Why 'how many pounds' is the wrong question
Healthy weight varies so much between feline frames - a lanky domestic shorthair and a naturally stocky breed can both be ideal at very different weights - that vets rely on body condition scoring instead of a universal number. Body condition reads the cat itself: how much fat covers the ribs, whether a waist exists, what the belly line does. That's good news for owners, because the same checks work at home with your hands and eyes, no equipment needed.
The three checks
First, the rib test: run flat hands along your cat's sides. At a healthy weight you feel ribs easily under a thin, smooth fat cover - like the back of your hand.
Pressing hard to find ribs means excess cover; ribs sharp under the skin means too lean. Second, the waist check: viewed from above, a healthy cat narrows visibly behind the ribs.
A straight or outward-bulging line where the waist should be is a weight flag. Third, the profile: from the side, the belly should tuck gently upward behind the ribcage.
A hanging pouch alone can be the normal primordial pouch many cats have - but a rounded, taut abdomen paired with a failed rib or waist check completes the picture. Two or three failed checks: assume extra weight and confirm with your vet.
Why it matters
Feline excess weight is one of the most common issues vets see, and it isn't cosmetic. Carrying extra fat is associated with elevated risk of diabetes, arthritis and joint strain, urinary problems, and complications under anesthesia - and it quietly shrinks a cat's play, grooming and comfort long before any disease shows up. The encouraging flip side: weight is one of the few risk factors an owner directly controls, and cats respond well to a properly run plan.
If the answer is yes
Start with a vet visit to confirm the assessment, rule out medical contributors, and get a target weight with a daily calorie number - then run the plan gradually. Speed is the one thing you must not chase: cats that lose weight too fast, or stop eating, risk hepatic lipidosis, a serious liver condition, so the safe pace is slow and steady. Our full guide to helping a cat lose weight covers the mechanics - measured meals, closed food economy, play that burns calories - and our calorie guide explains how to set the daily number the plan runs on.