Ideal Cat Size, Weight & Body Shape

Hi Simba,
My sister just got two, 7-week-old kittens.What is their ideal weight? She wants to be sure they are growing OK...Also, what is the average size and weight of a small-size adult house cat? Thanks, B

Dear B,
At 7 weeks, the kittens should weigh anywhere from 1.2 to 2.3 pounds...now when they reach adulthood their ideal size & weight will vary depending on their gender and breed.

• An adult domestic cat's average height in the range of 8 to 10 inches or 20 to 25 cm.
• Female domestic short hair cats weigh between 6 to 10 pounds or 2.7 to 4.5 KG.
• Average male domestic short hair cats can weigh anywhere from 10 to 12 pounds or 4.5 to 5.5 KG.
• Generally male cats will weigh 2 to 4 pounds more than a female cat.

Here's a useful table for weight by age:

Even more so than gender, Breed is the most important factor in assessing your cat's ideal weight.

• In a larger breed (ex, Maine Coon), a large fully-grown healthy male cat can weigh as much as 18 pounds or 8 kilos
• In a small breed like Russian Blue, Cornish Rex, Modern Siamese, Devon Rex or a Singapura it takes much less to be overweight. In the case of the Sinapura (from Singapore) the cat is fat at 7 pounds (3 KG)!

The best gauge of your cat's weight status is to examine their body composition relative to the following body shape guide. Simba

Dear Simba,
My sister and I recently got two, 6-week-old kittens. They seemed to like us and their new home, but my kitten got fatter while my sister's seemed skinny. Also, My sister's kitten started licking my kitten's paw making a slurping sound. What does it mean? And how much should 10 to 12-week-old kittens weigh and/or on what should we weigh them on. Thanks, Carla

Dear Carla,
Do not worry about the slurping, the kitten is exhibiting a behavior from her nursing days and it is all harmless (read more in Newborn Kitten Care).

The weight difference is a trickier situation. There are a couple of potential causes. It is possible that the your sister's kitten just has a larger frame than the other. Another cause could be that one kitten may be eating more and/or exercising less than the other. If they are fed together, observe what quantities each of them eat. Also, be sure that both you and your sister are carefully following your kitten food's directions.

Another cause may be general health. If you have not done so already, take the kittens to the vet for their shots (they are at the right age). Have your vet test each kitten for the normal ailments since it is always possible that the little kitten may have an illness. As for their ideal weight, it will vary by breed. Your vet should be able to tell you how the little guys are doing relative to where they should be. In any event, please use the Kitten Weight by Age Table to see how your kittens stack up. Simba