Free illustrations for pet blogs: use them, just credit us
By Josh · Reviewed and updated: 2026-10-08
Part of our feeding guides index — every calculator and chart on the site in one place.
Every illustration on this page was drawn for this site, based on clinical body condition scoring standards — no stock photos, no AI filler. If you write about pet nutrition or body condition, you can use any of them in your article for free. The only ask: keep the credit line and link back to this site.
Coverage note: we now have four illustrations — including a dog body condition waist-check diagram (added September 2026). More are on the way — email contact@petportioncalc.com if you need a specific one.
https://petportioncalc.com near the image or in your resources section.
1. Cat waist check — top view
A side-by-side comparison of two cats seen from directly above: one with a visible waist behind the ribcage, one without. The single most-shared kind of image in body condition articles.
Pairs well with articles about feline obesity, portion control and body condition scoring. Used on our cat body condition page.
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Copy this snippet — the credit link is built in:
<a href="https://petportioncalc.com/cat-body-condition-score"><img src="https://petportioncalc.com/waist-check.png" alt="Cat waist check from above: healthy vs overweight" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a><p style="font-size:12px">Illustration: <a href="https://petportioncalc.com">PetPortionCalc.com</a> (CC BY 4.0) — <a href="https://petportioncalc.com/free-resources">free-resources</a></p>Download this image (PNG/JPG) — or use the embed snippet above.
If you download instead, copy this credit: Illustration: PetPortionCalc.com (CC BY 4.0) with a link to this site.
2. The primordial pouch — not fat
Many owners mistake the loose skin flap on a cat's belly (the primordial pouch) for excess weight. This illustration shows a lean cat with a prominent pouch, with the anatomy explained.
Pairs well with articles about feline weight myths and the primordial pouch. Used on our cat body condition page.
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Copy this snippet — the credit link is built in:
<a href="https://petportioncalc.com/cat-body-condition-score"><img src="https://petportioncalc.com/cat-primordial-pouch.jpg" alt="Lean cat with a primordial pouch: the pouch is loose skin, not fat" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a><p style="font-size:12px">Illustration: <a href="https://petportioncalc.com">PetPortionCalc.com</a> (CC BY 4.0) — <a href="https://petportioncalc.com/free-resources">free-resources</a></p>Download this image (PNG/JPG) — or use the embed snippet above.
If you download instead, copy this credit: Illustration: PetPortionCalc.com (CC BY 4.0) with a link to this site.
3. How long a bag of dog food lasts — by weight
A bar chart comparing how long a 30 lb bag lasts for dogs of different body weights, from a 5 kg dog (122 days) to a 40 kg dog (26 days). Based on a standard 350 kcal/cup maintenance food, calculated for neutered adult dogs of typical activity. The numbers come from the feeding calculation on this site.
Pairs well with articles about feeding costs, bulk buying and food freshness. Used on our bag duration page.
Embed this image
Copy this snippet — the credit link is built in:
<a href="https://petportioncalc.com/dog-food-bag-duration"><img src="https://petportioncalc.com/bag-duration-chart.png" alt="How long a 30 lb bag of dog food lasts by body weight" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a><p style="font-size:12px">Chart: <a href="https://petportioncalc.com">PetPortionCalc.com</a> (CC BY 4.0) — <a href="https://petportioncalc.com/free-resources">free-resources</a></p>Download this image (PNG/JPG) — or use the embed snippet above.
If you download instead, copy this credit: Illustration: PetPortionCalc.com (CC BY 4.0) with a link to this site.
4. Dog waist check — from above
Two dogs seen from directly above: on the left, a dog at a healthy weight with a visible waist narrowing behind the ribs; on the right, an overweight dog whose body runs straight from ribs to hips. Pairs well with any article about canine weight management or body condition scoring.
Pairs well with articles about canine obesity, weight management and body condition scoring. See also our body condition score guide.
Embed code (copy & paste into your article):
<a href="https://petportioncalc.com/body-condition-score"><img src="https://petportioncalc.com/dog-waist-check.png" alt="Two dogs seen from above: healthy dog with visible waist, overweight dog with no waist" style="max-width:100%;height:auto"></a><p style="font-size:12px">Illustration: <a href="https://petportioncalc.com">PetPortionCalc.com</a> (CC BY 4.0) — <a href="https://petportioncalc.com/free-resources">free-resources</a></p>Download this image (PNG) — or use the embed snippet above.
If you download instead, copy this credit: Illustration: PetPortionCalc.com (CC BY 4.0) with a link to this site.
How these images were checked: Every chart uses the same energy equations and body-condition definitions as the rest of this site, traced to NRC (2006), WSAVA and AAHA guidance; each figure was re-derived from its source values rather than copied. Our review method
Where the numbers behind these images come from
If you are going to put one of these on your site, you should be able to say where the underlying figures came from. So here it is, image by image.
1 & 4. Cat and dog waist check (top view)
The visual is a body condition score seen from above. The nine-point scale and the rib/waist/tuck checks shown here follow the WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines and the AAHA nutritional assessment guidelines. The dog and cat versions differ deliberately: the cat outline allows for the primordial pouch, which is loose skin rather than fat and is the single most common reason a healthy cat is misjudged as overweight from the side.
2. The primordial pouch — not fat
This one exists to correct a specific misreading, so it makes no numerical claim at all. A pendulous pouch can sit on a cat scoring 5/9, and a cat without one can be over condition. The image is an anatomical distinction, not a scoring tool, and it should not be used as one.
3. How long a bag of dog food lasts — by weight
Days per bag = (bag weight in grams × kcal per gram) ÷ daily kcal. Daily kcal comes from the same resting-energy and life-stage calculation used across the site; kcal per gram is the figure printed on the bag. The chart assumes a mid-range adult dry food of roughly 3,700 kcal/kg — if your food is denser or lighter, the days change proportionally, which is why the chart is labelled with its assumption rather than presented as a universal answer.
Sources
- WSAVA Global Nutrition Committee — body condition score guidelines. The nine-point scale and the rib, waist and tuck checks used in images 1 and 4. wsava.org
- AAHA — nutritional assessment guidelines for dogs and cats. How body condition is assessed in practice, including the top-down view. aaha.org
- National Research Council — Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats (2006). The resting energy equation behind the daily calorie figure used in image 3. nationalacademies.org/publications/10668
- MSD Veterinary Manual — Nutrition, Small Animals. Body condition and the health consequences of excess fat, the framing behind images 2 and 4. msdvetmanual.com
Attribution, in short
Under CC BY 4.0 the credit should include the creator, the licence name and a link. The embed snippets above already contain the full credit — if you use them, you are done.
If you download the image instead, either format below works (the full one is safest):
- Full credit: “Illustration: PetPortionCalc.com (CC BY 4.0) — https://petportioncalc.com/free-resources” (linked)
- Short credit (when space is tight): “Illustration: PetPortionCalc.com” (linked)
Acceptable placements: a caption under the image, the alt text of the image, a resources section, or a footnote at the end of the article.
Want a different colour, size or an editable version? Email contact@petportioncalc.com — happy to help where we can.
While you are here
Every illustration above comes from the feeding calculators on this site: enter a weight and a food's calories, and get the daily amount in grams — for dogs and for cats. Free, no sign-up.
Calculate your pet's daily food amount →
Cat body condition score →
How long a bag of dog food lasts →