Pet food budget planner

Cat Food Monthly Cost Calculator

Estimate monthly and annual cat food spend from wet pouches, dry food, treats, waste, delivery and non-food basket extras, with a rough daily calorie check.

Enter Your Feeding Costs

Cats and month Number of cats Use cats eating this same food pattern. cats Days per month 30.42 is the average month over a year. days

Wet food Pouches per cat per day Use tins, trays or sachets by treating each as one portion. each Price per pouch Divide multipack price by number of pouches. £ Calories per pouch Optional label check for daily energy estimate. kcal

Dry food Dry food per cat per day Enter grams from the pack, vet plan or your current routine. g Dry bag size Use the bag size you usually buy. kg Dry bag price Use the shelf price after any regular subscription discount. £ Dry calories per 100 g Optional label check for daily energy estimate. kcal

Basket adjustments Treats per cat per month Use money spent, not treat weight. Keep treats modest unless your vet says otherwise. £ Treat calories per cat per day Optional. Helps flag when treats may be a large part of intake. kcal Food waste or spillage Use 5 to add 5 percent for uneaten wet food, measuring loss or pouch leftovers. % Delivery or subscription fee Monthly amount linked to food orders. £ Non-food basket extras Litter bought with the order, but shown separately from food cost. £ Discount on food subtotal Subscription, multi-buy or loyalty discount applied only to food and treats. %

Monthly Food Cost

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Enter the feeding pattern to see the monthly food budget.

Food cost split

This is a cost planner, not a veterinary feeding plan. Use the packet guide and ask a vet if weight, appetite or health changes.

Plan The Food Budget Without Guessing

Cat food costs can be surprisingly hard to compare. Wet food is often priced per pouch, dry food per bag, treats per packet and delivery per order. A cat may eat part wet and part dry, while a multipack price can make one shop look cheaper until you calculate the daily amount. This calculator turns those different units into a monthly food cost, a yearly cost and a cost per cat per day. It also keeps litter or basket extras separate, so you can see the difference between the food budget and the checkout total.

The tool is built for budget planning, not for choosing a medical diet. Cats vary by age, neuter status, activity, body condition, health and life stage. PDSA, Cats Protection and RSPCA all advise using suitable complete food and following feeding instructions, with veterinary advice where there are health concerns. Use this calculator after you have a feeding amount from a packet, vet plan or stable routine. Then update the price fields when the supermarket, subscription or pet shop price changes.

What To Enter

Start with the number of cats eating the same mix. If one cat is on a prescription diet, separate that cat into a second calculation because the cost and amount may be very different. For wet food, divide the multipack price by the number of pouches, tins or trays. For dry food, enter the bag size and the full bag price; the calculator turns that into a price per kilogram. If the pack has a subscription discount already applied, enter the discounted price and leave the discount field at zero.

Use the calories fields as a label check, not as a diet instruction. They help show whether a cost-saving change also changes daily energy. If the result suggests treats make up a noticeable share of calories, check the treat packet and reduce the main food only if your vet or packet guidance supports it. Sudden appetite changes, vomiting, weight loss, thirst, urinary problems, pregnancy, kitten growth or senior health changes need a vet rather than a spreadsheet.

Formula And Method

Wet cost = cats x days x pouches per cat per day x price per pouch Dry cost = cats x days x dry grams per cat per day / 1000 x dry price per kg Food subtotal = wet cost + dry cost + treats, adjusted for waste and discount Checkout total = food subtotal + delivery + non-food basket extras

The calculator uses 30.42 days as the average month over a year. That avoids underestimating annual cost by using 30 days every month. Food waste is added before the discount because wasted food still has to be bought. The discount is applied to wet, dry and treats only, not to litter or delivery. Calories are estimated per cat per day from wet food, dry food and treats, using the label values you enter.

Worked Examples

Two mixed-fed cats

Two cats each eat two pouches and 35 g dry food daily. With 62p pouches and an 18 pound 3 kg dry bag, the wet food is the main cost driver. A small price rise per pouch adds up quickly because it is multiplied by cats and days.

Single wet-fed cat

A cat eating three pouches a day may look affordable per pouch, but the monthly count is about 91 pouches. The calculator makes that quantity visible and helps compare multipack sizes.

Dry-led pair

Dry-led feeding often has lower cost per calorie, but the right amount still depends on the food label and the cat. Use grams per day from the pack, not a bowl estimate, and keep fresh water available.

Monthly Budget Signals

Signal	What it may mean	Useful check
Wet food dominates the cost	Price per pouch, number of pouches and multipack size are the main budget drivers.	Compare price per pouch, not only box price.
Dry food dominates the cost	The bag may be premium, small, or used at a high daily gram amount.	Compare price per kg and feeding guide grams together.
High treat cost or treat calories	Treats may be adding more money or energy than expected.	Check the treat label and include treats in the daily allowance.
Waste allowance is high	Food may be drying out, disliked, served in large portions or left too long.	Try smaller meals, sealed storage or a different pack size before changing diet type.
Basket total much higher than food total	Litter, delivery or extras are driving the checkout.	Separate food and non-food decisions so the cat’s diet is not changed for the wrong reason.

Food Quality And Feeding Amount

Price is only one part of cat food planning. A cheaper food may cost less per pouch but need a larger feeding amount. A more expensive food may have a smaller daily portion, but that is not guaranteed. Look for a complete food suitable for the cat’s life stage, then compare the feeding amount on the pack. Kittens, pregnant cats, senior cats and cats with medical conditions need more care because their requirements may differ from a healthy adult cat.

When To Ask A Vet

Ask a vet if your cat gains or loses weight unexpectedly, stops eating, drinks much more, vomits repeatedly, has diarrhoea, struggles to urinate, has a known condition, is on a prescription food, or is very young or old. Do not use a cost calculator to reduce food sharply. If cost is a concern, a vet or reputable charity may help you choose a suitable complete food and feeding amount without putting health at risk.

FAQs

How much does cat food cost per month?

It depends on the number of cats, wet pouches per day, dry grams per day, brand price, treats and waste. The calculator shows food cost, checkout total and cost per cat per day so you can compare your own pattern.

Should litter be included?

The main result is food cost. Litter or other basket extras can be entered separately because they affect checkout spending but should not be confused with feeding cost.

Can I use calories to decide how much to feed?

Use calories as a rough label check only. Feeding amounts should come from the food guide, body condition and veterinary advice where needed.

Is wet food or dry food cheaper?

Dry food is often cheaper per calorie, while wet food can increase moisture intake and may suit some cats better. Cost should be balanced with health, preference and the feeding guide.

How can I reduce cat food cost safely?

Compare price per pouch or kg, buy the right pack size, reduce waste, measure portions and avoid overbuying treats. Do not switch diet suddenly or reduce food sharply without advice.

Sources

PDSA. (2026). The best diet for your cat. https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/kittens-cats/the-best-diet-for-your-cat
RSPCA. (2026). What to feed your pet cat. https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/cats/diet
Cats Protection. (2026). Feeding your cat. https://www.cats.org.uk/help-and-advice/diet/feeding
UK Pet Food. (2026). Responsible raw feeding for cats and dogs. https://www.ukpetfood.org/

Last reviewed: 14 May 2026.