Is raw feeding safe for my pet?

The American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) does not endorse raw meat-based diets due to documented pathogen risks (Salmonella, Listeria, and others) that can affect both pets and the humans in their household. If you choose to feed raw, discuss food-safety practices and nutritional completeness with your veterinarian and consider a consultation with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist.

What does the 80/10/10 ratio mean?

80% muscle meat, 10% raw edible bone, and 10% organ meat (ideally half of that being liver). This ratio is the most widely cited template for approximating the nutritional profile of a whole-prey diet. It is a guideline, not a clinically validated formula — a professionally formulated raw diet reviewed by a veterinary nutritionist may differ from these proportions.

Why is the percentage range so wide (2–3% or 4–8%)?

Because individual metabolic rates, activity levels, and body conditions vary considerably. The range is intentional — it gives a starting window that you calibrate by monitoring your pet's weight and body condition over time, adjusting up or down within (or outside) the range as needed.

Can I use this calculator for cats?

The same body-weight-percentage approach is commonly applied to cats in raw feeding communities, and the calculator works for cats as well as dogs. However, cats have specific nutritional requirements (particularly taurine, arachidonic acid, and pre-formed vitamin A) that are even less forgiving of imbalance than dogs'. A veterinary nutritionist consultation is especially important for cats on raw diets.

How accurate is the body-weight-percentage method compared to calorie-based feeding?

The percentage method is a practical heuristic used in raw feeding communities, not a precision nutritional calculation. It does not account for the caloric density of the specific ingredients used, individual metabolic variation, or life-stage differences in nutrient ratios. Calorie-based approaches (using RER and MER) are more precisely anchored to metabolic science, which is one reason veterinary nutritionists tend to use energy-based formulation for clinical diets.

How the Raw Pet Food Calculator Works | PetCalculator

The Raw Pet Food Calculator estimates daily raw feeding amounts using the widely cited 2–3% (adult) and 4–8% (growing) body-weight guidelines, plus an 80/10/10 muscle meat, bone, and organ split. This guide explains the formula and the important safety caveats around raw feeding.