How to calculate cost per meal when mixing wet and dry food for a cat?

How to calculate: The calories from wet and from dry are worked out separately, the cost of each format's kcal is added according to the share served, then the total is set against the cat's need. The energy basis, not weight, makes the two formats comparable (WSAVA, 2021). In depth ### Reason in calories, not in grams Energy, not weight, drives a mixed ration, since a gram of wet food and a gram of kibble carry different kcal loads. Begin by setting the cat's requirement, for instance 220 kcal a day at 4 kg (9 lb). Split that figure between the two formats in kcal, for instance half from wet and half from dry, convert each portion into grams through its own density, and then into a cost through its own price per gram. The wet component reshapes the total. With water frequently at 75 to 80 per cent of the pouch, calories per gram run low, and much of the price per kilo is really paying for water (FACCO, 2024, on the volume weight of wet food). One thing is worth holding on to: lining a pouch up against kibble on price per kilo is meaningless, while setting their cost per 100 kcal covered side by side is both workable and fair (WSAVA, 2021). ### Add, then verify Adding the cost of the wet kcal to the cost of the dry kcal served gives the mixed cost per meal. A final check confirms the combined kcal meet the requirement without overshooting it, which guards against feline overweight. Ration calculators can support the estimate, yet the labels of both products remain the reference to cross-check against (Kibbs). Comparison table | Component | Datum to read | Calculation | |---|---|---| | Cat's need | kcal/day by weight | e.g. 220 kcal | | Wet share | pouch density (kcal/100 g) | target kcal / density | | Dry share | kibble density (kcal/100 g) | target kcal / density | | Cost per meal | price per gram of each format | sum of the two costs |