Meddor

How much should my dog or cat eat a day?

The right amount depends on the food, on your dog’s or cat’s weight, and on how much energy they burn. Enter the portion printed on the bag, or their weight if you don’t have the bag: the calculator gives you the grams per day and per meal.

Your pet
Activity level

A neutered cat is “moderate”, an intact cat “high”. For a pet that puts on weight easily, choose “low”.

Meals per day
g per day

In the manufacturer’s feeding chart, on the line for their weight. The calculator takes it as written for moderate activity, and adjusts it to the level you chose.

Enter the portion printed on the bag for their weight: their daily and per-meal portion will show up here.

Meddor keeps their portion up to date

In the app, the barcode on the bag finds the product and its analysis, and the portion updates when you log a new weight. Everyone at home sees the same portion, in the same health record.

When you switch foods, Meddor tells you each morning how many grams of old and new food go in the bowl. Free, no ads.

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Start with the bag’s chart

The feeding chart printed on the bag gives the amount of that specific food a pet needs each day, for its species, age and activity: that’s how FEDIAF defines it, and it’s the best starting point. Find the line for your pet’s weight, and the column for their activity if there are several.

The calculator takes the chart as written for an adult with moderate activity, and scales it to the level you chose, using the activity factors below: for a dog with low activity, it takes off about an eighth of the portion.

Without the bag: the formula vets use

  1. Resting energy needs are 70 × weight0.75 kilocalories (kcal) a day, with the weight in kilograms. That’s the formula in the Merck Veterinary Manual. Because of the exponent, a 40 kg dog eats a little under three times what a 10 kg dog eats, not four times.
  2. The day’s needs multiply that by a factor. The Merck Veterinary Manual gives 1.6 for a neutered adult dog, 1.4 for a dog prone to obesity, 1.2 for a neutered cat, 1.4 for an intact cat and 1 for a cat prone to obesity. The calculator uses 1.4, 1.6 and 2 for a dog with low, moderate or high activity, and 1, 1.2 and 1.4 for a cat.
  3. The grams are those needs divided by the food’s calorie content. If it’s on the pack, the calculator uses it. Otherwise, it assumes 380 kcal per 100 g for dry food, 85 for wet food and 150 for raw food.

For example, for a 20 kg (44 lb) dog with moderate activity: 70 × 200.75 ≈ 662 kcal at rest, × 1.6 ≈ 1,059 kcal a day, which is 1,059 ÷ 380 × 100 ≈ 279 g of dry food.

For comparison, FEDIAF, the European pet food industry federation, counts 95 kcal per kg of metabolic weight for a dog walked less than an hour a day, 110 for one to three hours of low-impact activity, 125 if it’s high-impact, 150 to 175 for a working dog. The calculator’s factors give 98, 112 and 140: “high” sits between high-impact activity and a working dog.

It’s only a starting point. The Merck Veterinary Manual points out that a pet may need 30% more or less than the calculation. Their body tells you whether the portion is right.

Check the portion suits them

WSAVA, the World Small Animal Veterinary Association, describes a dog in ideal condition like this: ribs easy to feel under a thin layer of fat, a waist you can see from above, and a belly that tucks up when seen from the side. For a cat: a waist visible behind the ribs, ribs you can feel under a thin layer of fat, and only a small fat pad under the belly.

Weigh them regularly. If they gain or lose weight for no clear reason, talk to your vet before changing the portion much.

Frequently asked questions

What about a puppy or a kitten?

The calculator only works out an adult’s portion. A growing animal needs much more: according to the Merck Veterinary Manual, about 3 times their resting needs for a puppy under 4 months, 2 times after that, and 2.5 times for a kitten, against 1.6 for a neutered adult dog. Follow the growth chart on their food, which accounts for their age and expected adult weight, and your vet’s advice.

My cat is neutered: should I feed less?

A neutered cat burns less than an intact one: 1.2 times their resting needs instead of 1.4, according to the Merck Veterinary Manual. Choose “moderate” for a neutered cat, and “low” if they put on weight easily.

Dry or wet food: are the grams the same?

No. For FEDIAF, wet food contains at least 60% moisture, dry food 14% or less: gram for gram, wet food provides much less energy. For mixed feeding, run the calculator with each pack and split the day between the two, half and half for example.

I’m switching foods

Switch gradually, mixing the old and the new food: our food transition calculator gives you the grams of each, day by day.

Sources

Meddor doesn’t replace your vet: this calculator gives you a starting point, not their advice. For a pet that is sick, overweight, pregnant or nursing, follow their prescription.

See also: how often to deworm a dog or cat · puppy and kitten vaccination schedule