Ideal cat weight chart by breed size

What is the ideal weight for a cat of each size? The answer depends on its breed and its frame, but the table below gives the typical adult weight range for every size — toy, small, medium, large, and giant for dogs, and small, medium, and large for cats — with the typical lifespan and the age at which a cat of that size is usually considered a senior. This guide is the ideal cat weight chart by breed size: the ranges, how to use them, and how to tell whether your own cat is at a healthy weight. Every figure is a typical range, not a prescription: individual cats vary, and the vet's advice matters more than the table. The cat calorie calculator works out the daily calories for a cat of any weight.

The short version is: find your cat's size in the table, check whether its weight is in the range, and then check its shape — because a cat's weight on the scales matters less than its body condition. A cat at a body condition score of 4 or 5 out of 9 is at a healthy weight, whatever the scales say. The is my cat overweight calculator guide helps you check your own cat's condition, and the cat body condition score chart gives the 9-point scale in full.

The table below gives the typical adult weight range for every size, with the typical lifespan and the age at which a cat of that size is usually considered a senior. Use it to see where your cat sits — and to know what to expect as it ages.

Size	Typical adult weight	Typical lifespan	Senior from
Small	2–4 kg	12–16 years	About 11 years
Medium	3–6 kg	12–16 years	About 11 years
Large	5–11 kg	10–14 years	About 11 years

Read the table from top to bottom and the pattern is clear: the larger the cat, the heavier it is, the shorter it typically lives, and the earlier it becomes a senior. A toy dog typically weighs 1 to 5 kg and lives 12 to 16 years, while a giant dog typically weighs 40 to 90 kg and lives 7 to 10 years. A small cat typically weighs 2 to 4 kg and lives 12 to 16 years, while a large cat typically weighs 5 to 11 kg and lives 10 to 14 years. The cat life expectancy by breed guide gives the lifespans breed by breed.

How to use the chart

Find your cat's size in the table — toy, small, medium, large, or giant for a dog, and small, medium, or large for a cat — and check whether its weight is in the range. If it is in the range, it is probably at a healthy weight, but check its shape too: feel its ribs and waist, and give it a body condition score out of 9. If it is above the range, it may be overweight — or it may be a large-framed individual of its breed, or a male, or a cat with a lot of muscle. If it is below the range, it may be underweight — or it may be a small-framed individual, or a female, or a young cat that is still growing.

The chart is a starting point, not a prescription: a cat's ideal weight depends on its breed, its frame, its sex, and its age, and two cats of the same breed can have different ideal weights. A vet who knows your cat can work out its ideal weight, and can tell you whether it needs to gain, lose, or stay the same. The ideal cat weight chart by breed guide gives the weight ranges by breed, and the cat weight loss diet plan guide covers a cat that needs to lose weight.

How to tell if a cat is at a healthy weight

The best way to tell if a cat is at a healthy weight is body condition score, or BCS: a 9-point scale, where 1 is very thin, 4 or 5 is ideal, and 9 is very fat. At a score of 4 or 5, you can feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat, you can see a waist from above and from the side, and there is a small pad of fat on the belly. At a score of 6 or more, you cannot feel the ribs, there is no waist, and the belly hangs. At a score of 3 or less, you can see the ribs, the spine, and the hip bones, and there is no fat to feel.

Score	Label	What you see and feel
1	Emaciated	Ribs, spine and hip bones are easy to see, even from a distance. No fat cover at all, and the waist is very obvious from above and from the side.
2	Very thin	Ribs are easy to see, and the waist and tummy tuck are very obvious. There is almost no fat to feel over the ribs.
3	Thin	Ribs are easy to feel and may be visible. The waist is obvious from above, and the tummy tuck is obvious from the side.
4	Ideal — lean end	Ribs are easy to feel under a thin layer of fat. The waist is easy to see from above, and the tummy tuck is visible from the side.
5	Ideal	Ribs are easy to feel under a thin layer of fat, with no fat to pinch. The waist is visible from above, and the tummy tuck is visible from the side.
6	Above ideal	Ribs are harder to feel — you have to press to find them. The waist is hard to see from above, and the tummy tuck is less obvious.
7	Overweight	Ribs are hard to feel under a clear layer of fat. The waist is hard to see from above, and the tummy tuck is gone from the side.
8	Very overweight	Ribs are very hard to feel. The waist is gone from above, and the belly is rounded or sagging from the side.
9	Obese	Ribs cannot be felt at all under a thick layer of fat. There is no waist from above, the belly is very rounded, and fat deposits are visible on the neck, limbs and chest.

Use the table above to score your cat: look at it from above and from the side, feel its ribs and waist, and give it a score out of 9. A cat at a score of 4 or 5 is at a healthy weight, whatever the scales say. A cat at a score of 6 or more needs less food and more exercise; a cat at a score of 3 or less needs more food — or a vet check, if the loss is unexplained. The cat body condition score chart gives the 9-point scale in full.

Weighing your cat at home

Weigh your cat every month, and write the result down: a single reading matters less than the line over months. For a small cat, put it in a basket on the kitchen scales and subtract the basket's weight. For a larger cat, weigh yourself, then weigh yourself holding the cat, and take the difference — or use the scales at the vet, which are more accurate. Do it on a hard, flat floor, with the scales in the same place each time, and weigh the cat at the same time of day.

A cat that is gaining weight steadily needs less food, a cat that is losing weight steadily needs more food — or a vet check, if the loss is unexplained. A cat that loses more than a tenth of its body weight in a month, or that is losing weight and eating less, needs a vet check. The how to weigh your cat at home guide gives the method in full, and the cat calorie calculator guide works out how much to feed.

When to ask a vet about weight

Ask a vet if your cat is losing weight and you do not know why, if it is gaining weight on a measured amount of food, if it is at a body condition score of 3 or less or 7 or more, or if it has stopped eating. A cat that stops eating is an emergency: a cat that does not eat for more than a day or two can develop a serious liver problem, and a dog that stops eating needs checking too. A vet can work out whether the weight is a problem, and what to do about it.

Ask a vet, too, if your cat is a senior and is losing weight: weight loss in a senior cat can be a sign of kidney disease, thyroid disease, or cancer, and the earlier it is found, the better the chance of treating it. A vet who knows your cat will notice changes sooner, and will know what is normal for your individual cat. The senior cat diet guide covers feeding in the senior years.

Frequently asked questions

What is the ideal weight for a cat?

It depends on its size and its breed. A small cat typically weighs 2 to 4 kg, a medium cat 3 to 6 kg, and a large cat 5 to 11 kg. The table above gives the ranges by size, with the typical lifespan and the senior age.

How do I know if my cat is overweight?

Use body condition score: at a score of 4 or 5 out of 9, you can feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat, you can see a waist from above and from the side, and there is a small pad of fat on the belly. At a score of 6 or more, you cannot feel the ribs, there is no waist, and the belly hangs. The is my cat overweight calculator helps you check your own cat.

Does my cat's ideal weight change with age?

Yes — a young cat gains weight as it grows, an adult cat's weight is fairly stable, and a senior cat may lose weight as it ages. Weigh your cat every month, and write the result down: the line over months matters more than any single reading. A senior cat that is losing weight needs a vet check.

How do I weigh my cat at home?

For a small cat, put it in a basket on the kitchen scales and subtract the basket's weight. For a larger cat, weigh yourself, then weigh yourself holding the cat, and take the difference. Do it on a hard, flat floor, with the scales in the same place each time, and at the same time of day.

Is my cat too thin?

At a body condition score of 3 or less, you can see the ribs, the spine, and the hip bones, and there is no fat to feel. A cat that is too thin needs more food — or a vet check, if the loss is unexplained. A cat that stops eating needs checking promptly.

When should I ask a vet about my cat's weight?

Results on this page are estimates for general information only and are not veterinary advice. If your pet is ill, underweight, overweight, pregnant, or has a health condition, consult your veterinarian before changing diet or care.

Ideal cat weight chart by breed size — Charts, Ranges & How to Use Them