Last Updated: 13/10/2026
How Much to Feed Your Dog or Cat: Feeding & Cost Calculator
Work out how much to feed your dog or cat and what it costs per feed with our free vet-designed calculator, plus feeding frequency and portion tips.
Author: Dr Carla Paszkowski BVSc (Hons)
Reading Time: 7 minutes - short read
Wondering exactly how much to feed your dog or cat? Getting the amount of dog food or cat food right matters almost as much as what's in the bowl. Overfeeding is one of the most common mistakes we see, and it's a major driver of pet obesity in Australia.
Use our free calculator below to work out your pet's daily feeding amount and cost per feed in a couple of minutes, then read on for the detail on feeding frequency and portioning for every type of diet.
In this article
Feed & cost calculator
We'll work out how much your pet should be eating each day using the method vets use, then show you exactly what that costs per feed.
1Your pet's daily energy needs
This decides how much food they actually need.
Aiming for weight loss for an adult pet? Enter your pet's ideal body weight, and choose 'overweight' from the drop down menu.
2About the food
Grab these details straight off the pack.
Usually listed on the pack as Metabolisable Energy (ME).
Based on the details on the left
Cheapest per feed isn't always the best value. Ingredient quality and digestibility, your pet's health needs and how well the food agrees with them all matter too.
The method above is a great starting point, but every pet is different. Chat to your vet, especially for puppies, kittens, or pets with weight or health goals.
How often should I feed my dog or cat?
Your pet's lifestage and other individual factors can influence the number of times they need to be fed each day.
Puppies and kittens
Juvenile pets need to be fed more frequently than adult pets. Up until the age of about 5 to 6 months, puppies and kittens should be fed 3 meals per day - ideally splitting their daily recommended food allowance equally into thirds.
From the age of 5 or 6 months until they reach adulthood, puppies and kittens can be fed 2 meals per day. This can be achieved by halving the daily recommended feeding amount and feeding one half in the morning and one half in the evening.
For the exact daily amount to feed at each stage, see our How Much to Feed a Puppy and How Much to Feed a Kitten guides.
Adults and seniors
Adult pets (including seniors) over the age of 12 months can be fed either once or twice daily, depending on your preference. Most people prefer to feed their pet twice daily as it fits in with their own schedule. Whichever frequency you choose, make sure to evenly split the daily feeding amount accordingly.
In clinic, one of the most common mistakes we see is owners dropping a meal too abruptly when a puppy or kitten hits the age cut-off, we recommend easing into the new schedule by gradually reducing the feeding amount in the meal you plan to drop over a week or so to avoid tummy upsets.
What about treats? Treats and dental chews are fine to give separate to meals, but should be accounted for in your dog's daily recommended feeding amount.
How much should I feed my dog or cat on a commercial diet?
If you're feeding a commercial dry or wet food, working out portions is easier than you might think, though it does depend on whether you're feeding one food, a mix, or something home cooked.
If you feed one sole dry or wet food
This one is easy! If you're currently feeding one dry food OR one wet food as your pet's sole diet, simply stick to the feeding guidelines included on the packaging. Every manufacturer will print feeding guideline tables on the packet, but if you aren't sure, you can also consult their website. Please note that feeding guidelines are guides only and should be adjusted depending on your pet's body condition score.
The daily feeding amount specified for your pet can be split into portions depending on how many times per day you feed your pet. If you choose to give your pet a few treats, it's important to take this into consideration with regards to their daily calorie intake. For example, one Greenies Regular dog treat contains 91 calories, so every time you feed a Greenies dog treat you'll need to reduce their daily meal by the equivalent calorie load.
One of the most common mistakes we see in consults is portions estimated by eye rather than weighed, even a 20 to 30 gram daily overestimate can add up to real weight gain over a year.
If you combine different dry foods and/or wet foods
Feeding a mixture of dry and wet food has many benefits - not only does it allow your pet some variety, but it helps them reap the benefits of both. If you're feeding a mixture of two or more types of food, it's best to take the recommended daily feeding amount for each (as stipulated on the packaging) and divide them accordingly. Remember that the daily amount provided on the packaging is given under the assumption that the food is fed as the sole diet - so when combining two diets, divide this suggested amount. A good ratio to work off is to give a majority of dry food - for instance, feed 2/3rds of the recommended daily dry food amount and 1/3rd of the recommended wet food amount.
Learn more in Wet Dog Food vs Dry Dog Food and Wet Cat Food vs Dry Cat Food.
How much should I feed my dog or cat on a home cooked diet?
Home cooked and extra meat diets take a bit more maths, since they don't come with a feeding guide on the pack.
Many pet parents choose to incorporate home cooked food and extra meat into their pet's diet. Obviously meat and other wholefood ingredients don't come with a daily feeding guideline, so in order to figure out how much you should feed, you'll have to do the maths yourself.
How much meat should you feed your dog or cat? Rest assured that if you choose a premium, balanced diet, there's no need to supplement your pet's diet with extra meat or vegetables. Premium diets contain everything your pet needs. But if you'd like to provide some extra ingredients, we recommend keeping a balanced pet food as at least 90% of the daily calories and including no more than 10% of the daily calories as extra meat.
Daily calorie requirement is only part of the equation if you're creating a home cooked diet, as it doesn't take into account macro or micronutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, fat, or vitamins and minerals. If you're attempting to create a balanced, home-cooked diet, we suggest consulting with a veterinary nutritionist for further advice.
Finding the perfect balance for your pet's diet might take a little trial and error, but it is well worth the effort. By paying attention to their specific life stage, activity levels, and those sneaky extra treats, you are setting them up for a lifetime of health and vitality. Remember, this calculator is a helpful starting point, but every pet is an individual. Need help calculating how much you should be feeding your pet? Request a free Vet Pet Plan for tailored nutrition, health and behavioural advice. Always keep a close eye on their body condition - our body condition assessment guide can help - and chat with your vet if you have any concerns. If your pet is overweight, our guides on helping your dog lose weight and helping your cat lose weight go into more detail.
Pet Feeding FAQs
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History
Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space and we update our articles when new information becomes available.
Thu 3 Sep 2026
Edited by Dr Gillian Hill BVSc (Hons)Dr Carla Paszkowski BVSc (Hons)
Veterinarian
Dr. Carla graduated from the University of Queensland in 2013 with a Bachelor of Veterinary Science and worked for a number of years in small animal clinics across South East Queensland. While Carla enjoys most facets of clinical veterinary work, she holds a special passion for feline medicine, pocket pets, and nutrition.
