Setting the per-meal amount to your feeder's step and tray limit
Enter the total food per day, the number of meals, the feeder's smallest dispensing step and tray capacity, and the first and last feeding times. The tool returns the per-meal amount before rounding, the amount snapped to the dispensing step in grams and ounces, the daily total that actually comes out of the feeder, the difference from your target, whether one meal overflows a tray, and a time for every meal. A feeder cannot dispense an arbitrary number of grams, so seeing how far the real amount drifts from the target is the point of this tool.
No validated figure says how many meals a day a pet should get, so the count and the daily total are inputs rather than suggestions. The daily total itself comes from a feeding calculator using RER and MER, the formula that AAHA and WSAVA both use. Reviewed as of October 2026.
It does not compute feeding intervals or fasting gaps; a dedicated interval calculator does that. Schedules that cross midnight are not supported. This tool is for reference only and does not replace veterinary care. Contact your veterinarian right away if you notice symptoms or suspect a problem.
Frequently Asked Questions
This tool suggests no number. There is no validated figure for meals per day, so the count and the daily total are taken from what you agreed with your veterinarian.
A feeder only releases food in fixed steps, so some drift is normal. If the gap bothers you, change the meal count and recalculate, or top up one meal by hand.
No. This tool stops at the per-meal amount and the feeding times. Use a dedicated interval calculator for the gaps between times and the longest fasting stretch.