Home/How scores work
How Pawology scores work
Each product gets a score from 0 to 100. It reflects how well the label and ingredients line up with sensible nutrition principles—not a medical verdict. Always ask your vet for individual advice.
What the score combines
We add points from several areas, apply small bonuses, then subtract penalties when important information is missing. The result is rounded and capped between 0 and 100.
1. Label fit
We reward a clear match to the right species, whether the food is a complete meal or complementary (e.g. treats), and whether life stage is stated. This reflects how confidently the product is positioned on the label.
2. Ingredient quality
When we have a full ingredient list, we reward named animal proteins (especially in the first ingredients), simpler lists where that matters for treats, and fewer vague or low-quality descriptors. We also flag common concerns such as added sugars or artificial colours when they appear in the list.
If the ingredient list is missing or not in our data, we cannot award those ingredient points, and the score is reduced further with a missing-data penalty so products with opaque labels do not rank above ones we can evaluate fairly.
When ingredients are present but non-specific (for example generic “meat” or “animal derivatives” instead of named sources), that also counts against this part of the score—we only treat as positive what we can recognise clearly from the text we import.
Ingredient wording varies by brand and country; we interpret normalized terms from the label data we have.
3. Nutrient fit
When analytical values exist (protein, fat, fibre, calories), we score how well they sit in reasonable ranges for the product type. If your pet profile targets weight control, very high fat can reduce the nutrient contribution and add a warning.
4. Fit to your pet
Without a saved pet profile, we use a neutral default so every product is still comparable. With a pet profile, we strongly favour the right species, respect stated allergies, and give a bit more weight when age, size, and health goals are filled in. If the species does not match or a known allergen appears, the product is not recommended for that profile.
Bonuses and penalties
- Missing data lowers the score: in particular no ingredient list (or none we could import), unclear whether a main food is complete, or missing life-stage information all add penalties so incomplete labels do not rank as highly as transparent ones.
Limits to keep in mind
Scores depend on what is printed on the pack and what we can import. Products with sparse or inconsistent data will score lower even if the food is fine in real life. Use scores as a starting point alongside your own judgment and professional guidance.
A wide spread in the 0–100 range is normal: many catalog items have incomplete labels online, while well-documented products with named proteins and full nutrient data can reach the 70s–90s. The score rewards transparency and sensible formulation—not a single “approved” band.