How much should I feed my dog or cat?

Use BCS, not the label

Body condition score is a 1–9 (or 1–5) scale your vet uses to assess fat cover. A healthy adult dog or cat sits at 4–5/9: you can feel ribs easily under a light layer of fat, see a tucked-up abdomen from the side, and see a waist from above. If you can't feel ribs, your pet is overweight no matter what the bag says.

Recalculate every 6–8 weeks. Activity changes (a colder winter, an injury, a new puppy in the house), metabolism shifts with age, and feeding amounts need to shift with them.

Meal frequency

• Puppies under 4 months: 4 meals/day.
• Puppies 4–6 months: 3 meals/day.
• Adult dogs: 2 meals/day (twice daily lowers bloat risk in deep-chested breeds vs once daily).
• Cats: 2–4 small meals/day, closer to their hunting evolution and reduces gorge-vomit cycle.
• Seniors: 2–3 meals/day, often with reduced calories and a senior-formulated diet.