What is RER in dogs and cats?

RER is Resting Energy Requirement. It is the baseline calorie estimate used to calculate daily energy needs in dogs and cats.

How do you calculate calorie needs for dogs?

Calorie needs for dogs start with RER based on body weight in kilograms, then maintenance or clinical factors adjust that value.

How many calories should a cat eat per day?

A cat's daily calorie need depends on body weight, body condition, and clinical status. RER provides the starting estimate before maintenance adjustments.

What is the difference between RER and MER?

RER is the baseline resting energy estimate, while MER is the maintenance energy requirement after activity, neuter status, or clinical context are considered.

Clinical Tools / Nutrition

Veterinary Energy Calculator for Dogs and Cats

Calculate daily energy requirements for dogs and cats using RER and maintenance factors. This tool also builds feeding plans for weight loss and hospitalized patients.

Use it for

Daily energy estimates, maintenance feeding plans, and structured starting points for weight management.

It calculates

RER, maintenance energy targets, BCS-based ideal weight, and optional food-quantity estimates.

It does not decide

Disease-specific nutrition plans, therapeutic diet selection, or individualized medical feeding protocols.

Educational and workflow support only. Final feeding decisions require clinical judgment.

This veterinary energy calculator helps estimate daily caloric needs for dogs and cats. It uses standard formulas such as RER (Resting Energy Requirement) and MER-style maintenance adjustments for maintenance, weight loss, and hospitalized patients.

Learn how calorie needs are calculated: dog calorie calculator and cat calorie calculator.

Clinical Goal

What is this patient here for today?

Patient

Patient details

Patient name Species

Breed (optional) Age (years)

Current weight Unit

Owner name Clinic name

Clinician (optional) Date

Maintenance Details

Neuter status Activity level

Food Details (optional)

Food kcal density Unit label (e.g. cup, can, 100g)

Results

Feeding estimate

Enter patient weight and mode-specific details to generate a feeding plan.

After the Math

What this estimate means

Formula

How energy requirements are calculated

RER formula: RER = 70 × (body weight in kg)^0.75

RER is the baseline energy requirement used to estimate caloric needs in dogs and cats. Maintenance and clinical conditions adjust this value.

For broader clinical reasoning and case-based learning, review the NAVLE guide. Related tools: fluid calculator and dose calculator.