Body Condition Chart

I wanted to post this chart for others to see. My vet's office has this posted on the wall. (it is a pdf file). If you cannot open it, google under "body condition score chart" for cats and should find one that isn't pdf. This one is nice and clear though

http://www.vettechjournal.com/pdf/VT...%20handout.pdf

It is a bit misleading, IMO. Sebastian looks like the overhead shot under "ideal weight" but according to what it says, the abdomen fat would put him in the "overweight" category, which he is not. I can easily feel his ribs, he moves well. He has lost about 2 pounds in the past year and is very healthy for a 12 year old boy with FIV

From other TCS members I've heard the little hanging belly is natural and genetic. Anyone have any ideas on this?

How do you tell with a long-haired cat?

That is a typical wt chart ... purina added a few steps .. slightly under and slightly over thus I like to use it

Longhairs still have waist lines from above you can feel the ribs if you try

Hey, thanks for posting that!! Your chart is a whole lot nicer than the other ones I've got bookmarked.

The belly "pooch," the mass of fat that is also known as spay sway, also develops on cats that are not neutered.

It is put on a cat's lower abdomen by nature: It is an effective means of protecting the tender gut of a cat when in a serious cat fight. It protects the intestines the rabbit-kicking slashes of an attacker.

It definitely doesn't mean that your cat is "fat," it just means that he/she is normal.

I prefer the purina body condition score as it has a few more steps and is more photographically "correct" in my opinion.

Also, I would say 80% of people have an obese cat and will say it is not obese. The average americans image of what a cats ideal body weight should be is drastically skewed.

Originally Posted by Misskiwi67

Also, I would say 80% of people have an obese cat and will say it is not obese. The average americans image of what a cats ideal body weight should be is drastically skewed.

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I'd tend to agree with this to a point. The "average American" tends to be at the borderline of obesity themselves.

Here is the Purina chart http://www.feednfarm.com/catbodyscoring.html

Thank you for posting these...they are very helpful!

Yup, I think I prefer the purina chart as well. Helps break things down better. And it's the one my vet uses.

Originally Posted by efrost6

How do you tell with a long-haired cat?

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Shave it

Yeah, well my kitty is a big LONG kitty and those charts dont have any pics that look like him! Those are all short cats IMO. Mine must be a bigger breed and I hate the charts just because I can't ever find one with him on there!
Mine also has the "spay sway" but I think things go south in cats as well as humans as they get older.

I don't think the length matters, it isn't saying the cat should be x lbs in weight but just showing its body shape, the shape is the same regardless of the size of the cat at its healthy weight