What this means
Weight can creep up so gradually that someone who sees the cat every day does not see the change. Check with your hands and your eyes: in a cat at a healthy weight the ribs can be felt under a thin layer, and from above there is a waist behind them. If the ribs are hard to feel and there is no waist, the cat very likely carries too much fat.
Fat is more than a store of energy: fatty tissue affects hormones and metabolism, and extra weight loads the joints. The heavier a cat gets, the less it wants to move, and the less it moves, the easier it is for the weight to keep climbing. As a result a cat may stop jumping onto high places, tire sooner and play less, and the fur on its back and at the base of its tail may mat because it can no longer reach it when grooming.
Quickly gained weight or a swollen belly does not always mean too much fat: it can be fluid or another illness. That is why a vet should assess the cat's body condition and find out whether too much food is the whole story or whether something else is involved.
Possible causes
These are things that can cause this sign. It is not a diagnosis, and they are not equally likely for your cat.
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Taking in more than it uses
When a cat takes in more energy than it burns, fat builds up gradually. It happens especially when a cat moves little or lives in a small space.
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Moving less because of pain or joint disease
Sore joints reduce the wish to move, and moving less raises weight. A vicious circle forms that is hard to spot.
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A hormone or metabolic disorder
Some illnesses change how the body uses energy. A change in weight can be one of the first signs.
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Changes with neutering or age
With age and a change in lifestyle a cat's needs change. Weight can rise even when the amount of food looks the same.
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Fluid or another illness that looks like extra weight
A swollen belly or fast weight gain may not be fat. Only a vet can tell the difference.
What else to watch for
These observations help your vet build the picture faster. Note down what you saw and when.
- Whether the ribs can be felt under a thin layer
- Whether a waist can be seen from above
- Whether the cat has stopped jumping up or struggles with stairs
- Whether it tires sooner and plays less
- Whether the fur on its back and tail base is matted or greasy
- Whether the belly swelled suddenly rather than gradually
When to book a routine visit
Book a visit if your cat has put on weight, moves with more effort, has stopped jumping up or no longer keeps its coat clean. A vet will assess its body condition and look for the cause.
Related conditions
Conditions whose entries mention this sign. The list is somewhere to read on, not a way to reach a diagnosis.
- Obesity (excess weight) General health So much fat builds up in the body that it gets in the way of moving and puts a strain on the whole system. Excess weight loads the joints and can be linked with diabetes and other illnesses.
- Weight and joint issues Bones and joints Excess weight and joint problems feed each other: extra weight loads the joints, and sore joints make a cat less willing to move. The result is a vicious circle that is hard to spot, because the changes come on slowly.
Body systems: General health Bones and joints