To have a cat as a pet can be quite magical if you have the right tricks up your sleeve to keep the animal healthy!Cats can quickly get obese and show visible signs of distress and diseases if their diet isn’t looked after the right way. This is where advice from a veterinary expert could come in handy.An average cat of every breed has a threshold of body weight which it should not exceed at any cost. The average cat weight for every breed is specific and hence, you must ensure to have sufficient data available at all times.Keep reading to know some tips and tricks by which you can determine if you have a healthy cat, and for ways in which you can help your pet if the animal is overweight.If you like reading this article, why not also check out how high can a coyote jump and can cats eat carrots here at Kidadl!Cat Weight Chart By AgeCats are excellent pets, mainly because of how easy it is to take care of them. However, humans have always had the tendency of feeding their pets too much, which leads to numerous health problems.If you are trying to figure out whether your cat is overweight, try to feel the animal’s ribs. If you can feel the ribs and spine, there are chances that your kitten or adult cat is healthy. At the same time, if these bones are visible rather too apparently, there are chances that your cat may be underweight. The signs that would ensure that your pet cat is overweight and is running the risk of obesity and diseases such as arthritis vary for different breeds of cats. The method that pet owners apply most often is judging whether or not the bones of the cats have too much fat covering them. If you feel like there is a rather tough layer of fat covering your pet’s ribs, and if you have to shuffle through the cat’s coat before finding the spine, be assured that the cat’s health is compromised due to obesity.There is a range of factors that determine the healthy body weight of cats. One of these factors is the age of the animal. For example, the ideal body weight for most one-week-old cats is 5-10 oz (141.7-283.4 g). If your cats weigh anything more than this ideal cat weight, there are chances that the veterinarian would advise you to cut down on fatty foods such as human foods and treats. If the vet so suggests, you may also have to consider other methods of weight loss such as portion control.A six-week-old cat, on the other hand, should weigh around 1-2 lb (0.4-0.9 kg). If your cat is of this age and still has overly visible ribs, there are chances that a vet would ask you to look for methods of weight gain. At the same time, a weight that exceeds this range would invite obesity-related health issues towards your feline friend.While these are generalized parameters and figures to determine whether or not your cat has a healthy weight, an obese cat would have a different weight in pounds depending upon its breed and species. It would therefore be a good idea to understand the breed and then find out the ideal weight for your cat’s body condition and type.What is the average weight of a cat?The average weight of a cat has no definitive number of pounds. This is because the body condition and type of each cat breed are different and ask for a different kind of diet. The average weight for a Siamese cat could be overweight for a rather smaller cat breed. Hence, all veterinarian doctors advise you to only follow a diet chart and health index that is pertinent for the cat breed that you have at home.Ideally, an 8.8 lb (4 kg) cat is considered to be healthy. However, this figure is very general and may not apply to many cat breeds. The ideal domestic cat weight is considered to be around 8-9 lb (3.6-4 kg). Such a cat weight is suggestive that your cat’s diet and the amount of exercise that it gets on a daily basis is adequate for maintaining a healthy lifestyle.An average cat of the Persian breed would weigh 7-12 lb (3.1-5.4 kg). If your Persian cat is plumper, there are chances that you have to cause it to lose weight. There are several diseases that can directly be related to the extra pounds that a Persian cat carries, hence, those should be avoided.Domestic cats of the Siamese variety have an ideal weight of 5-10 lb (2.2-4.5 kg). These cats quickly gain weight if they have been having too much cat food. You can help your cat lose weight by cutting down on the cat’s food and ensuring that a few pounds are shredded off. At the same time, even an underweight domestic cat of any variety could be experiencing the need for veterinary help and a weight management regime.Maine Coon cats have a rather large range of ideal weight. A Maine Coon cat’s weight should be between 10-25 lb (4.5-11.3 kg). If you have an overweight cat of this breed, pay special attention to the overweight cat’s play-time and its food. A healthy Maine Coon cat would have only a small layer of fat over its bones. This would also help in avoiding even the most painful disease - pancreatitis!A domestic shorthair should weigh 10-15 lb (4.5-6.8 kg).What is a healthy weight of an adult cat?The healthy weight or ideal weight of domestic cats is dependent on their age and their breed. Ideally, your male or female cat should be able to sail through life and play around the house without showing any signs of lethargy. Veterinarians often suggest methods of weight management and weight loss if they notice a pet weighs an extra few pounds. A cat’s weight should ideally be in the range of around 5-10 lb (2.2-4.5 kg). However, these figures are also dependent on the cat’s body condition.It is worthy to note that an underweight cat requires just as much attention as an overweight one. Hence, you shouldn’t let your cat weigh more or less than the stipulated range, in order to avoid an array of health problems. You can help your cat lose weight by cutting down on its treats and other fatty food. Meanwhile, you can help your cat weigh an extra few pounds by giving it more food and adequate exercise. Pet care is all about discipline and balance, therefore, make sure to contact your vet whenever you need any help!How To Control Your Cat’s WeightMake sure to keep track of all the food that you add to your cat’s menu every day. Some cats need more food depending on the amount of exercise they get, while still, other feline buddies need only a small portion of food every day. Since the feeding schedules and portions vary with every cat, a miscalculation may lead to many health problems. An extra pound in a cat’s weight is of way more significance than in the case of humans.Make sure that your underweight or overweight cat has a balanced diet that has been approved by a vet. Exercise is just as important for obese cats as it is for underweight ones. Hence, make sure to help your cat gain or lose weight in the correct way.Overweight cats should never be deprived of foods that contain fat since vets suggest this as one of the ways in which you may risk your pet’s health. Remember to ask a veterinary specialist about the ’normal cat weight’ that would be applicable to your pet, and the weight management methods that would allow the animal to lead a healthy life!Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how heavy should my cat be then why not take a look at how long can a cat go without eating, or Persian cat facts?
To have a cat as a pet can be quite magical if you have the right tricks up your sleeve to keep the animal healthy!
