How do you know if your cat is a fat cat?

[Moln]

Just been for his boosters and health check.

He's 1 and 4.8kg.

When weight the vet said "well he's definitely bigger than the average cat"

At the time I just thought bigger as in dimensions but now I'm wondering if he's a fatty bum bum.

The vet would have said wouldn't she?

He doesn't look it, and has that slender cat shape. Backbone feel-able when stroked.

wilmettepetcenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Weight-chart.jpg

would this help?

It certainly would. Thanks.

He's not overweight going by that.

My FatCat doesn't look fat, but the vet has said she's overweight. She's 4.something kg.

I try to restrict her food, but dh feeds them behind my back. Pearl feels a bit fat as she has a tummy and is getting a bit solid

Hmmm, ok, back to square one. Though vet didn't mention overweightness just that he was bigger than the average cat.

The nurses call him big beast (in a loving way!!)

I can honestly say I'm unaware other cats are smaller as I'm quite an accidental cat slave owner

Stand behind them when they are stood up / walking. If their tummy is wider than their ribs they're overweight. Also if it's hard to feel their ribs. I've got one slimcat and one fatcat so it's easy to tell. Fatcat looks overweight at 4.3kg and the vet says she is too, she's noticeably less agile than slimcat so she's on a diet now.

From above he has the look of 2/3 in the pictures Qwebec linked.

Do you know what his breeding is, Moln?

I have a FatCat. I can feel his backbone when stroked. He is something like 7.2 KG (in his defence, he is a big cat and will never be light!) but seems to be carrying all the weight underneath so he looks slender from above and behind.

If your cat was overweight rather than fat, I think the vet would have said - mine did.

"Overweight rather than just big." Is what I meant to say.

I've no idea cozietoesie. He was dumped as a very young kitten and came to live with me at about 8 weeks old.

He's classed as a domestic short hair on his record card.

I have never met a vet who wouldn't comment if they thought the weight of a pet was unhealthy.
Cats are so different. We have kitten sister. One is sooooo much bigger. Not fatter but larger in every sense.

Ribs are the important bit, you should be able to feel them by applying light ( virtually none) pressure. There is a huge variation I have a male Maine Coon patient who is ideally weight at 9Kg, the posh arrogant boy is ideal at 4.7kg and the tail less wonder at 3.5kg ( Lone cats don't dare be overweight).
Equally I have obese patients at anything starting at 4.5kg. Obese cats get diabetes, heart disease and joint problems for starters.

Your right, she'd have hardly checked him and said nothing about his weight being unhealthy.

Though I had to walk down to the vets as DH had the car. It explains why I feel like I've had a work out!!

Our vet told us. Awkward Cat was edging into being overweight. She's been on a diet for a while now and she's much happier and more energetic. Although not entirely content with her rations...

Our cat is a big lad, vets always comment. But not fat. He's 7.5 kg.

He's in, tried to get a picture but he's not complying (who'd had thought that a cat would be awkward!)

Ribs are feelable though

Ours is bloody huge, 5 months and 3.4 kg. But he's a Siberian and average male weight is about 12-18 pounds (6-9kg).

I also had a late, much loved black and white farm cat who was huge and psychopathic

I think much depends on the ancestry. Maybe your cats mother met a Maine Coon or Siberian round the corner?

well i thought i was doing well dieting my obviously fat cat before his vet visit he weighed him and said he is 8.5 pounds i said yes? the average cat is 4.5 so he went on a bit more of a diet a couple of years later he was still 6/7lbs i couldn't shift the weight until the end of his life neither could he

Mines 6.1kg so about 12lbs. He's slim though and woe betide the vet who tells me he ought to be less.

He's a muscular breed with no fat on him.

My fella was pretty big, he weighed just under a stone but was big and muscular, had massive paws. He was a bit tubby, belly hung down a bit and he was well covered, but he was stocky rather than fat, a rugby player type physique.

I think my large boy cat weighs about the same as yours op and I wouldn't say he is a fatty bum bum

He does put on weight in the winter though as he doesn't like the cold or wet much but loses it in the summer when he is out loads more.

Have you got a photo? Here is my boy for comparison...

He won't stay still long enough while on his feet. I have photos of him curled up sleeping only!!

One of ours is 5kg. H was at the vet last week and DH was told that the cat shouldnt put on any more weight as he is at the upper end of normal. He's always out doing cat stuff and is really muscular (with Chris Hoy thighs ) so we arent bothered at all.

I'm long term looking after my daughters' cats. Little girl cat eats the most and is always hungry, she's a skinny malinki. Big boy cat lets her eat first and rarely asks for food - he's a fatty. Belly wobbles from side to side when he walks. I'm sure she eats more than him! Is a lower belly wobble in a two year old neutered black male a sign of being overweight?
(Don't know what they weight, don't have scales).

Is he maybe getting fed elsewhere which is why he lets Girl Cat eat first?