How much should I feed my dog or cat each day?

Daily calories depend on your pet's ideal body weight, life stage, and activity level. Bowlful's free calculator uses the standard Resting Energy Requirement (RER) and Maintenance Energy Requirement (MER) formulas used by veterinary nutritionists to give a personalized kcal target and portion size.

Is Bowlful veterinary advice?

No. Bowlful provides general pet nutrition information for educational purposes only. Always consult a licensed veterinarian for medical, dietary, or behavioral decisions about your pet — especially for puppies, kittens, seniors, pregnant or nursing animals, or pets with health conditions.

How much does Bowlful cost?

Bowlful is free. The calorie and portion calculator, breed guides, quizzes and wellness articles cost nothing and need no card. There are no paid meal plans or subscriptions at this time.

Does Bowlful earn commissions on product links?

Some outbound product links are affiliate links (Amazon Associates, Impact, CJ Affiliate, and partner programs from Chewy, Lemonade, Pumpkin, Spot, Dutch, and Vetster). Bowlful may earn a commission at no extra cost to the reader. Editorial picks are independent of commissions.

Do dogs taste sweet? Do cats taste sweet?

Dogs taste sweet, but cats do not — cats are the only mammals known to lack a functioning sweet-taste receptor.

Should a cat's diet be about 70% moisture?

Yes. Cats evolved from desert wildcats to get water from prey, so a high-moisture diet helps support kidney and overall health.

Does an extra 10% body weight shorten a dog's life?

A landmark Purina lifespan study (2002) found lean-fed Labradors lived a median of about 1.8 years longer than well-fed siblings.

Do puppies need more calories than adult dogs per kilogram of body weight?

Yes. Puppies need roughly twice the calories per kilogram of body weight compared to adults to support growth.

Is chocolate dangerous for dogs?

Yes. Theobromine is toxic to dogs; they metabolize it about four times slower than humans, and dark chocolate is roughly ten times more toxic than milk chocolate.

Is taurine essential for cats?

Yes. Taurine is essential for cats — without dietary taurine they can develop dilated cardiomyopathy and blindness, so all complete cat foods supplement it.

Bowlful

Vet-grounded pet nutrition

Science-backed pet nutrition, made simple.

Bowlful is a free, independent nutrition guide for dog and cat owners: work out exactly how much to feed using the same NRC and AAFCO calorie formulas vets use, then read plain-English guides on growth, weight, and behaviour.

Take the feeding quiz Browse nutrition guides

Free forever · NRC & AAFCO formulas · No signup · or jump straight to the calculator

A scruffy brown dog stretching next to a fluffy tabby cat on a gray couch

NRC + AAFCO

calorie formulas we use

breed profiles, growing weekly

pet-food brands that own us

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Feeding

Do Neutered Dogs Need Fewer Calories?

Many dogs need fewer calories after neutering. Learn why energy needs change and how to adjust portions without compromising nutrition.

Feeding

What Does an AAFCO Nutritional Adequacy Statement Mean?

Learn how to read an AAFCO nutritional adequacy statement, including life stages, feeding trials and supplemental-use labels.

Feeding

Indoor Cat Enrichment Ideas for Small Apartments

Practical indoor cat enrichment ideas for small apartments, including food puzzles, vertical space, play routines and safety tips.

Feeding

What Does Complete and Balanced Mean on Pet Food?

Learn what complete and balanced means on pet food labels, how AAFCO adequacy is established and why life stage and feeding directions matter.

Start somewhere

Breed feeding guides

Portions and quirks by breed.

Feeding & portions

Calorie maths, schedules, weight.

Behaviour & wellbeing

Stress signs and enrichment.

Quizzes & tools

Pet match, feeding know-how.

2-minute match quiz

What pet is right for me?

Not sure where to start? Answer six honest questions about your home, your time, and your energy. We'll match you to the pet that actually fits your life — with a starter shopping list to set them up well.

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Free · No signup · Honest answers, no upsells

Active dog

Independent cat

Quiet small pet

Social bird

Daily Plan

Build their bowl

A starting point grounded in resting energy requirement (RER) — the formula vets use.

BreedWeight: 28 kg

Ideal range for this breed: 25–34 kg

Life stage

Activity

Per day

1363kcal

≈ 379 g kibble

Protein min

22%

Fat min

12%

Meals

Water

1400 ml

Weight is in the healthy range.

Estimates only. Always confirm with your veterinarian, especially for puppies, seniors, or medical diets.

Why trust Bowlful

Quiet about marketing. Loud about sources.

We're a small, independent project — not a big brand with a PR team. Here's exactly what's behind the numbers, and what isn't.

Grounded in published guidelines

Calorie math uses the standard Resting and Maintenance Energy Requirement (RER / MER) formulas from the National Research Council (NRC) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats, with feeding stages aligned to AAFCO life-stage definitions and WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines.

We don't sell pet food

Bowlful is a nutrition tool, not a food brand. No private-label kibble, no recalls to hide, no incentive to push one diet over another. Product picks are editorial and clearly marked when a link is an affiliate.

Independent & transparent ownership

Bowlful is based in Australia. We're independent of every pet-food brand on the site.

Not a replacement for your vet

Every page that gives nutrition guidance says so plainly: this is education, not veterinary advice. For puppies, kittens, seniors, pregnant or nursing pets, or any medical condition, your licensed vet has the final word.

References we lean on

National Research Council (NRC) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats; Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Dog & Cat Food Nutrient Profiles; World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) Global Nutrition Guidelines; FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines for Complete and Complementary Pet Food; and the 14-year Purina Lifespan Study (Kealy et al., JAVMA 2002) on lean feeding and longevity.

Did you know

Six small things worth knowing.

No. 01

Dogs taste sweet — cats don't.

Cats are the only mammals known to lack a functioning sweet-taste receptor. Skip the fruit treats for your cat.

No. 02

A cat's diet should be ~70% moisture.

Descended from desert wildcats, cats evolved to get water from prey. Dry-food-only diets stress the kidneys over time.

No. 03

Lean-fed dogs live longer.

The 14-year Purina Lifespan Study (Kealy et al., JAVMA 2002) followed 48 Labrador Retrievers and found the lean-fed group lived a median of ~1.8 years longer than their well-fed siblings.

No. 04

Puppies need ~2× the calories of adults.

Per kilogram of body weight. Growth plates close around 12–18 months depending on breed size.

No. 05

Chocolate's danger is theobromine.

Dogs metabolize theobromine far more slowly than humans, and dark/baking chocolate contains many times more of it than milk chocolate. If a dog eats any chocolate, call your vet or an animal poison hotline.

No. 06

Taurine is non-negotiable for cats.

Cats can't make enough taurine on their own. Long-term deficiency is linked to dilated cardiomyopathy and retinal damage, which is why all AAFCO-complete cat foods supplement it.

Meet Cooper · No meal prep required

A month of meals for a Golden Retriever.

Approx. monthly cost

$130/mo

Real bowls, real prices. Built for an adult ~70 lb Golden eating ~1,400 kcal/day. Everything ships from Amazon — open the bag, scoop, done. Prices are approximate and shift with Amazon's pricing.

Daily kibble

Hill's Science Diet Adult Large Breed (35 lb bag)

≈3½ cups/day for a 65–75 lb Golden — one bag lasts ~5 weeks.

~$72/moShop on Amazon

Omega-3 topper

Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Pet (8 oz)

1 tsp on dinner. Coat, joints, skin — Golden essentials.

~$18/moShop on Amazon

Joint support

Nutramax Cosequin DS Plus MSM (132 ct)

2 chews/day. Standard vet pick for large-breed hips.

~$26/moShop on Amazon

Healthy treats

Stewart Freeze-Dried Beef Liver (12 oz)

Stay under 10% of daily calories (~140 kcal for a Golden).

~$14/moShop on Amazon

Amazon links are affiliate links — Bowlful may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Picks are editorially chosen. Always check portions for your pet with the calculator.

Free · 2-minute match quiz

Find the best food for your pet in 2 minutes.

Answer 5 questions about your home, your pet, and your routine. Get a personalized shortlist of foods, portion sizes, and supplements matched to your dog or cat — not a generic top-10 list.