Pet Nutrition Series – Part 1: How Much Should I Feed My Pet?
One of the most common questions we hear at Hebron Veterinary Hospital is:
“How much food should my dog or cat be eating each day?”
The truth is, there isn’t one simple answer. Every pet is different, and the right amount depends on several important factors.
Age Matters
Just like people, pets have different nutritional needs as they grow and age.
- Puppies & Kittens (under 1 year): Growing animals need more calories and nutrients to support rapid bone, muscle, and organ development.
- Adult Pets: Between about 1–7 years old, dogs and cats usually need a steady, balanced diet to maintain health.
- Senior Pets: For cats, we consider them senior around age 8–10 and geriatric at 15+, though it varies by individual. Dogs are trickier—because lifespan varies so much by breed. A small terrier may live to 16, while a Great Dane’s life expectancy is closer to 8. As a rule of thumb, we consider dogs “senior” around age 8 or when they’ve entered the last 25% of their expected lifespan
Activity Level
How active your pet is also plays a huge role.
- Very Active Pets: Working dogs, hiking companions, or cats with outdoor enclosures (catios) or vigorous daily play may need 20–30% more calories than average.
- Moderately Active Pets: Pets who get daily walks or indoor play without intense exertion fall into this middle ground.
- Low Activity Pets: Indoor-only cats and dogs who spend more time lounging than moving need fewer calories to stay healthy.
Body Condition & Muscle Score
Your pet’s current weight and muscle tone are important starting points. Veterinarians use a Body Condition Score (BCS) chart for both dogs and cats to determine whether a pet is underweight, ideal, or overweight.
If your pet needs to gain or lose weight, that changes how much food they should be getting. At Hebron Veterinary Hospital, we can help you evaluate your pet’s BCS and muscle condition to guide feeding choices.
The Science Behind Feeding Calculations
Veterinarians often use something called the Resting Energy Requirement (RER) to estimate daily caloric needs.
The formula is:
RER = 70 x (Body Weight in kg ^ 0.75)
From there, the RER is multiplied by a factor depending on whether your pet is a puppy, kitten, active adult, senior, or overweight.
Fortunately, you don’t have to crunch all the numbers yourself—every bag or can of food lists calories per cup or can. Once you know your pet’s daily calorie needs, you can match it to the food you’re feeding.
Tip: The feeding guidelines on the bag are a starting point, but many pets need more or less than what’s listed.
In Part 2, we’ll answer the next big question: “What should I feed my pet?” and break down how to decode confusing food labels.
Cheers,
Dr. Mordasky