Cat Weight Chart: What Should Your Cat Weigh?
Somewhere around 60 percent of American cats are overweight, so if you are wondering about yours, you are asking a fair question and you have plenty of company. The scale alone will not answer it. Frame size varies too much between cats. Your hands will answer it, in about thirty seconds.
Healthy cat weight by breed
| Breed | Healthy adult range |
|---|---|
| Domestic shorthair or moggy | 8 to 12 lb (3.6 to 5.4 kg) |
| Siamese | 6 to 10 lb (2.7 to 4.5 kg) |
| Persian | 7 to 12 lb (3.2 to 5.4 kg) |
| Bengal | 8 to 15 lb (3.6 to 6.8 kg) |
| British Shorthair | 9 to 17 lb (4 to 7.7 kg) |
| Ragdoll | 10 to 20 lb (4.5 to 9 kg) |
| Maine Coon | 12 to 18 lb (5.4 to 8.2 kg), males to 22 lb |
Males run heavier than females in every breed, usually by two to four pounds. A Maine Coon at 16 pounds can be lean muscle while a domestic shorthair at 16 pounds is carrying the equivalent of a fridge on its back, which is why the rib and waist checks outrank every number in this table.
Cat weight by age
| Age | Typical weight |
|---|---|
| 8 weeks | 0.9 to 1 kg |
| 6 months | 2.7 to 3.2 kg |
| 12 months | 3.6 to 4.5 kg, near adult weight |
| 1 to 7 years | Stable adult weight; creeping gain is diet, never age |
| 8 to 12 years | Watch for slow gain from lower activity |
| 12+ years | Unplanned loss is the bigger worry and deserves a vet check, it flags thyroid, kidney and dental disease |
The pouch is not the problem
The soft flap swinging under many cats is the primordial pouch, standard cat anatomy that gets more obvious with age and after spaying. Ignore it during the check. The signals that count sit higher: the ribs, the waist and the top line.
Cat weight FAQ
How much should a cat weigh?
Around 8 to 12 lb for a typical adult, with breed frames stretching from a 6 lb Siamese to a 20 lb Maine Coon. Within any frame, the rib and waist checks define ideal better than the scale does.
Is 15 pounds heavy for a cat?
For most domestic cats, yes, by two to four pounds. For a large Ragdoll or Maine Coon frame it can be healthy. Run the three checks above; they will tell you which case yours is.
How many calories should my cat eat to slim down?
Weight loss feeding is based on the ideal weight rather than the current one, around 0.8 times resting energy requirement, which lands near 150 to 180 calories for many cats. Do it with your vet, because faster than about 1 percent of body weight a week risks hepatic lipidosis, a serious liver condition specific to cats.
Why did my senior cat start losing weight without a diet?
Unplanned loss in an older cat is a medical sign until proven otherwise. Overactive thyroid, kidney disease, diabetes and painful teeth are the usual suspects, and all are manageable when caught early. Book the vet rather than enjoying the slimmer silhouette.
Wet or dry food for weight control?
Wet food helps. It carries water, so the same calories fill more stomach, and portion control is simpler with cans than with an open bowl of kibble. Measured meals matter more than the format though. Free feeding is the habit most strongly tied to heavy cats.
Heavy cats become expensive cats
Diabetes, joint disease and urinary trouble all track with weight, and none of them are covered once they are pre existing. Insurance for a healthy weight cat averages 32 dollars a month in 2026.
Compare pet insurance pricesRelated cat calculators
Sources: WSAVA body condition scoring system; AAHA weight management guidelines; APOP pet obesity surveys; NRC Nutrient Requirements of Cats. Last reviewed August 2026.