How do you know if your cat is overweight?

Knowing if your cat is obese is super important — feline obesity can cause serious problems like diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease. Here’s a simple, straightforward, and visual guide to help you identify:

HOW TO KNOW IF YOUR CAT IS OBESE?

1. Touch the ribs

Healthy weight: You can feel the ribs with a light layer of fat on top, like feeling the bones through a thin t-shirt.

Obese cat: You can barely feel your ribs or you can't feel them at all — as if you had a pillow on top.

2. Look from above

Healthy weight: You see a slight waist between the ribs and the hips, kind of like an hourglass shape.

Obese cat: the body appears round, with no visible waist.

3. Side view (without hair influence)

Healthy weight: belly slightly “tucked in” near the hind legs.

Obese cat: rounded or hanging belly (like a "fat pocket").

4. Observe the behavior

Do you get tired quickly when playing?

Do you avoid jumping from high places?

Do you snore or seem to pant with little exertion?

These can also be indirect signs of being overweight.

GENERAL IDEAL WEIGHT TABLE (adult cat):

Cat size Approximate ideal weight

Small 3 to 3.5 kg

Medium 4 to 5 kg

Large 5.5 to 7 kg

But each breed has its own standard — for example, a Maine Coon can weigh more than 7 kg without being obese.

If you suspect obesity:

Do not put your cat on a diet on your own.

Take to the vet for body assessment (body condition score index, BCS).

Make a weight loss plan with a specific diet and encouragement to play more.

#catsitter #petsitter #lisbon