How do I know if my cat is overweight?
Cats can be reliably assessed using the World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) body condition scoring system rather than relying solely on scale weight, which varies by breed and frame. Pet owners can check by running their hands gently along the cat's ribcage to feel for ribs under a thin fat covering, and looking from above to see a distinct waistline behind the ribs. Without these physical checks, owners are left guessing based on raw numbers like 14 pounds, making it difficult to catch early weight gain without a vet visit.
What people tried
Every workaround mentioned in the threads below. We haven’t tested any of them — and nobody here is claiming they worked.
Found another way around this?
Share your steps and trade-offs so fellow engineers don't have to reinvent the wheel. No account required.
- 1Consulting a veterinarian for professional evaluation2 people mentionedDid this help you?
- 2Using a feline body condition score card2 people mentionedDid this help you?
- 3asking a veterinarianDid this help you?
- 4checking if ribs and spine can be feltDid this help you?
- 5observing if the body narrows past the ribs before the hips when standingDid this help you?
- 6Checking for an abdominal or flank tuckDid this help you?
- 7Feeling for ribs under the furDid this help you?
- 8Evaluating the cat from a top-down viewDid this help you?
- 9Checking the cat's body condition and visual appearance instead of relying purely on weight numbersDid this help you?
- 10Allowing the kitten to eat freely without dietary restrictionDid this help you?
- 11Checking with a veterinarian during annual check-upsDid this help you?
- 12Switching from free-feeding to portioned and timed mealsDid this help you?
- 13Checking if you can feel the cat's ribs when pettingDid this help you?
- 14Looking for a belly flapDid this help you?
- 15Comparing the cat to weight chartsDid this help you?
- 16Monitoring visual appearance like waist shapeDid this help you?
- 17Adjusting food portions based on activity levelsDid this help you?
- 18Asking for opinions and posting pictures on RedditDid this help you?
- 19Feeling the cat's body condition directlyDid this help you?
- 20Using bathroom scales at homeDid this help you?
- 21Comparing cat size to neighborhood cats or online reference photosDid this help you?
- 22Feeling for ribs and spine while strokingDid this help you?
- 23Weighing oneself on a scale while holding the cat and subtracting human weightDid this help you?
- 24Buying a dedicated baby scale or sensitive scaleDid this help you?
- 25Asking the vet for a free weight checkDid this help you?
- 26Keeping a weekly weight logDid this help you?
- 27Trying to increase play time with toysDid this help you?
- 28Considering putting the cat on a diet to lose a small amount of weightDid this help you?
- 29following the food package weight chartDid this help you?
- 30holding the cat while standing on a human scale and subtracting the differenceDid this help you?
- 31Waiting for a vet to raise an issue during a checkupDid this help you?
- 32Posting photos to online forums for visual confirmationDid this help you?
- 33Trying to feel the pet's rib cage through their furDid this help you?
- 34Using visual body composition score chartsDid this help you?
- 35Feeling the animal's ribs to assess body condition manuallyDid this help you?
- 36Consulting visual body condition charts and online calculatorsDid this help you?
- 37Posting photos online to get opinions from other pet ownersDid this help you?
In their words
Unedited, grouped by where they were said, most upvoted first within each place, each linked to the thread it came from.
“shes 14 lbs which i know sounds like a lot but she doesn't seem THAT fat to me? what do you think?”source ↗
“I think he might just be a large boy but maybe I'm just in denial so I need more perspectives.”source ↗
“I can’t tell if it’s how she’s sitting or the fur but she’s starting to look a bit ***chunky***”source ↗
“Zuko is 8 months old and he’s HUGE- I have set feeding times for both cats but the dude has hit 5.2 kg and is a massive CHONK.”source ↗
“Vet did say he’s a large breed but is bro large or needs a diet kind of large”source ↗
“I weighed him on the weighing scale and he weighs 10kg which is 5kg more than what I thought he weighs. I don't think he's fat, he doesn't look fat to me.”source ↗
“Maybe the weighing scale is broken.”source ↗
“I'm a bit paranoid and can't get an accurate weight on my own.”source ↗
“the slender top profile is scaring me and seems abnormal.”source ↗
“I’m wondering if she looks overweight or if she looks healthy? I’ve never had a cat before so I can’t really compare.”source ↗
“My dad told me that he thinks that my kitten is likely overweight, hence why he weighs that much, but he doesn't look overweight to me at all?”source ↗
“I don't want to put him on a diet if one is not needed, I heard it might negatively affect their health later on in life.”source ↗
“My Friend says that my cat is overweight. I don't think so. What do you think”source ↗
“I recently adopted him, and we are feeding him 60g of dry food and one sachet of wet food; the first time he went to the vet he weighed 5kg, and after one month he weighs 5.6kg, but I am not sure if he is at his ideal weight yet; the last picture is from the day we found him.”source ↗
“They are siblings and are exactly 6 months today, both got neutered yesterday and their weight came at 9 point something lbs each (from their after care paper work). I forgot to ask the vet team about their weight. I've never been told they are fat but Ive read a healthy kitten gain about a pound for each month of it's 1st year.”source ↗
“He does not look 10 kg to me... but what do I know?”source ↗
“i measure her by measuring myself then measuring us together, so i could be completely off about her weight.”source ↗
“please lmk what i should be doing/am doing wrong, i dont want to be a bad cat mom”source ↗
“Since we adopted Clement Attlee, who is a big lad, Tuxington seems tiny. To the point where I’m nervous she’s underweight.”source ↗
“When he lays down I just notice he was a bit rounder I know he’s fluffy but I just want to make sure because I had a hard time feeling his rib cage so I got worried 😭”source ↗
“This is my baby Ozlo 🥹he’s 6 months old he weighs 14 lbs and I just want to make sure I’m not over feeding him😩”source ↗
“In what angle should I try to take a picture? She keeps moving around haha so it’s not super easy”source ↗
“I noticed she did gain some weight since she got fixed… and I don’t really have a particular reason to bring her to the vet at the moment”source ↗
“I also didn't think so because I can feel his ribs when I pet him”source ↗
“I would love to weigh CB but my pos scale is inaccurate and he won't stay still. I can ask the vet if they will weigh him for free, but I dont know how to accomplish this at home and I cant waste my money on vet appointments for a healthy cat every time I'm paranoid.”source ↗
“My cat looks about the same and I was worried as well, I think we have become a bit too used to seeing overweight cats and this slender, helathy build looks thin in comparison.”source ↗
“She is very fluffy so I figured most of it was just her fluff giving the illusion she’s much bigger than she really is.”source ↗