How much should you really feed your pet?

Are we feeding our cats and dogs the right amount? There more factors affecting how much your pet should eat than you think. Here is how to get it right.

What type of 'feeder' are you?

Are you a meticulous measurer, carefully weighing out each or your pet's meals or do you scoop out a bowl-full of kibble with whichever mug is to hand? Do you practice ‘free’ feeding? This method is popular and can work for some cats who can be incredibly efficient at ‘self regulating’ and consuming only what they need. However, many dogs (and some cats too) will over-eat if there is not a daily limit!

Regardless of your style, is your current method really working for you or, more importantly, for your pet?

There are more factors that influence how much your pet needs to eat than you may think. We detail them here for you, along with lots of other advice on how to best meet your pet’s requirements.

The animal's age

Kittens and puppies need more calories than fully grown adult dogs and cats.
Older animals who are slowing down with age have a lower requirement for energy than a normally active adult.

The size of your pet and his or her weight status

Over or underweight animals will need less or more food respectively. Your vet will provide a free weight check for you.

Here are a couple of handy infographics on how to identify if your pet is at a healthy weight.

An infographic titled "Is your dog a healthy dog? Our guide to healthy feeding" by Arden Grange. The guide is divided into three sections showing the signs of feeding too little food, the right amount of food, and too much food. - **Too Little Food**: - Dog looks ribby. - Lacking in energy; dog appears lethargic. - Dog passes very small, hard, crumbly stools. - Dog feels very hungry, though some dogs are naturally greedy. - **Just the Right Amount of Food**: - Dog is nicely covered but not plump. - Normal energy level for breed and age. - Dog passes normal-sized, formed hard stools. - Dog is satisfied. - **Too Much Food**: - Dog appears to be getting stout. - Dog shows over-exuberance, which cannot be attributed to other causes. - Dog is passing soft or loose stools, or occasional large, fairly solid stools with undigested veggies/grains. - Dog is leaving food but continually interested in eating. At the bottom, it suggests for further information, visit www.ardengrange.com. The chart is colour-coded with the "Too Little Food" section in pale green, "Just the Right Amount of Food" in a balanced green, and "Too Much Food" in pale green.

Arden Grange informative chart titled "Is my cat a healthy cat?" It shows a guide to healthy feeding by comparing signs of underfeeding, just the right amount of food, and overfeeding in cats. Too Little Food: "Looking ribby" silhouette of a thin cat. Cat "lacking in energy" lying down. Cat "passing very small, hard/crunchy stools." "Very hungry (although some cats are naturally greedy)." Silhouette of a cat licking its lips. Just the Right Amount of Food: "Nicely covered but not plump" silhouette of a healthy-weight cat. "Normal energy level for age and breed" silhouette of a cat sitting alert. "Passing well-formed, but not hard stools," symbol of a firm stool. "Satisfied," silhouette of a content cat sitting. Too Much Food: "Getting stout" silhouette of an overweight cat. "Over-excitement which cannot be attributed to other causes," silhouette of a hyperactive cat. "Passing soft or loose stools / passing overly large stools / passing fecal waste very frequently," symbol of loose stool. "Leaving food but often still keen to eat treats and extras," silhouette of an overweight cat walking away from food. At the bottom, there is a call-to-action: "For further information, visit www.ardengrange.com ." The chart is colour-coded with the "Too Little Food" section in pale green, "Just the Right Amount of Food" in a balanced green, and "Too Much Food" in pale green.

It's down to lifestyle!

An outdoor cat who enjoys hunting will need more fuel than sedentary cats, as will a sporting/working dog versus a normally active adult dog.

Temperament

Stressed or anxious animals tend to burn more fuel than those who are generally very relaxed!

Read our tips on calming anxious dogs here
Read our tips on calming anxious cats here
Cat won’t eat? Advice on how to feed an inappetant cat

Individual metabolism

Just like people, some animals have a naturally quicker metabolism than others. Small dogs have a faster metabolism than large and giant breeds. They can still be prone to unwanted weight gain though!

The calorie content of the chosen diet

Yes, calories are counted in pet nutrition just as they are for us humans. Some products within the Arden Grange range are lower or higher calorie than others and we have combined our knowledge of calories together with age, size and life-style factors, to create recommended feeding quantities for each of our products.

Find out the calorie content of Arden Grange puppy food, dog food and treats here
Find out the calorie content of Arden Grange kuppy food, cat food and treats here

Follow the feeding guides

Our feeding guides have been carefully crafted, taking into account as many of the factors listed above as possible, but they can still only estimate the quantity of food required due to considerable variation between individual pets. They should however provide you with a great starting point.

Find feeding guides for all our canine products here
Find feeding guides for all our feline products here

Note

Are you considering switching your pet’s diet from one brand to another? It is very important to make dietary changes gradually to avoid upsetting your pet’s digestion or behaviour.

How to safely change dog food brands
Feeding a combination of our wet and dry dog food
How to safely change cat food brands

Also consider the treats and extras you give your pet…these have calories too! Reduce the main diet to accommodate treats so your pet can enjoy their rewards without piling on the lbs.
If you are still unsure about how much to feed your pet, do get in touch for further support and advice.
Ness Bird is a registered veterinary nurse, and holder of the Certificate in Canine and Feline veterinary Health Nutrition. After 15 years practical experience as a veterinary practice nurse, NVQ assessor and technical writer, and over 13 years experience at Arden Grange, Ness has an in-depth knowledge of the practical aspects of feeding dogs and cats. She and the team are always happy to help provide guidance should you have any queries.

Need some advice?

If you are still unsure about how much to feed your pet, do get in touch for further support and advice.
Ness Bird is a registered veterinary nurse, and holder of the Certificate in Canine and Feline veterinary Health Nutrition. After 15 years practical experience as a veterinary practice nurse, NVQ assessor and technical writer, and over 13 years experience at Arden Grange, Ness has an in-depth knowledge of the practical aspects of feeding dogs and cats. She and the team are always happy to help provide guidance should you have any queries.

How much should you really feed your pet?

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