Important — please read

Disclaimer

Every result on PawCalc is an estimate. It is general information, not veterinary advice — and it never replaces your veterinarian.

Results are ESTIMATES, not veterinary advice. If your pet is ill, injured, losing or gaining weight quickly, eating very little, or behaving strangely, contact your veterinarian or an emergency veterinary clinic straight away. Do not wait for a website to tell you what to do.

1. Calculators give estimates

Age in human years, daily food amounts, calories, ideal weight, lifespan — every calculator on this site produces an estimate based on published veterinary formulas and published breed data. The formulas are real (for example, the resting energy requirement method for food, and the size-based age charts informed by the 2019 UC Davis study), but they describe an average animal. Your pet is an individual. Breed, genetics, health, neuter status, activity, climate and the specific food you buy all shift the true numbers — sometimes a lot. Treat every result as a starting point for a conversation with your vet, not as a final answer.

2. Guides are general information

Our breed guides describe typical ranges for typical animals of a breed. They are not written about your pet, and they cannot take your pet's history into account. A guide that says a breed usually lives 10–12 years does not promise your dog 10 years, and a feeding guide does not know that your cat has kidney disease. Always check feeding and health decisions against your vet's advice for your individual pet.

3. Food and diet guidance

Food amounts, raw diet portions and homemade diet portions on this site are general information. Changing a pet's diet — especially to raw food or a home-cooked diet — carries real risks: unbalanced nutrition, bacterial contamination, and deficiencies that show up slowly. Homemade diets in particular should be formulated or approved by a veterinary nutritionist. Never change a sick, pregnant, very young, or very old animal's diet without veterinary guidance.

4. Weight guidance

Ideal weight ranges and body condition guidance are estimates. Rapid weight loss or gain is a medical symptom, not a maths problem — if your pet's weight is changing fast, see your vet before changing how much you feed them. Weight-loss plans for pets should be supervised by a vet, especially for cats, where rapid weight loss can cause serious liver disease.

5. Schedules and timelines

Vaccination schedules, deworming schedules and gestation estimates are general timelines for reference only. Real schedules depend on your area, local disease risk, your pet's history, and the products your vet uses. Your veterinarian sets the real schedule.

6. No liability

PawCalc is provided “as is”. We work hard to be accurate and we correct mistakes, but we accept no liability for decisions made based on this site — including decisions about a pet's health, diet, or treatment. If in doubt, ask your vet. That is not a formality; it is the whole point of this page.

Questions about this disclaimer: see the Contact page. See also the Terms of Service and the Editorial Policy.