Use the free Cat Body Condition Score Chart below, right in your browser. No sign-up, no software to install, and nothing is sent to a server.
Weight alone does not tell you if your cat is healthy, because cats come in very different frames. A big boned cat can weigh 6 kilos and be lean, while a small framed cat at 5 kilos can be overweight. The body condition score fixes this by looking at shape, not just the scale, on a simple scale from 1 to 9.
The 1 to 9 scale is used by vets around the world. Scores 1 to 4 mean underweight, 5 is ideal, 6 to 7 mean overweight, and 8 to 9 mean obese. The middle matters more than the exact number: a cat at 5 or 6 is in a very different place from a cat at 8, even though both are only a few points apart.
This tool scores three checks you can do at home. First, run your hands along the ribs with light pressure: you should feel them under a thin fat cover, not see them sharply and not struggle to find them. Second, look down at your cat from above for a slight waist behind the ribs. Third, look from the side for a tummy tuck rather than a sagging belly.
Answer the three questions honestly and press the button. The tool adds your answers into one score and labels it underweight, ideal, overweight, or obese, with a short next step. Long fur can hide shape, so trust your hands more than your eyes, and part the fur if you need a clearer view of the waist.
Try the middle answers as an example: ribs easy to feel with slight fat, a slight waist, and a level belly with a small pouch. That combination scores 5, the ideal score. The small belly pouch is normal in many cats, especially after neutering, and on its own it does not mean your cat is overweight.
If the score is 6 or 7, small changes usually work. Measure food in grams instead of pouring freely, cut treats to under a tenth of daily calories, and add two short play sessions a day. Weigh monthly and re-score: slow loss of about 1 percent of body weight per month is safe, while fast loss is not.
A score of 8 or 9 needs a vet plan, not a home diet alone. Cats that lose weight too fast can develop fatty liver disease, which is serious and can be fatal. A vet will set a calorie target, check for diabetes or joint pain, and plan re-checks so the loss stays slow and safe.
Scores below 5 also deserve a vet visit, especially if the change was sudden. Underweight cats may have dental pain, worms, thyroid disease, kidney disease, or simply food they dislike. Feeding more of a food a cat will not eat solves nothing, so the cause matters more than the calories at first.
Re-score every month, at the same time as weighing. Shape changes more slowly than weight, so a monthly check keeps you honest without daily worry. Keep a note of the score next to the weight: together they show whether a diet is working or whether muscle, not fat, is being lost.
This tool is educational only and cannot replace a hands-on vet exam. If you are unsure between two answers, choose the one that matches what you feel, not what you hope, and ask your vet to score your cat at the next visit. A calm, honest score is the first step to a healthier cat.
Photograph your cat from above and from the side once a month, next to the score, and the trend becomes easy to see. Photos remove the doubt of memory, because weight gain creeps up slowly and the eye adjusts to it day by day. Compare this month photo with last month, not with a stranger cat online, and look at the waist and the belly tuck. A photo series plus a monthly score gives your vet a clear record at the next visit, and it makes small progress visible when the scale barely moves.
Versión en español: Puntuación de condición corporal en gatos – GuÃa interactiva del 1 al 9