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.
- 1Consulting a veterinarian for professional evaluation
- 2asking a veterinarian
- 3checking if ribs and spine can be felt
- 4observing if the body narrows past the ribs before the hips when standing
- 5Checking for an abdominal or flank tuck
- 6Feeling for ribs under the fur
- 7Evaluating the cat from a top-down view
- 8Checking the cat's body condition and visual appearance instead of relying purely on weight numbers
- 9Allowing the kitten to eat freely without dietary restriction
- 10Checking with a veterinarian during annual check-ups
- 11Switching from free-feeding to portioned and timed meals
- 12Checking if you can feel the cat's ribs when petting
- 13Looking for a belly flap
- 14Comparing the cat to weight charts
- 15Monitoring visual appearance like waist shape
- 16Adjusting food portions based on activity levels
- 17Asking for opinions and posting pictures on Reddit
- 18Feeling the cat's body condition directly
- 19Using a feline body condition score card
In their words
Unedited, most upvoted first, 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’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 ↗
“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 ↗