How much should I feed my pet?
Work out your dog's or cat's daily calories from the formulas vets use, then turn them into grams, cups or cans of the food you actually buy.
Split into 2 meals: about 125–145 g per meal.
How we got there resting energy (RER) for your dog: 660 kcal
- WSAVA/NRC: inactive adult dog, 95 × kg0.75900 kcal
- Merck: neutered adult dog, 1.6 × RER1,060 kcal
Treats: keep them under about 90 kcal a day (10%). If you give that many, feed a little less food.
How the numbers are worked out
Everything starts from the resting energy requirement (RER), the calories a pet burns at rest: 70 × (weight in kg)0.75. Daily needs are a multiple of it. The Merck Veterinary Manual uses 1.6 × RER for a neutered adult dog, 1.8 for an intact one and 1.4 for one that gains weight easily; for cats 1.2, 1.4 and 1.0. Puppies get 3 × RER until 4 months and 2 × after that, kittens 2.5 ×. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) charts use formulas from the US National Research Council instead. The result is the range between the published figures that fit your pet, listed under the answer.
To turn calories into food, look on the bag or tin for the calorie content, usually given as kcal per kg and kcal per cup or can, and enter one of them. Weighing dry food in grams is more accurate than scooping. Keep treats under about a tenth of the day's calories, as WSAVA advises.
Sources
- Merck Veterinary Manual, Nutritional Requirements of Small Animals (RER formula) and Daily Maintenance Energy Requirements for Dogs and Cats (the factors).
- WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee, Calorie needs for healthy adult dogs and cats (July 2020), from the National Research Council's Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats (2006): dogs 95 × kg0.75 (inactive) to 130 × kg0.75 (active); cats 100 × kg0.67 (lean) and 130 × kg0.4 (obesity-prone).
- WSAVA, Feeding treats to your cat (treats under 10% of daily calories); ASPCA, General Dog Care (extras no more than 10% of daily food).
Questions
Why is the answer a range rather than one number?
Because the published formulas differ, and so do pets. Two healthy dogs of the same weight can need noticeably different amounts. The range shows where the trusted estimates fall; your pet's weight and shape over the next few weeks tell you where in it they belong.
Should I follow this or the feeding guide on the bag?
Both are starting points. If they differ, start somewhere between them, weigh your pet every two to four weeks and adjust gradually. Your vet can tell you whether your pet is at a healthy weight.
My pet needs to lose weight. Can I just feed less?
Please ask your vet first. Safe weight loss needs a target weight and a steady plan, and cats in particular should never be put on a crash diet. This calculator is for maintaining a healthy weight, not for a diet.