Feeding Guidelines - Natural Pet Pantry

Feeding Guidlines

When transitioning your pet to a new diet, there are some important factors to consider. Read our feeding guidelines to find out what they are.

If you still have questions or concerns, we offer free pet food and pet nutrition consultations. You can call the Kirkland store at 425-739-4738 during regular store hours and we will be happy to help guide you through the transition to raw food and answer any questions you may have.

How much should I feed my dog?

When feeding fresh food (both raw and cooked) we recommend starting with about 3% of your dog’s ideal adult weight and monitor their weight over time, making adjustments as needed.

In general, a healthy adult dog will consume around 2 – 4% of their ideal target adult weight, but smaller dogs (less than 10 pounds) may consume more (5%+) and very active dogs (herding dogs) may consume even more than that. Fun fact: We say “ideal target weight” because about 60% of dogs in the U.S. are overweight, so instead of feeding for the weight they currently are we suggest feeding for the weight they should be.

Like humans, dogs can have different metabolism, different activity level, etc. So, it’s important to monitor the dog’s weight… maybe once every couple of weeks or once a month … to see how the weight is trending. If you find the dog is losing a little weight, then raise the amount of daily food. Do the opposite if gaining weight. Some pet-parents go to the trouble of trying to calculate calories, etc., but there are so many variables involved (treats, activity, etc.) we suggest keeping it simple and just monitor your dog’s weight. With a little trial-and-error you will land in the right spot.

Puppies

Puppies grow fast, and they need a lot of food. We recommend splitting their food between at least two meals. Our guidance for feeding fresh food to puppies is to feed them the amount of food they would be eating as if they are already fully grown. For example, if your tiny cute little 8-pound puppy is expected to grow to around 30-40 pounds, then feed them like a 40-pound adult dog. That means, in this example, your 8-pound puppy will be eating around 1.2 pounds of food per day. We know it seems impossible, but they will pack it away.

Unsure of what their weight might be? In that case, we recommend the following guidelines, adjusting based on the puppy’s growth and apparent hunger:

2-4 months: 6-10% of current body weight

4-7 months: 4-5% of current body weight

7-12 months: 3-4% of current body weight

12+ months: 2% of current body weight

Once their growth stops and their weight stabilizes, you can feed based on their ideal adult weight, as described above.

Pregnant and Lactating Dams

Dams need to increase their food intake throughout gestation and especially during lactation to fuel their body and maintain health. While we recommend consulting with your veterinarian, a good place to start is increasing their food amount as follows:

Gestation from 0-5 weeks: No changes from their regular feeding amount as described above

Gestation from 5 weeks-delivery: Increase food amount by 1% of their body weight

Lactation from 1-3 weeks: Increase food amount by an additional 1% of their body weight

Lactation from 3+ weeks: Increase food amount by an additional 1-2% of their body weight

As the puppies wean, continue to monitor the dam’s weight and hunger decreasing the food amount as needed until it is returned to the normal feeding guidelines as described above.

How much should I feed my cat?

When feeding raw food, we recommend starting with about 3% of your cat’s ideal adult weight and monitor their weight over time, making adjustments as needed.

In general, a healthy adult cat will consume around 2 – 4% of their ideal target adult weight, varying by many factors including age and activity level.

Cats can have different metabolism, different activity level, etc. So, it’s important to monitor their weight… maybe once every couple of weeks or once a month … to see how the weight is trending. If you find the cat is losing a little weight, then raise the amount of daily food. Do the opposite if they are gaining weight. Some pet-parents go to the trouble of trying to calculate calories, etc., but there are so many variables involved (treats, activity, etc.) we suggest keeping it simple and just monitor your cat’s weight. With a little trial-and-error, you will land in the right spot.

Kittens

Kittens grow fast, and they need a lot of food. We recommend splitting their food between 2 or more meals. Our guidance for feeding fresh food to kittens is to feed them the amount of food they would be eating as if they are already full grown.

Unsure of what their weight might be? In that case, we recommend the following guidelines, adjusting based on the kitten’s growth and apparent hunger: