A Cat Weight Chart You Can Use at Home

If you are concerned about your pet's weight, it helps to reference a cat weight chart. There's no easy answer to how much a cat should weigh, but a visioual examination and comparison can help you assess your pets condition. Although this type of chart does not list specific weights, it can be a very useful tool for pet owners.

Visual Weight Chart for Cats

It is difficult to create a chart that has exact weights because the healthy weight for a cat can vary with the size, sex, age and breed. It is much more accurate to assess your cat's weight visually and manually. The following chart can help you assess your pet.

Example Weight Classifications	Characteristics
	It's easy to see the cat's skeletal structure. You can easily see and feel the ribs, vertebrae, and pelvic bones. The neck is thin. The cat's waist is unhealthily narrow, and the abdomen is concave. There is no obvious fat, and the cat may have dull fur and appear generally unhealthy.
	While the ribs might not be easy to see due to the fur, they are easy to feel. The backbone may be easy to see and is obvious when you run your hand over the cat's back. The waist is clearly defined, and the abdomen may be concave. There is little fat on the cat's body. This cat may have worms.
	You can feel the ribs, but they are not visible when you look at the cat. Looking down on the cat, you can see a waist. The abdomen is slightly concave; this creates a smooth curve from the chest. This animal has a healthy appearance and will often live a longer life.
	While you can feel the ribs, there is an obvious layer of fat across them. The abdomen is slightly rounded. The cat has folds on the flanks that jiggle when it walks.
	You cannot easily feel the ribs, and the fat on the cat's sides is easy to feel. The abdomen is rounded. The flank folds are prominent and "wave" when the cat moves. This cat does not want to be very active.

Other Tools for Assessing Your Cat's Weight

It is important to evaluate your cat's condition before choosing a cat food. While a cat that is a normal weight may not need a special diet, a cat that is severely under or overweight will probably have special caloric needs. Because of this, some pet food companies provide cat weight charts to help customers choose the appropriate products.

Check out the following resources:

• Hills - This pet food company offers interactive tools that will help you identify the body condition of your pet as well as suggest a nutritional program.
• Purina Veterinary Diets - Purina offers great body weight/condition evaluations through a series of illustrations to which you can visually compare your cat.

Discuss Concerns With Your Vet

Whether or not your cat's weight appears to be healthy, you should check with your vet if you have any concerns about your animal's size, shape, or overall health. Your vet will probably have a visual cat weight chart that you can look at, and he will be able to explain where your cat falls on the chart. It is important to follow your vet's suggestions for feeding your cat based on her weight.