Skip to content
Cat calculators

Dry matter & per-1000 kcal calculator

Compare dry and wet food on the same basis, carbs included

Copy the numbers from the guaranteed analysis on the pack.

How is it calculated?

Dry matter % = nutrient % ÷ (100 − moisture %) × 100. Carbs are what is left after protein, fat, fiber, ash and moisture (NFE). Without a label calorie value we estimate with modified Atwater factors (3.5 for protein and carbs, 8.5 for fat), and grams per 1000 kcal = nutrient % ÷ kcal per 100 g × 1000.

Questions

What is dry matter?

Percentages recalculated without the water. Canned food looks low on the label because of its water; dry matter makes it comparable with kibble.

Why per 1000 kcal?

Cats eat to calories, so what they actually take in is most accurate per 1000 kcal. High-fat foods can rank differently on dry matter and per-1000 kcal.

What if the ash isn’t listed?

Leave it blank and we assume 2.5% for wet and 7% for dry food to estimate carbs; the result is marked as an estimate.

Estimates for healthy-weight cats based on NRC 2006 and IRIS guidance. A cat with a medical condition may need different numbers.