What Is The Ideal Weight For Cats?
Cat cuddle is something everyone craves for. If you pet a cat, then all you want to do is hold it in your arms always and cuddle with them. But is there a limit up to how much you should squeeze your little kitty while cuddling? Although the weight of a cat will keep changing in life as it grows, but it is good to maintain the ideal weight for your cat. The first thing to do is knowing what a healthy weight for your cat is. Have a look at some tips that will help you in maintaining an ideal weight for your kitty.
How much should my cat weigh?
If we talk about the ideal weight for a cat, then it actually depends upon the breed of the cat you own but a healthy weight for your cat on an average is 10 pounds or 4.5 kilos. This may vary from one breed to another, and you also should allow for these differences. Let us understand this by examples of different breeds; Siamese will weigh less than around 5 pounds, while some of the larger breeds like Maine Coon or a Persian cat will weigh more at around 25 pounds.
The key thing is to know the healthy weight for your breed and then check your cat’s weight. Another option to see if your cat has an ideal weight is to take your cat to a vet, and he will check it using a system known as Body Condition Score or BCS. This can also get done at home by the cat owners.
Why to maintain a healthy weight for your cat?
Even cats are living creatures, and just like humans, even a cat’s body becomes a host to many health issues and diseases due to over-eating if left unchecked. Again, like humans, not all cats have the same consequences of obesity on their bodies. Some are at greater risk when the pounds pile up. This is usually problematic for those cats that have gotten old, and their activity levels have reduced. The cats that fall in this category are often the male cats, or the cats that have been sterilized, cats who are not controlled by their owners while eating, and the indoor cats who possess fewer chances of moving and exercising compared to the ones roaming outdoors.
Obesity is harmful to any living creature, and this applies hard on cats too. There can be some vital effects on the health of a cat that is overweight and can leave their bodies prone to many medical conditions that are:
· Pancreatitis
· Heart diseases
· Feline diabetes
· Skin problems
It is necessary to keep your cat at the optimum weight as this will be helpful for them only in playing and enjoying a healthy life. Also, this way, they will be living longer, giving you more time with them as a pet parent.
What are the signs that can tell if my cat is overweight?
The information above might obviously have made you a little anxious about if your cat is overweight or not. Now, there are some ways by which can help you tell. The first and the simplest way to know is to look at them. The way they look might give a hint, but it is not always accurate and can be misleading sometimes. They might look all puffed up due to their luxurious fur. So, for the accurate results, you can follow some of the basics stated by the Body Condition Score. The key things to look there are:
Ø Their belly and the overall shape: Just look for the tummy, if it is saggy or not, and have they or not lost their normal cat waist?
Ø Rub your hand on their body and check if you are able to feel their ribs and should bone, or is there a layer of fat?
Ø Keep a check on energy: see if your cat is becoming lethargic increasingly and seems less active while playing.
Cats have a beautifully curved body. A healthy cat tends to have a body of an hourglass shape when viewed from above. The tummy, too, should not get saggy. Having able to feel the ribs of your cat is a key sign that they are at a healthy weight. If the above mentioned these things do not match with the state of your cat’s body, then you should start worrying about your cat’s overweight. However, the catch is, if you are able to see their ribs from the surface, then your cat is running underweight, and you need to look out for it too. One last thing to check your cat’s weight is that you make them jump on a pet scale and see where the needle moves, above or below the average cat weight for your cat’s breed.
How to make your cat lose extra weight?
Ø Ensure the right amount of diet that your cat intakes according to its age and its activity levels.
Ø If the weight is rising even with the normal diet plan, they try to switch the cat food with the one specifically made for weight loss in cats.
Ø Cut on the treats that you give your cat, and do not get tempted to give them bites of what you eat.
Ø Increase the playtime of your cat to maintain the balance between their calorie intake and its use.
Ø Keep a weight chart for your cat and note down if there is any progress.
In Conclusion
Just like humans, even cats will take time to shed those extra pounds. Make the process interesting for them too. If you are too concerned, then consult a vet for the same. Even if your cat is given a clean bill of health, it will not be harmful to have a diet plan and exercise plan tailored by the vet that is specifically for your pet.










