Dog & Cat Food

Nutrient Cheat Sheets

  • Dog & Cat Daily Calorie Estimator

  • Pet Food Math Cheat Sheet

  • Nutrient Cheat Sheets Overview

  • AAFCO/FEDIAF Minimum & Maximum Levels

  • Companies Providing Complete Nutrient/Typical Analysis Information

  • Companies Providing Limited Nutrient/Typical Analysis Information

Are you feeding your dog or cat a nutrient deficient food? Use the Nutrient Cheat Sheet to determine if the food is a good choice for your dog or cat. If the food company (see below) provides a nutrient/typical analysis the Nutrient Cheat Sheet will calculate those numbers with the pet’s weight and the number of calories fed each day. Then compare the “minimum recommended” column to the “totals” column to see if the food meets the minimum nutrients based on your pet’s body weight and calories fed.

The Full Cheat Sheet Package contains:

  • Dog or Cat Daily Calorie Estimator: Provides calorie estimates and minimum grams of protein needed per day.

  • Pet Food Math Cheat Sheet: Calculates the guaranteed analysis, cost per 1,000 calories, cost to feed, days per package. grams of protein, fat, and carbs, and calories balance (calorie distribution). and much more…

  • Nutrient Analysis Cheat Sheet: The Nutrient Analysis Cheat Sheets* are used to see if foods meet the minimum recommended nutrient levels for commercial pet food per FEDIAF 2024 Guidelines [1] for each individual dog or cat’s metabolic body weight based on the daily calories consumed. The nutrient analysis cheat sheet will calculate the nutrient analysis from “as-fed”, “dry matter”, or on a “caloric basis”.

Use the nutrient analysis cheat sheet to calculate a foods nutrient/typical analysis numbers (protein, amino acids, fats, vitamins, and minerals) for an individual dog or cat’s body weight* based on the daily calories needed. Use the cheat sheet to compare the minimum recommendations with the calculated amount of nutrients based on your dog’s body weight and daily calories.

The nutrient cheat sheet will calculate the nutrient analysis from “as-fed”, “dry matter”, or on a “caloric basis”.

The Nutrient cheat sheets are used to calculate nutrients levels per body weight as recommended by FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines. (Table VII-11)  https://europeanpetfood.org/self-regulation/nutritional-guidelines/?fbclid=IwAR1F6MvOSg-fTX_84myhaMIMa-rYZf2n7G27lCA5bqyrVjUdlxI4VAZ-NPc

All the “Cheat Sheets” are Microsoft Excel spreadsheets. You can download and use Microsoft Excel for free. https://www.office.com/

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS

TYPICAL ANALYSIS

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS ABOVE EXAMPLE OF TYPICAL ANALYSIS PROVIDED “AS FED”, “DRY MATTER”, AND “CALORIC”

DOG

  1. Estimate The Calories Needed

Cat

  1. Estimate The Calories Needed

Enter your dog or cat’s ideal weight in “kg”. (The cheat sheet will convert lb to kg) Start by determining how many calories your dog or cat is currently eating in the form of food and treats. Then determine their body condition score (BCS) and muscle condition score (MCS) to evaluate whether they need the same (maintenance), more or less calories each day. You should work with your veterinarian to determine your dog’s BCS and MCS and his/her ideal weight.

2. Calculate Cost, Protein, Fat, Carbs & Balance

2. Calculate Cost, Protein, Fat, Carbs & Balance

Enter the information from the “Guaranteed Analysis” (or typical analysis) and the calories listed as “kcal/kg”.

Enter the price, size, and calories fed per day and the cheat sheet will calculate the cost to feed per day, and how many days the package will last, and total grams of protein, fat, and carbs.

3. Calculate the Nutrient/Typical Analysis for Dog

3. Calculate the Nutrient/Typical Analysis for Cat

Dry Matter Calculations

Nutrient/Typical Analysis

Dry Matter Calculations

Nutrient/Typical Analysis

Nutrient Maximum Levels Highlighted for Adult Dogs & Cats per FEDIAF & AAFCO

DOG FOOD

“Caloric Basis” Maximum grams (g) per 1,000 calories (kcal)

CAT FOOD

“Caloric Basis” Maximum grams (g) per 1,000 calories (kcal)

FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines Table VII-11

https://europeanpetfood.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/FEDIAF-Nutritional-Guidelines_2024.pdf

“FEDIAF is unique in its approach of constant review of the nutrition research literature and frequent updating of the Nutritional Guidelines for consistency with current scientific data and knowledge. The recommended nutrient values in the 2024 Nutritional Guidelines are therefore based on up to date scientific principles and their practical use for safe and healthy pet foods.”

“The following section provides substantiation and explanation for the recommended allowances (RA) (nutrient recommendations) for dogs and cats in the previous tables. These recommendations are based on scientific publications and NRC (NRC 2006).”

“For commercial dog and cat foods it is recommended that the nutrient levels are at or above the levels listed in the tables and do not exceed the nutritional or legal maximum. If the protein digestibility of = 80% (mentioned under “2.2. Scope”) cannot be guaranteed, it is recommended to increase the essential amino acid levels by a minimum of 10%.”

“The levels in this guide reflect the amounts of essential nutrients in commercial products that are required to ensure adequate and safe nutrition in healthy individuals when consumed over time.”

“The recommended minimum levels include a safety margin to prevent deficiencies due to animal variations and nutrient interactions.”

All the “Cheat Sheets” are a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet.

You can download and use Microsoft Excel for free.

https://www.office.com/

Companies That Provide A Full Nutrient/Typical Analysis on Their Website or By Request (Current as of July 2025)

Full Analysis includes: amino acids, fats, minerals, and vitamins.

  1. All Provide

  2. A Pup Above

  3. Bramble

  4. Canine Caviar (by request)

  5. Carnos

  6. Darwin’s

  7. Emmalou’s

  8. Evermore

  9. Farmer’s Dog (by request)

  10. Gracious Goodness  

  11. Green Juju (by request)

  12. Honest Kitchen

  13. Identity    

  14. Instinct                                   

  15. Medicus Veterinary Diets

  16. my perfect pet

  17. Natures Logic (only missing Linoleic Acid LA)

  18. NoBl

  19. Nulo  

  20. Nutri Source (Element Series dog & cat foods)                   

  21. Ollie (by request)

  22. Oma’s Pride (by request)

  23. open farm

  24. Pet Plate (by request)

  25. Petaluma     

  26. Primal

  27. Raised Right* (Affiliate Link)

  28. Rawbble

  29. Rebel Raw

  30. Red Dog Blue Kat         

  31. Shine

  32. Simple Food Project (by request)

  33. Sol Fed Ranch (by request)

  34. Sundays (by request)

  35. Team Dog (by request)

  36. Tru Raw (Canada)

  37. tuft paw (Cat)

  38. Wellness

  39. Yumwoof

  40. Ziwi

  41. (Raw Dynamic – coming soon)

Limited Nutrient/Typical Analysis

  1. Acana (by request) Received amino acids, minerals and vitamins. Missing Linoleic Acid. 99% complete analysis.

  2. Annamaet (lists 18 of 38 nutrients. Missing all amino acids)

  3. Benson’s Bowl (missing amino acids)

  4. CaniSource (vitamins & minerals)

  5. Carna4 (missing amino acids)

  6. Darwin’s (missing amino acids and minerals)

  7. GO!  (missing 8 of 13 amino acids)

  8. JFFD (by request) Included fats, minerals, and vitamins, and 2 amino acids. Missing several amino acids.

  9. K9 Natural (only provides 6 minerals)

  10. Nutri Source

  11. Raw bistro  (Missing amino acids)

  12. Rawz (provides some minerals and taurine)

  13. Small batch  (by request. Missing amino acids)

  14. Square Pet (very limited nutrients. some minerals, vitamins, fats, and taurine. No amino acids)

  15. Steve’s  (minerals and vitamins. Missing amino acids and fat)

  16. Viva  (missing amino acids)

Sources and References

*Recommended nutrient levels (protein, amino acids, fats, vitamins, and minerals) for complete food for dogs and cats per bodyweight.*  

*Units per kg metabolic bodyweight (dogs kg BW0.75, cats kg BW0.67) FEDIAF Nutritional Guidelines Table VII-11.

1 “FEDIAF is unique in its approach of constant review of the nutrition research literature and frequent updating of the Nutritional Guidelines for consistency with current scientific data and knowledge. The recommended nutrient values in the 2024 Nutritional Guidelines are therefore based on up to date scientific principles and their practical use for safe and healthy pet foods.”

“The levels in this guide reflect the amounts of essential nutrients in commercial products that are required to ensure adequate and safe nutrition in healthy individuals when consumed over time.”

“The recommended minimum levels include a safety margin to prevent deficiencies due to animal variations and nutrient interactions.”

https://europeanpetfood.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/FEDIAF-Nutritional-Guidelines_2024.pdf

2

DOG Body-Condition-Score

DOG Muscle-Condition-Score-Chart

CAT Body Condition Score

CAT Muscle Condition Score Chart

https://animaldietformulator.com/adf-discoveries

 Resources 

https://animaldietformulator.com/adf-discoveries/many-aafco-compliant-dry-and-raw-foods-including-some-of-the-raw-diets-i-developed-are-nutrient-deficient-as-fed-they-are-not-complete-and-balanced-foods

https://animaldietformulator.com/adf-discoveries/are-american-older-dogs-consuming-only-60-of-nrc-recommended-nutrient-levels

https://animaldietformulator.com/adf-discoveries/safe-upper-limits

https://animaldietformulator.com/adf-discoveries/what-do-adf-vitamin-e-and-folic-acid-values-reflect

https://animaldietformulator.com/adf-discoveries/test-discovery

https://animaldietformulator.com/adf-discoveries