If you’re a health-conscious cat parent, you might’ve wondered whether your buddy is at a healthy weight. And a great way to figure that out? Be mindful of your cat’s body condition score – besides their body mass index (or BMI.)

Wait, these two are different metrics? Turns out, the cat body condition score is a way to tell if your buddy’s weight falls within a normal or healthy range, or if they might be underweight or overweight. (Also an option if you don’t have a weighing scale at home.)

With this info at hand, you can get a better idea of:

Cat Body Condition Score: What it is & and how it works

The Cat Body Condition Score (BCS) is a tool you can use to determine your cat’s body fat levels and see if they’re too thin, too fat, or at a healthy cat weight. It’s often used for other animals too, such as dogs or cows.

As the name suggests, BCS for cats rates a cat’s physical condition using a scale from 1 to 9.

  • On this scale, a BCS of 1 means a cat is malnourished or emaciated (in other words, dangerously underweight)
  • While a score of 9 indicates cat obesity.
A man lifting a cat above his head

How you can determine your cat’s body condition score

Checking your cat’s body condition score involves using your eyes to observe your cat’s body shape, as well as feeling their rib cage gently with your hands.

  • Run both hands – palms down – across your cat’s rib cage.
  • Take a look at your cat from the side and above.
  • Compare what you notice about your cat’s physical condition with the Body Condition Score chart for cats below.

A body condition score of 4.5-5 is considered a healthy range for cats. Here’s a handy infographic to help you get an idea:

Cat Body Condition Score chart illustrated by Tractive - Underweight, ideal cat weight, overweight

Understanding your cat’s body condition score

Determined your cat’s body condition score using the chart above? Here’s what their results might mean.

(Just be mindful that some cats do tend to be on the skinnier side – and it’s 100% natural. Trimmer cat breeds include Cornish and Devon Rexes, Siamese cats, Abyssinians, and Oriental Shorthairs.)

A Devon Rex cat sitting in the grass

1-2: Malnourished

A score of 1-2 indicates a cat is severely underweight and malnourished. You can clearly see the cat’s ribs and backbone from a distance. There is little to no body fat.

  • This often happen to cats who don’t have a steady family caring for them.
  • However, it can also affect cats who don’t eat enough food or don’t eat the right kind of food.
  • Cats that haven’t eaten for 48 hours or more can develop a liver disease called hepatic lipidosis, which is life-threatening.1

A cat with a Body Condition Score of 1 is in bad shape and may need medical intervention, so seek a vet’s help as soon as possible.

3: Underweight

With a score of around 3, a cat is considered underweight.

  • Their ribs and backbone may be visible, and you can easily feel their ribs with your hands.
  • There is only minimal fat covering. The cat has an obvious waist, and very minimal belly fat.

Some senior cats may take on a more “bony” look, as they often eat and move less than younger cats. They may also be facing health issues that impact their appetite and energy level.

A senior cat sitting on a ledge

If your cat is malnourished or underweight, you should:

  • Talk to a vet to rule out any underlying health issues
  • Monitor their eating habits
  • Deworm your cat
  • Watch out for bullying behaviors among other cats at feeding time
  • Consider changing their diet
  • Increase how many healthy protein and fat sources your cat eats
  • Try adding a little extra food to their bowl every day2

4-5: Ideal weight

A healthy cat weight is a 4 to 5 on the Body Condition Score scale. They have neither too little, nor too much fat.

  • Their ribs can be felt, with a slight fat covering, but are not visible.
  • There is a minimal layer of fat around the belly.
  • They are well-proportioned, with their waist visible from above (behind the ribs).
A cat at a healthy weight

😺 If your cat is at an ideal weight, awesome! That’s what will be best for their health in the long term.

If they’re eating a regular, balanced diet and getting enough play and physical activity – keep it up. These habits will keep your buddy at a healthy weight for a lifetime.

7: Overweight

At a score of 7, it’s not easy to feel a cat’s ribs, which are covered by a moderate layer of fat.

  • From above, it is not easy to make out the cat’s waist.
  • The belly area is noticeably round, with a moderate fat pad around the abdomen.

This score might indicate that your cat might have started to put on weight recently, or perhaps a lifestyle change caused them to gain weight. If you notice your cat has been eating more, or is less active than usual, these behaviors may be warning signs of health issues.

Cats around middle age may naturally start to gain weight as their metabolism slows down. If you can’t identify the source of the weight gain, talk to your vet.

grey cat eating out of metal ct food bowl on the floor indoors

💡Another way your cat might’ve picked up on some extra pounds? By getting in a few extra bites and snacks outside of regular meals.

  • If you’ve got an indoor cat, now’s as good a time as any to monitor their movements that much closer. Is a family member or guest feeding them some extra morsels on the sly?
  • For an outdoor cat, keeping an eye on their hunting behavior can help. Else, have they identified some “easy” food source in their territory – like a kindly neighbor or an extra-friendly hotdog stand owner?

(Psst – mapping out your cat’s territory is one of the perks you get when you strap a GPS tracker to their collar.)

A cat wearing a Tractive GPS tracker outdoors

😺 Because with your trusty Tractive GPS attached to your cat’s collar, you can now track them:

All this with just a glance at your phone.

Here’s how your cat’s territory might turn up on your Tractive mobile app – highlighted in yellow:

cat territory as shown in the tractive gps app
Tractive Trustpilot review

Discover Tractive GPS

9: Obese

If you did the test above and your cat was somewhere in the 7-9 range of the Cat Body Condition Score, your cat is likely to be considered obese.

  • At this stage, the cat’s ribs cannot be felt – they are under a heavy layer of fat.
  • There is no visible waist from above. Instead, you can see and feel an obvious rounding of the belly and extensive fat deposits around their belly, lower back, face and legs.

And…look. We know. Chonky cats can definitely be kinda cute.

An overweight cat sitting on a wooden floor

⚠️ But unfortunately, obese cats are at risk for a wide range of health issues that may shorten their lives – so it’s important to take cat obesity seriously.

  • Talk to your vet first to find the weight-reduction measures that are right for your feline.
  • Most importantly, do not make big changes to your cat’s diet overnight. Instead, opt for small, steady steps with the help of your vet.
  • Now’s also a good time to set some firm boundaries with family members and guests – meaning no extra snacks or treats! (No matter how much your cat insists.)

Read more: How To Help An Overweight Cat Lose Weight

How can I help my cat maintain a healthy weight?

Much like us humans, two of the main factors that will help your cat maintain a healthy weight are diet and exercise.

Diet

Make sure you are feeding your cat the right amount – and the right kinds of food. If you’re not sure which food is best for your cat, how much and how often to feed them, talk to your vet.

Here are some general guidelines for feeding your cat:

  • Choose high quality cat foods, preferably with protein as the main ingredient
  • Feed a mix of dry and wet cat foods – dry food only is more likely to lead to obesity, since it has more calories. Wet food can be more filling and hydrating overall.
  • Avoid free feeding, and instead feed your cat at regular intervals through the day (4-5 small meals is recommended)
  • Use a puzzle feeder to slow down feeding time
  • Make sure your cat has access to fresh drinking water all the time
A woman offering a bit of cooked meat to a cat

💡Importantly: monitor every morsel your cat is eating – whether indoors or outdoors.

It could be that a neighbor is feeding your cat without you knowing or they’re hunting down mice, birds, or other small, woodland animals outdoors. All of which can add to calories outside of regular mealtimes – and lead to your cat gaining weight over time.

Now you could do this by hovering over your cat 24/7…or just checking their Heat Map and Location History.

Tractive CAT Mini Location History

Which can help you figure out if your cat’s been hanging around:

  • Your neighbors’ backyards
  • The local hotdog stand
  • That one squirrel-riddled patch of woodland
  • Or just that part of your fence that needs patching

😼 All of which could be potential “extra snack” sites.

Discover Location History

Exercise

Just like us, cats need plenty of physical activity to stay healthy and strong. Outdoor cats generally get more exercise than indoor cats, so if you have an indoor cat, make sure they get plenty of fun toys, games and play.

Else, cats can and do adjust to leashes, harnesses, and even being walked outdoors! Perfect for some supervised outdoors time and a little extra exercise to keep them healthy.

Read more:

A child playing with a cat indoors

💡Want a fun and easy way to keep your cat in shape? Besides GPS tracking, your trusty Tractive device also helps you monitor your cat’s weight, calories burned, activity and rest minutes – all in one device.

An outdoor cat exploring a garden with Tractive's Activity monitoring features in the foreground

With its built-in motion detector, your Tractive device picks up on your cat’s movements throughout the day.

Which, with time, can help you figure out:

  • How active your cat is on the regular
  • What activity goals you can set your cat – and whether they’ve hit them for the day
  • Where your cat ranks on your local leaderboard – aka, compared to other, similar cats around the world!

All of which can help you stay motivated to stick to their daily exercise and playtime – for good.

(Worried you’ll lose battery with all this tracking? Just connect your tracker to a trusted network, like your home WiFi – aka create a Power-Saving Zone – and cut down on battery usage, big time.)

Tractive Activity Monitoring leaderboard
Tractive Trustpilot review

Top your community leaderboard

See how they’re doing at a glance with Wellness Score. Know if they’re getting enough exercise. Spot nap patterns. Detect issues early and keep them healthy.

Ready, set, track!

Want to see a vet in action checking out a cat’s body condition score? Here’s a video that’ll help:

And if you’ve liked this post, share it with a friend or a loved one – and let’s help build a safer, kinder world for our furry friends together.