Fit or Fat? 11 Signs Your Cat May Need to Lose Weight

Eating all that lasagna and sleeping all the time never caused Garfield any health problems. Sadly, though, the same isn't true for real-life cats: 61% of pet cats in the United States are reported as overweight or obese,¹ an epidemic that has led to a host of feline health problems.

So, is your kitty part of the 61%? Continue reading to learn about 11 key signs that mean your cat needs to lose weight — and how to help them if they do.

1. You Can't See Their Waist

On a normal-weight cat, you should be able to stand over them and see a visible waistline between the rib cage and the hip joints. This might be difficult to see on long-haired cats, but if you run your hand down their back and along their sides, you should feel where the waist curves inward. If you can't detect a waist, your kitty might be overweight.²

2. You Can't Feel Their Ribs

While the ribs shouldn't be so prominent that you can see them at a distance, up close you should be able to see the outline of your kitty's ribs or feel them beneath the fur and skin without pressing very hard. If you have to press through layers of fat to detect the ribs, or you can't feel them at all, your kitty needs to lose weight.²

3. You Can't Feel Their Spine or Hip Bones

As with the rib cage, at a healthy weight, a cat's spinal column and hip bones — which look like knobs above the tail on either side — should be slightly visible or easily felt when petting them.²

4. They Have a Pronounced Tummy

Cats normally have a “primordial pouch," a little bit of extra skin that hangs from their stomachs near the hind legs. But when looking at your cat from the side, their chest should curve up into a smaller abdominal section. If there's no curve, or their tummy curves down and out instead, you've got a fat cat.²

5. You Need to Loosen Their Collar

You know you're gaining weight when you need to loosen your belt or your pants are becoming too tight. Similarly, your kitty's collar becoming too tight is a good indication that they're putting on weight.

6. They Aren't as Playful as They Used to Be

Overweight cats tend to have less energy or run out of steam more quickly than normal-weight cats. They may become winded or simply get tired more easily from carrying the extra weight.³

7. Trouble Jumping on Things or Climbing Stairs

Along with less energy, a kitty who's carrying extra weight might have joint or muscle pain that prevents jumping or climbing. If they're very obese, they may simply not have the strength for such strenuous activity.³

8. Poor Grooming

Excess fat might make it hard for your kitty to reach parts of their body to groom themselves properly, leading to dirty skin and matted fur on their hind end, especially around the nether regions.³

9. Skin and Coat Problems

Besides the grooming difficulty, stress from extra weight can cause hair loss, baldness and other issues with the skin or coat.³

10. Heavy Breathing

An overweight cat might get winded and breathe more heavily following physical exertion. Not only that, but extra fat around the windpipe can cause their breathing to sound raspy, which can lead to chronic heart and lung problems.³

11. Recurring Urinary Tract Issues

Related to their inability to groom their hind ends, overweight cats are more prone to urinary tract infections (UTIs) and blockages. If UTIs and other urinary issues keep recurring, this could be a sign that your kitty needs to lose weight.³

Common Causes of Feline Obesity

A number of factors can cause cats to gain weight. Here are some of the most common.

• Overfeeding. Cats do best with small, frequent meals scheduled throughout the day. Feeding them all at once can lead to them eating it all too quickly, which leads to begging, and in turn results in them getting extra food. Failing to measure out the correct amount for the day is another cause of overfeeding cats.⁴
• Lack of exercise. Indoor cats are especially prone to inactivity because they don't have as many opportunities to do normal cat activities like exploring, hunting and climbing.⁴
• Understimulation. Aside from leading to inactivity, the lack of opportunities for indoor cats to do the things that come naturally to those outdoors can also lead to boredom. Given the chance, they'll eat more and sleep more, simply because they're bored.⁵
• Not enough sleep. Conversely, cats who aren't provided with enough suitable places to sleep may become stressed and end up not sleeping enough. They might also be inactive because they're too tired to play.⁴
• Aging. Once cats reach middle age, around the time they're 8 years old,⁵ their metabolism slows down, causing them to burn fewer calories. They become more prone to weight gain as they get older.³
• Spaying or neutering. Both male and female cats may have increased appetites after being spayed or neutered, causing them to eat more if given the chance.⁵
• Underlying health issues. Arthritis and other joint problems might reduce your cat's activity level, causing them to burn fewer calories.⁵ Also, hypothyroidism, overactive adrenal glands and other illnesses that affect metabolism can cause weight gain in cats.⁶
• Medication that causes weight gain. Weight gain is a common side effect of steroidal medications, like prednisolone, in cats.⁷

Feline Obesity Risks

Overweight and obese cats are at risk of health problems that could shorten their life spans. These include:

• Diabetes³
• Metabolic diseases⁵
• Heart disease³
• Respiratory illnesses⁵
• Arthritis and joint issues³
• Urinary tract disorders³
• Skin and coat issues³
• High blood pressure³
• Cancer³
• Decreased immunity⁸

Cat Obesity Chart: How Much Should Your Cat Weigh?

Your cat's ideal weight depends on their breed and the size of their frame. Domestic shorthair cats — aka the common house cat — typically weigh around 10 pounds, while some purebred cats may be smaller or larger. Here's a sample chart of the ideal weight for cats based on breed.⁹

Tips to Help Your Cat Lose Weight

Cat weight loss isn't that different from human weight loss — it comes down to reducing calories and increasing exercise. Follow these tips to help your kitty slim down to a healthy weight.

• Talk to your vet. A veterinarian can either rule out or diagnose and treat any underlying health conditions that might contribute to your cat's weight gain, as well as treat any conditions that were brought on by the excess weight. Your vet can also determine your kitty's ideal target weight and calculate the number of daily calories you should feed them for weight loss, and also advise you on healthy changes you should make to their diet and lifestyle.⁵
• Change your cat's diet. Cat food that is formulated for weight loss is high in protein and insoluble fiber and low in fat and carbs, which will help your kitty feel fuller on fewer calories. Your vet might even put your kitty on a cat version of the “keto diet," with prescription cat food that induces ketosis to help your kitty burn more fat.⁵
• Switch to wet food. Canned cat food delivers the nutrients your kitty needs more efficiently than dry kibble,⁵ which might help them feel more satiated.
• Measure their food. Make sure you're feeding your cat the right amount each day to avoid overfeeding. Using a food scale to measure out food is the most accurate method, but you can also use a measuring cup if a scale's not available.⁵
• Feed them on a schedule. Free feeding — filling your cat's bowl with kibble and letting them serve themselves throughout the day — encourages overeating.³ Instead, feed your kitty three or four small meals at scheduled intervals throughout the day.⁴
• Use puzzle feeders. If your cat inhales their food, puzzle feeders or slow-feeding bowls will slow them down so they have a chance to realize when they feel full.⁴
• Limit treats. Treats should be factored into your kitty's daily calorie intake. Hold back portions of their daily measured food allotment to use for treats and rewards. And never feed them table scraps.⁴
• Elevate their food. Placing your cat's food where they have to jump or climb to reach it will help them burn more calories.⁵ Moving their bowl upstairs from the kitchen can also do the trick.
• Encourage activity and exercise. Toys, cat trees or kitty condos and scratching posts will all help encourage your indoor kitty to get more exercise, as well as provide mental stimulation that will help prevent them from eating out of boredom.³ You can also hide treats around the house to satisfy their urge to hunt. And teaching them to walk on a leash is a safe way for your kitty to get outside and explore.⁵
• Provide plenty of places to sleep. Making sure your cat feels safe and comfortable enough to get the sleep they need will actually help them be more energetic and active when they're awake.⁴

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The CareCredit credit card is an easy way to pay for your cat's annual checkups, food and products at veterinary practices in the CareCredit network.* Apply today and use our Acceptance Locator to find a veterinarian near you that accepts CareCredit to help keep your pet healthy and happy for a lifetime of love. CareCredit is there for you and your pet every step of the way; continue your wellness journey by downloading the CareCredit Mobile App to manage your account, find a provider on the go and easily access the Well U hub for more great articles, podcasts and videos.

Author Bio

Jean Marie Bauhaus is a freelance writer and novelist with eight years of experience. Her work has appeared on Hill's Pet, Chewy and AKC.org and more.