How much does a cat weigh? Normal weight for an adult cat, a kitten and by breed
An adult domestic moggy normally weighs between 3.5 and 5 kg (8 and 11 lb): females tend to stay between 3 and 4.5 kg (6.5 and 10 lb) and males between 4 and 6 kg (9 and 13 lb). Some breeds fall outside that range, above it like the Maine Coon or below it like the Singapura. More important than the number is body condition: you should be able to feel the ribs without seeing them.
What an ordinary cat weighs
Most cats living in Spanish homes are ordinary moggies, domestic or European shorthairs with no particular breed. An adult cat like that, in good shape, usually weighs between 3.5 and 5 kg (8 and 11 lb). Females tend to be a little smaller, at 3 to 4.5 kg (6.5 to 10 lb), and males a little bigger, at 4 to 6 kg (9 to 13 lb), with some big, muscular males reaching 6.5 or 7 kg (14 or 15 lb) without being fat. Build counts for a lot: two healthy cats of the same age can weigh 3.5 kg (8 lb) and 5.5 kg (12 lb) and both be at the right weight, because one is small and slender and the other large and big-boned.
What a kitten weighs
A newborn kitten weighs roughly 90 to 120 g (3 to 4 oz) and should gain 10 to 15 g a day during the first weeks, so it doubles its birth weight between its first and second week of life. A widely used rule of thumb is that a healthy kitten weighs about half a kilo (1 lb) for every month of age until five or six months: about 500 g at one month, a kilo (2.2 lb) at two months, around a kilo and a half (3.3 lb) at three. After that, growth slows down. Most cats reach their adult size at around 12 months, although large breeds keep developing, especially in muscle, until three or four years old.
The biggest and smallest breeds
Some breeds fall clearly outside the usual range. Among the big ones are the Maine Coon, whose adult males can weigh 7 to 10 kg (15 to 22 lb), the Ragdoll, the Norwegian Forest Cat, the Siberian, the British Shorthair, and hybrid breeds such as the Savannah and the Chausie, which depending on the generation can exceed 10 kg (22 lb). At the other end, the Singapura, one of the smallest breeds, weighs 2 to 3.5 kg (4.5 to 8 lb), and the Devon Rex, the Cornish Rex and the Munchkin usually stay under 4 or 4.5 kg (9 or 10 lb). Michipedia’s breed profiles give the usual adult weight for each one, from female to male.
Beyond the number: body condition
The figure on the scales says little unless you know what the cat is like. That is why vets use body condition score, a scale from 1 to 9 on which 5 is ideal. A cat at a healthy weight has ribs that are easy to feel when you run your hand along its sides, covered by a thin layer of fat, but you cannot see them. Seen from above, there is a slight waist behind the ribs, and the belly does not hang down too much. If you have to press to feel the ribs, or cannot feel them at all, it is carrying too much weight. If you can see the ribs, spine or hip bones, it is underweight. Michipedia’s ideal weight calculator helps you make this assessment step by step. In long-haired cats such as the Persian or the Norwegian Forest Cat, your eyes can be very misleading: the coat hides both thinness and extra weight, so trust your hands.
The primordial pouch is not fat
Many cats have a flap of loose skin hanging from the lower belly, in front of the back legs, that swings as they walk. It is called the primordial pouch, and it is neither fat nor caused by neutering, although it can become more noticeable afterwards. It is a normal structure in domestic cats and many wild felines, and it is thought to protect the abdomen in fights, when cats kick each other with their back legs, and to let the body stretch further when running and jumping. It needs to be told apart from fat: a cat with a primordial pouch that is at a healthy weight still has ribs that are easy to feel.
Excess weight, the most common problem
In vet clinics in Spain and across Europe, being overweight is one of the most common health problems in cats, and studies of pet cat populations usually put the proportion of overweight or obese cats at around one in three or more. The risk factors are well known: neutering, which lowers energy needs, an indoor life with little activity, food left out all day, and treats and table scraps. An overweight cat is at greater risk of diabetes, arthritis, urinary and skin problems, and has a poorer quality of life. And in a small animal, one extra kilo (2.2 lb) is a lot: it is like a person putting on 15 to 20 kg (33 to 44 lb).
How to weigh your cat at home
The simplest method is to weigh yourself on the bathroom scales, then weigh yourself holding the cat, and subtract the difference. For kittens and small cats, kitchen scales with a bowl or a box on top are more accurate. Weighing your cat once a month, at the same time of day and writing the result down, lets you spot changes early. An adult cat’s weight should not vary by more than 5 or 10 per cent without a reason, such as a diet. Weight loss is particularly important: in older cats it can be the first sign of hyperthyroidism, kidney disease, diabetes or dental problems, long before anything else shows.
If it needs to lose or gain weight
If your cat is overweight, do not put it on a strict diet on your own: a cat that suddenly stops eating or eats very little can develop hepatic lipidosis, a serious liver disease. Weight loss in cats has to be slow, around 1 to 2 per cent of body weight a week, with food portions weighed on scales, a suitable diet and more play. Your vet can work out the exact calories. And if your cat is too thin or losing weight for no obvious reason, the priority is not to feed it more but to find out why, with a check-up and, if it is older, blood tests.
An adult moggy weighs 3.5 to 5 kg (8 to 11 lb): females 3 to 4.5 kg (6.5 to 10 lb) and males 4 to 6 kg (9 to 13 lb). Breeds such as the Maine Coon go over 7 kg (15 lb) and others such as the Singapura stay at 2 to 3.5 kg (4.5 to 8 lb). Body condition matters more than the number: you can feel the ribs but not see them. Weigh your cat monthly and see the vet if it loses weight for no reason.
Educational content from Michipedia, translated from the Spanish original. It does not replace the advice of a vet or a feline behaviour specialist. Every cat is an individual.