0.08 g 0.12 g 0.10 g Chloride 0.15 g 0.11 g 0.17 g 0.15 g Magnesium 0.05 g 0.04 g 0.08 g 0.07 g
Table 3 . Daily energy requirement ( DER ) and maintenance energy requirement ( MER ) of healthy adult cats and dogs ( FEDIAF , 2021 ). Recommendations may overestimate energy needs by 10 – 60 % ( National Research Council , 2006 ). These amounts should therefore be starting points , rather than absolute requirements , and must be modified for each animal , taking into account animal , dietary and environment-related factors . ME , Metabolisable energy .
Species Neuter status and activity level Average DER ( kcal / kg BW 0 . 67 ) Cats Neutered and / or indoor cats 52 – 75
Active cats in lean body condition 100 Dogs Age ( years ) Average MER ( kcal ME / kg 0 . 75 ) 1 – 2 130 ( 125 – 140 ) 3 – 7 110 ( 95 – 130 ) > 7 95 ( 80 – 120 ) Activity level Average DER ( kcal ME / kg 0 . 75 ) Obese-prone Low activity (< 1 hour / day ) ( e . g . walking on the lead ) 95
≤90
Moderate activity ( 1 – 3 hours / day ) ( low-impact activity ) 110 Moderate activity ( 1 – 3 hours / day ) ( high-impact activity ) 125 High activity ( 3 – 6 hours / day ) ( working dogs , e . g . sheepdogs ) 150 – 175
High activity under extreme conditions ( racing sled dogs 168 km / day in extreme , cold conditions )
Breed-specific differences
860 – 1240
Great Danes 200 ( 200 – 250 ) Newfoundlands 105 ( 80 – 132 )
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