how do you determine a cat's ideal weight if they're not of any particular breed / mixed? is it an individual basis discussed with your vet? 'cause like some cats look really bony but are normal weight, while others look beefy but are also normal. is it determined by their length and height? and I think I once heard about cat BMI... the human BMI is bs so is the cat one too?
Howdy anon! Working out an ideal cat weight can be a bit difficult, I have two moggies in my house with very different body types! There’s a couple of posts the doc has made previously about looking at a cat’s weight:Body types are definitely a thing!And some about the risks of a cat being overweightWhat is used for cats is a body condition score, rather than a BMI (which is just a metric of height vs weight). This involves looking at the actual shape of the cat, how much muscle it has, and how much fat it is carrying. The Doc talks here a little about why we don’t use weights for cats, even by breedAnd a bit more hereThere is intentionally some flexibility in this, and I would recommend asking your vet to do a body condition score when you go in! (many vets in my area will actually do weigh in appointments like this for free, and it gives the cat nice positive treats + no one checking their temperature with a stick up the butt appointment). They are likely doing it anyway when they give the cat a checkup as well, but they can let you know so you have a better idea of where you are sitting and some idea of what to look out for. - Mod @perijules