The Ideal Weight for a Cat

Breed

This is the fundamental parameter in assessing a cat's ideal weight. For the larger breeds, such as the Maine Coon, a large fully-grown male can weigh 18 pounds (8 kilos) without being the least overweight. A female of a smaller breed, the Singapura, may actually be overweight at a mere 7 pounds (3 kilos)! Cats that are not purebred should usually weigh between 8-12 pounds (3.5-5.5 kilos), depending on the cat's bone structure.

Sex

There is a noticeable difference in weight between males and females of the same breed. Males are usually 2-4 pounds heavier than females.

Note that whether a cat is neutered or not should not affect its weight. The only difference is that, in order to achieve the same weight, neutered cats require about a third less calories. If they eat as much as they did before the operation, they are liable to experience a serious weight gain. You should not accept this weight gain as "natural" or "expected." It must be dealt with like any weight gain and treated accordingly.

Assessing Your Cat's Weight

The best way to tell if your cat is overweight is by checking the cat. Move your hands along the sides of the body and gently try to feel the ribs. If the cat is within range of its ideal weight, you should be able to easily count the ribs. The ribs should be covered with a layer of fat, but not to an extent that would make it difficult to feel them.

With obese cats it is easy to see that they are larger than usual, have a large abdomen, and experience difficulty walking and grooming themselves. Obesity can sometimes be a side-effect of a more serious disease and requires urgent veterinary attention.

How to Visually Assess Cat Body Condition

Assessing body condition is an important step in the overall evaluation of a companion animal's nutritional well-being. Particularly in cases where the cat appears to be obese or thin, it is important to evaluate total health of the dog or cat before a proper nutritional management program is selected.

An obese cat is one in which the ribs are hard to feel as they are covered by a thick layer of fat, there is a moderate to thick layer of fat covering all the bony prominences, and the cat has a pendulous ‘skirt' (bulge under the abdomen), with no waist. When looked at from above, the back is broadened.

Cat Body Condition Chart
Thin Cat		Ribs, lumbar vertebrae and pelvic bones easily visible Thin neck and narrow waist Obvious abdominal tuck No fat in flank folds, folds often absent
Underweight Cat		Backbone and ribs easily palpable Minimal fat covering Minimal waist when viewed from above Slightly tucked abdomen
Ideal Cat		Ribs palpable, but not visible Slight waist observed behind ribs when viewed from above Abdomen tucked up, flank fold present
Overweight Cat		Slight increase in fat over ribs, but still easily palpable Abdomen slightly rounded, flanks concave Flank folds hang down with moderate amount of fat-jiggle noted when walking
Obese Cat		Ribs and backbone not easily palpable under a heavy fat covering Abdomen rounded; waist barely visible to absent Prominent flank folds which sway from side to side when walking

Weight Loss Plan

If your cat is overweight, you should take care and help it lose weight. Talk to your veterinarian and work out a plan for the cat's gradual weight loss. You and your vet should set the weight loss goals and fix sensible timetables. The basic line of the plan would be feeding the cat with specially formulated low-cal cat food and setting an exercise/play regime.

Please note that kittens should never be put on a weight loss diet, unless under strict veterinarian instructions. Kittens need all the nutrients they can get, including fat, to achieve adequate growth rate.

Keeping your feline friend fit keeps both of you happier!