How to use this feeding chart
Print the chart above and put it somewhere everyone passes — the fridge, the pantry door, next to the food bin. Each time someone feeds the pet, they tick the box, write their initials, and note the time. That is the whole system. The point is not record-keeping for its own sake; it is removing the daily "wait, did you already feed her?" question that every multi-person household knows too well.
A few small habits make it work:
- Keep a pen on the chart. If people have to go find something to write with, they will skip it. A pen on a string solves 90% of the problem.
- Initials, not names. Faster to write, and it is obvious in a two- or three-person home who "M" is.
- One chart per pet. If you have a dog and a cat on different food, give each its own sheet so portions never get confused.
- Note the meds column. For pets on medication, the same chart doubles as a dose log — write the dose next to the meal so it is impossible to double up.
Why this beats a mental note: the reason households double-feed (or forget entirely) is not carelessness — it is that "I fed the dog" lives in one person's head and never reaches anyone else. A shared chart moves that fact out of one brain and onto a surface everyone can see. That single change is what the Amazon "Did You Feed The Dog?" fridge sliders — with 15,000+ reviews — are really selling.
How often should you feed a dog or cat?
The chart has two meals a day because that suits most adult dogs and cats, but the right frequency depends on the animal and its age. Use this as a starting point and follow your veterinarian's guidance for your specific pet — especially for puppies, kittens, and animals with health conditions.
Dogs
| Age | Typical meals per day |
|---|---|
| Puppy (6–12 weeks) | 3–4 small meals |
| Puppy (3–6 months) | 3 meals |
| Puppy (6–12 months) | 2 meals |
| Adult dog | 2 meals (morning and evening) |
| Senior dog | 2 meals — watch portions and weight |
Cats
| Age | Typical meals per day |
|---|---|
| Kitten (under 6 months) | 3–4 small meals |
| Kitten (6–12 months) | 2–3 meals |
| Adult cat | 2 meals, or small frequent portions |
| Senior cat | 2 meals — many benefit from smaller, more frequent feeds |
Whatever schedule you land on, consistency matters more than the exact count. Feeding at roughly the same times each day helps digestion, house-training, and — not least — makes it obvious to everyone when a meal has been missed.
When paper stops keeping up
A printed chart is perfect when everyone lives under one roof and walks past the fridge. It starts to strain in three situations:
- People are in different places. A partner texting "did you feed her before you left?" cannot see a chart stuck to your kitchen wall.
- A pet sitter or family member takes over. Handing off care means the chart has to travel — or you are back to text messages.
- You want the reminder to come to you. Paper never nudges you when a meal is overdue; you have to remember to look at it.
That is the exact gap we built Fed? to fill. It is the same idea as this chart — one shared source of truth for who fed the pet — but it lives on everyone's phone, syncs the moment someone taps "fed," and can remind you when a meal is overdue. No paper, no group texts, no accounts to create.
Prefer the chart on everyone's phone?
Fed? is the digital version of this chart: one tap to log a meal, and the whole household sees it instantly. Add a Home Screen widget, medication reminders, and real-time family sync over iCloud — no sign-up, no ads, no data collection. Free for two pets.
Get Fed? on the App StoreiPhone & iPad · Free with an optional Pro upgrade
Frequently asked questions
Is the feeding chart really free?
Yes. Print it as many times as you like — no email, no sign-up, no watermark beyond a small link back to this page. If it saves your household one double-feeding, it has done its job.
How do I save it as a PDF instead of printing?
Click Print / Save as PDF above. In the print dialog that opens, change the destination (or printer) to "Save as PDF", then save. This works in Chrome, Safari, Edge, and Firefox on both computers and phones.
Can I use it for more than two meals a day?
The chart shows breakfast and dinner because that fits most adult pets. If your pet eats three times a day, use the Meds / Notes column for the midday meal, or feed puppies and kittens with a second printed copy. If you would rather set any number of custom meal times per pet, the Fed? app handles that.
Does it work for other pets, not just dogs and cats?
Absolutely — the chart is just days, meals, and who did them, so it works for rabbits, birds, reptiles, or any pet with a feeding routine. Adjust the meal columns to match how often your animal eats.