What is a healthy weight for an average house cat?

Most non-purebred adult cats are healthy between about 3.6 and 5.4 kg (8-12 lb), with females typically at the lower end and males at the upper end. Frame size matters -- a larger-boned cat can be healthy toward the top of this range, and a finer-boned cat may be healthy below it.

My cat is 6 kg. Is that overweight?

It depends on breed and frame. For an average domestic shorthair, 6 kg is above the typical ideal range and warrants a body condition check. For a large-breed cat like a Maine Coon, 6 kg may be well within a healthy range. The hands-on rib and waist check will give you a clearer answer than the number alone.

How quickly should my cat lose weight?

Safely, no faster than around 0.5-2% of body weight per week -- for a 6 kg cat, roughly 30-120 g per week. Faster weight loss carries a real risk of hepatic lipidosis in cats. Any significant weight loss plan for a cat should ideally be discussed with a vet.

Can I tell if my cat is overweight just by looking at them?

For short-haired cats, visual checks are useful but not reliable on their own. For long-haired cats, coat thickness makes visual assessment particularly unreliable. The hands-on rib check is more consistent regardless of coat length.

Healthy Weight for Cats | PetCalculator

Most cats fall between 3.6 and 5.4 kg, but breed and frame size shift that range considerably. Here is how to combine a weight reference with hands-on checks to know if your cat is in a healthy zone.