Assessing Your Cat's Body Condition: Are They Overweight?
Monitoring your cat's body condition is an important part of keeping them healthy. Assessing their body condition score can help you determine if your cat is overweight or underweight. Being overweight puts cats at risk for many health problems like diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, and more. This article will cover how to assess your cat's body condition score at home along with tips on what to do if your cat needs to lose weight.
What is Body Condition Score (BCS)?
Veterinarians and cat owners use a standardized body condition score system to evaluate a cat's weight and body composition. This system assigns a score from 1-9 based on the amount of fat covering and muscle mass.
Here is a brief overview of the 9-point body condition score scale:
- BCS 1: Severely underweight and emaciated. Ribs, spine, and pelvic bones are prominent and there is no fat cover.
- BCS 2-3: Underweight. Ribs are easily felt with minimal fat cover. Waist is clearly visible from above.
- BCS 4-5: Ideal weight. Ribs can be felt with light fat cover. Waist can be seen from above. Abdomen has minimal fat.
- BCS 6-7: Overweight. Difficult to feel ribs under moderate fat cover. Fat deposits present over lumbar area and base of tail. Waist absent or barely visible. Abdomen has significant fat deposits.
- BCS 8-9: Obese. Ribs are difficult to impossible to feel under heavy fat cover. Fat deposits over lumbar area, face, and limbs. Waist and abdominal tuck absent. Obvious abdominal distention.
Veterinarians recommend most cats maintain a BCS between 4-5 for optimal health.
How to Assess Your Cat's Body Condition
You can assess your cat's body condition score at home by looking at and feeling their body:
Visual Assessment
- Look at your cat from above. A healthy cat should have an observable waist behind the ribs when viewed from above. If the waist is absent, widened, or unclear, your cat may be overweight.
- Look at your cat from the side. An overweight cat will have an abdominal bulge or sag, while a healthy cat will have a tucked abdomen and waist.
- Check for fat deposits over the lumbar back, base of the tail, and hind limbs. These indicate excess weight.
- In obese cats, you may notice fat deposits on the neck, face, and limbs. The limbs may appear thickened.
Physical Assessment
- Run your hands over your cat's ribs. You should be able to easily feel the ribs without excess fat cover in a healthy cat. If you can't feel the bones or can barely press through fat, consider your cat overweight.
- Feel your cat's abdomen. It should feel lean and tucked up at the waist, not pendulous. An overweight cat will have prominent fat deposits here.
- Long-haired cats can make condition harder to assess. Part the fur at areas you are palpating to get an accurate feel.
Assess Activity Level
Take your cat's activity level into account. Working and outdoor cats or more playful, energetic breeds may need higher body condition scores. Less active indoor cats likely need lower condition scores. If your inactive house cat can't groom themselves properly or struggles to rise due to excess weight, they are likely overweight.
Addressing Feline Obesity
If your cat is overweight, take steps to help them lose weight safely through a controlled weight loss plan:
- Visit your vet - Have your vet do an exam to rule out any underlying medical problems. They can provide support for safe weight loss protocols specific to your cat.
- Measure food - Feed set meal portions instead of free feeding to control calorie intake. Canned food may help with weight loss.
- Increase activity - More playtime and exercise opportunities will help burn extra calories. Consider food puzzle toys that make your cat work for treats.
- Avoid high-calorie treats - Limit treats to low calorie options like bits of cooked chicken or carrots.
- Provide enrichment - Give your cat engaging toys, scratching posts, cat towers and windows perches to keep them active.
- Be patient - Cats may lose weight slowly. Stick to the plan and maintain routine weigh-ins to ensure progress.
Feeding an age-appropriate and nutrient-rich diet in proper portions plays a big role in your cat maintaining a healthy weight and body condition. Consider these diet tips:
- Wet food - Canned or pouched food has high protein and moisture content to keep cats feeling full. Look for low carb, high protein options.
- Senior diets - If your cat is older, feed an age-appropriate food formulated for maintaining lean body mass.
- Avoid free feeding - Free fed cats often overeat. Stick to measured meals fed at the same times daily.
- Read labels - Select foods with real meat, avoid fillers. Look for foods formulated for weight control.
- Treats - Stick to low calorie treats like bits chicken, carrots, or commercial treats made for weight loss.
- Hydration - Ensure fresh water is always available. Broths and cat fountains can entice drinking.
Feeding trials may help you determine the best diet and proper serving sizes for your individual cat. Work closely with your veterinarian to tailor nutrition to your cat's needs and preferences.
Providing Enrichment and Activity
In addition to adjusting diet, increasing physical activity through exercise, play, and enrichment is key to successful feline weight loss and maintaining optimal body condition.
Playtime
Make playtime with rod toys like wands high-intensity to get your cat moving and burning calories. Engage in at least 2-3 longer 15+ minutes play sessions per day. Fetch balls or toys your cat can bat around by themselves are also excellent exercise.
Food Puzzles and Dispensing Toys
These mentally and physically stimulate your cat while making them work harder for their food. Great for reducing boredom and excess calorie intake from free feeding. Try puzzles like this ball that makes cats bat and chase to dispense kibble or food maze toys.
Cat Trees and Vertical Spaces
Provide shelves, cat trees, and climbing spaces around your home. The more vertical climbing and jumping options you provide, the more calories cats can burn while playing.
Harness Training
Consider leash training your cat to allow for longer, more intense cardio exercise like jogging together outdoors. Always monitor your cat closely and use a secure harness made for cats when walking. Start slow with short sessions in a safe area.
Laser Toys and Strings
Laser pointers and string wands inspire frantic movement in cats which gets their heart rate up. Limit laser play to 10 minutes max at a time to prevent frustration. Make string wands mimic prey to trigger instinctual hunting behaviors and energetic pursuit.
Incorporating regular play, activity and enrichment into your cat's routine not only helps them lose excess weight, but also strengthens your bond and their overall wellbeing. Try various types of interactive toys and find what makes your cat the happiest.
Providing Routine Veterinary Care
Your veterinarian is your partner in ensuring your cat stays at a healthy weight and body condition. Here are some key vet visits to maintain:
- Annual wellness exams - Allow for routine weight checks and diagnosis of any issues like diabetes or thyroid problems that could cause weight gain.
- Nutrition consultations - Vet nutritionists can recommend diets and feeding plans tailored to your cat's needs.
- Weight checks - Monthly or bi-monthly weight checks let you monitor loss and adjust food amounts accordingly.
- Bloodwork - Tests can evaluate organ function and look for conditions like insulin resistance.
Monitoring your cat's body condition score and keeping them in the ideal range for their age, activity level, and health status is central to cat care. If your cat appears overweight, talk to your vet about safe weight loss options. With patience, adjustments to their diet and environment, and veterinary guidance, your cat can get back to a healthy weight. Consistent evaluation of body condition, nutrition and enrichment will help them thrive.