Raw Feeding Calculator Dog

The Raw Feeding Calculator calculates daily raw food portions and bone/meat/organ breakdown for dogs and cats based on body weight, age, activity level, and feeding model.

The Mathematics of Raw Feeding

Raw feeding is a topic that generates strong opinions. Proponents cite evolutionary alignment, improved coat condition, and dental health. Critics raise concerns about bacterial contamination, nutritional imbalance, and the risk of bone obstruction. This calculator takes no position on that debate. What it does is apply the mathematical models that raw feeding practitioners use to calculate portions — because regardless of where you stand on the philosophy, getting the maths right is essential if you choose to feed raw.

The core formula is straightforward: daily food (grams) = body weight (kg) × body weight percentage × 10. The percentage varies from 1.5% for sedentary seniors to 8% for young puppies in rapid growth. Adult dogs in moderate activity typically eat 2–3% of their body weight daily; cats, as smaller obligate carnivores with a higher metabolic rate per kilogram, eat approximately 0.5% more.

PMR vs BARF — Two Approaches to the Same Goal

The two dominant raw feeding models differ primarily in whether plant matter is included. Both aim to approximate the nutritional profile of whole prey, but they disagree on how closely that approximation should follow the actual composition of wild prey.

Prey Model Raw follows an 80/10/10 ratio: 80% muscle meat (including heart, gizzards, and tongue, which are classified as muscle despite being offal by culinary definition), 10% raw meaty bone (chicken backs, duck necks, rabbit ribs), and 10% secreting organ meat (half liver, half other organs such as kidney, spleen, or pancreas). This model excludes all plant matter on the basis that canid and felid digestive systems are not adapted to extract significant nutrition from vegetables.

The BARF model (Biologically Appropriate Raw Food, coined by Dr. Ian Billinghurst) uses a 70/10/10/10 ratio: 70% muscle meat, 10% raw meaty bone, 10% organ, and 10% fruit and vegetables (typically pureed or lightly steamed to break down cell walls). The plant component provides fibre, which some owners and veterinary nutritionists believe supports gut motility and microbiome diversity.

For cats, the BARF model should be used with caution. Cats are obligate carnivores — their nutritional requirements are met almost entirely through animal tissue. Any vegetable component should be minimal, and toxic plants (onion, garlic, grape, avocado) must be excluded entirely. Many raw-feeding practitioners who feed cats choose PMR for this reason, or reduce the BARF vegetable component to 5%.

Getting the Ratio Right Over Time

A common misconception is that every individual meal must hit the exact split ratio. In practice, raw feeding works on a weekly balance rather than a per-meal balance. A Monday meal might be 100% chicken thigh (muscle meat); a Wednesday meal might include a duck neck (high bone content); an organ meal might be served on Friday. The weekly total should average to the target ratio, but individual meals can vary significantly without nutritional consequence.

This principle becomes important for cats, whose small portion sizes make it impractical to include all components in every meal. A 113 g daily portion split into 80/10/10 gives just 11 g of bone per day — easier to include as a bone-in meal twice a week than to portion precisely at every feeding.

Adjusting Portions by Body Condition

The body weight percentage in the calculator is a starting point, not a fixed prescription. The correct portion size is whatever maintains your pet at an ideal body condition score (BCS 4–5 on the 9-point scale). Weigh your pet weekly for the first month and adjust:

• Gaining weight: reduce body weight percentage by 0.5% and reassess after two weeks
• Losing weight: increase body weight percentage by 0.5% and reassess after two weeks
• Ribs easily felt with light pressure, visible waist from above, abdominal tuck from the side: ideal condition — maintain current percentage

Working and sporting dogs in peak activity may need up to 5% of body weight during competition season, dropping to 2.5–3% during rest periods. Pregnant bitches need a gradual increase in food from week 5 of pregnancy, reaching approximately 25–50% more than maintenance by whelping — consult your vet for a tailored weight management approach during pregnancy.

Sourcing and Handling

Bacterial contamination (Salmonella, Campylobacter, E. coli) is a legitimate concern with raw feeding. Handle raw pet food with the same hygiene protocols as raw meat for human consumption: wash hands and surfaces thoroughly, defrost in the fridge rather than at room temperature, serve on a dedicated mat or bowl, and discard uneaten food within 20 minutes. Immunocompromised owners, households with young children, and pets on immunosuppressive medication should discuss raw feeding with their veterinarian before starting.

Cost-effective sourcing includes butcher offcuts, wholesale chicken carcasses, and buying organ meat (liver, kidney, heart) in bulk when it is often cheaper than muscle meat. Many specialist raw suppliers sell pre-portioned frozen packs balanced to PMR or BARF ratios — these are more expensive but simplify preparation. Check that no toxic ingredients are included in pre-made blends.