How many treats can I give my dog per day?

Treats should make up no more than 10% of your dog's daily calorie intake. The exact number depends on weight, activity level, and the calories per treat. Use the TreatPolice calculator to get a personalized daily treat limit.

How many treats can I give my cat per day?

The same 10% rule applies to cats — treats should not exceed 10% of daily calories. Most adult cats need 200–300 kcal per day, so only 20–30 kcal should come from treats.

What is the 10% rule for pet treats?

Veterinarians recommend that treats make up no more than 10% of a pet's daily calories. The remaining 90% should come from a complete and balanced diet to ensure proper nutrition.

How are daily calories for dogs and cats calculated?

We calculate Resting Energy Requirement (RER) as 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75, then multiply by an activity factor (1.2–2.0 for dogs, 1.0–1.4 for cats) and adjust for weight goal (lose, maintain, or gain).

About TreatPolice

A free, vet-aligned tool that tells you exactly how many treats your dog or cat can safely have each day.

Why TreatPolice exists

Over 59% of dogs and 61% of cats in the US are overweight or obese, and overfeeding treats is one of the biggest causes. Most pet owners genuinely don't know how many treats are safe — and packaging rarely says.

TreatPolice was built to fix that with one number: a personalized, vet-aligned daily treat budget based on your pet's actual weight, activity level, and goal.

How the math works

We use the standard veterinary Resting Energy Requirement formula:

RER = 70 × (weight in kg)^0.75

That's multiplied by an activity factor (1.2–2.0 for dogs, 1.0–1.4 for cats) and adjusted for weight goal. Then the 10% rule caps treats at no more than 10% of daily calories — the same rule the AAHA and most veterinarians recommend.

Free, private, no login

TreatPolice is free to use, requires no signup, and doesn't store your pet's data. Just open the calculator, enter weight + activity + goal, and get your number.

Disclaimer

TreatPolice provides general nutritional guidance based on standard veterinary formulas. It is not a substitute for personalized advice from your veterinarian, especially for pets with medical conditions, pregnant/nursing animals, or puppies and kittens with special dietary needs.

Try the calculator