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My kitten looks chubby. How can I tell if they're overweight?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 6 months and 15 days old

How can I tell if my kitten is over weight?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Kevin Sanada, DVM

Answered By Kevin Sanada, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on December 6th, 2017

It's difficult to say for sure from the picture, but it looks like Phoenix has a bigger belly than he should. We assess overweight animals by assessing their body condition and scoring it based on observations. It's a bit vague, but gives a good idea of how much fat needs to be lost. Below is a link to a guide for scoring body condition. It's best to keep them at a 4-5 BCS, because thinner cats tend to be healthier and live longer.

https://www.wsava.org/sites/default/files/Body%20condition%20score%20chart%20cats.pdf

For further information about maintaining an ideal body condition, please read the short article at the link below.

http://www.petmd.com/cat/nutrition/evr_ct_obesity_in_cats_and_what_to_do_about_an_overweight_cat

I hope that helps and all is well with Phoenix.
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