On average, a medium or small cat should weight between 7 and 13 pounds. A large cat should weigh between 13 and 24 pounds. However, like people cats vary in shape and size. Your cat might fall outside of these ranges and still be healthy. Doing a body check can help you determine if your cat’s weight is a problem. If you’re concerned after evaluating your cat, make an appointment to your vet. Obesity can increase your cat’s risk for a variety of health problems and shorten his overall lifespan. It’s important you make sure your cat is at a healthy weight for his size.
It’s something to take seriously. Even just a couple of extra pounds can make your pet more likely to get some health problems such as type 2 diabetes and make others, like arthritis, worse. It can even keep them from grooming themselves properly. Keeping off excess weight should lead to a healthier, happier cat.
Now we use the term ‘large cat’ around here at Pet Drugs Online, because it is a really handy label to describe a whole heap of important cat health information. A cat’s weight you see is instructional for worming, flea treatments and how much to feed them.
How Can I Weigh My Cat?
Well they’ll be weighed every time you visit the vets. So if you want to know their weight at the time of their last visit just give your vets surgery a call and one of the nurses will be able to look up your records. They should also have a weight history – so you’ll know if the cats getting heavier or lighter.
What Is A Large Cat?
You can find references all over our site for ‘large cat wormer’ and ‘large breed foods’ which is all well and good if you know what we mean by large. Obviously, there is no utterly fixed point, as the world of cats is both wide and varied. From a Cornish Rex’s viewpoint, most things bigger than a kitten are huge; but to an adult Norwegian Forest cat, some springer spaniels look like lightweights! So, in the real world, or at least our world, a large cat is anything over 5kg in weight.
Biggest Breeds
Guinness does recognize the Maine Coon and Ragdoll as the biggest cat breeds.
- A Maine Coon is dramatically large and long. It weighs 15 to 25 pounds with a length of 3.3 feet from nose to tail tip.
- Ragdolls are a sweet as they are big. Some males tip the scales at 35 pounds.
There are also hybrid breeds that are crosses between big cats and domestic felines that are quite large.
- A Savannah is large and tall. They weigh from 20 to 40 pounds and are 20 to 26 inches tall at the shoulder.
- The Chausie is a very large and rare breed. Part jungle cat and Abyssinian, they have an average weight of 15 to 20 pounds.
How Much Should My Cat Weigh?
It varies depending on the breed but for most domestic cats, you can take 10 pounds (4-4.5 kg) as an ideal weight. Certain larger breeds can weigh as much as 25 pounds (11 kg) and smaller breeds can weigh as little as 5 pounds (2.2 kg).
The Problem With “Average” Cat Weight
Resources listing an average weight or range may not take into consideration other factors that affect weight. Factors like breed, sex and spayed/neutered status could all have an impact.
For example, the weight range for a Siamese Cat is 8 to 15 pounds. Females typically weigh 8 to 12 pounds, however, while males can weigh 11 to 15. So, a 15-pound female Siamese would be overweight, whereas that size might be healthy for a male. Those resources also don’t account for mixed breed cats. If your cat is a mix of two or more breeds, you may struggle to pinpoint an average weight or range for her. What then?
How To Spot An Overweight Cat?
There are tests you can do on your own to determine whether your cat is at an ideal weight. Firstly, do they look overweight? Does their belly sag in any way or are they visibly different in appearance to other cats? If this is hard to spot because you see your cat every day, ask your friends or family to see if they can notice a difference.
What If My Cat Is Overweight?
If your cat is overweight, consider switching to a weight management cat food to help her achieve and maintain a healthy weight. We also recommend consulting with your veterinarian to rule out any potential medical causes for her weight gain. You may also want to incorporate more activity into your cat’s day-to-day life. See our article on helping cats lose weight for more tips.
What If My Cat Is Underweight?
Obesity is a concern with many cat breeds, but it’s possible for some cats to be underweight. This may be especially true if you’ve recently adopted a cat or taken in a stray.
If your cat’s BCS indicates she’s too thin, “Your veterinarian may recommend increasing the amount of food you’re feeding or suggest a higher-calorie food to help her gain weight,” says Dr. Harris. “Once she’s reached a healthy weight, an adult maintenance formula can help her maintain it long-term.”
It’s tempting to give your underweight cat as many calories as possible, regardless of the source. You don’t want to go overboard with treats right now, though. These can lack essential nutrients your cat needs and cause her to gain too much fat. Don’t overlook exercise and activities, either. These are important to help your cat build muscle, which will help her gain weight in a healthy manner.
How Do I Get An Obese Or Overweight Cat Down To A Healthy Cat Weight?
Cut down on treats and avoid feeding them human foods altogether. Make sure your cat is on the correct diet for their life stage. If appropriate, a neutered or senior cat diet will provide better calorie control. If your cat is obese, speak to your vet or registered veterinary nurse about weight loss diets: these provide all the required proteins, vitamins and minerals while reducing calories. Remember, when changing any diet, introduce the new food gradually over the course of about a week.