How can I tell if my cat is overweight?

Feel for ribs. If you can't feel them without pressing through a layer of fat, your cat is at least BCS 6 (overweight). The 9-point Body Condition Score scale is the veterinary standard.

How much should I feed my overweight cat?

Calculate based on ideal weight, not current weight. RER = 70 × (ideal kg)^0.75. Feed at 1.0× RER for weight loss. Most overweight 10-12 lb cats need ~200-240 calories per day during weight loss.

Can I give my cat Ozempic?

No. Ozempic is not approved for cats. Dosing has never been established. Cats are at risk of hepatic lipidosis with rapid appetite suppression.

Overweight Cat: Vet-Backed Weight Loss Method 2026

Your cat is in the majority — 61% of US cats are overweight. Here's the honest, vet-backed method. Cat GLP-1 drugs are coming, but you don't have to wait.

If your cat is overweight, you're in the majority. APOP's most recent vet clinical survey put US cat overweight/obesity prevalence at 61%. The vet-backed method below works for the great majority of overweight cats — without medication, without crash dieting, and without the food-aggression that aggressive intake reduction causes.

Don't crash diet a catCats who lose weight too fast — more than 2% of body weight per week — can develop hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease), which is often fatal. The slower path is the safer path.

Step 1: Confirm Body Condition Score

The 9-point Body Condition Score (BCS) is the veterinary standard. BCS 4-5 is ideal. BCS 6-7 is overweight. BCS 8-9 is obese. The reliable home test: feel for your cat's ribs. You should be able to feel ribs without pressing through a layer of fat.

Step 2: Switch to Weight Management Food

Food	Calories per cup	Notes
Hill's Metabolic Feline	~290 cal/cup	Most-prescribed by US vets
Royal Canin Satiety Support Feline	~270 cal/cup	High fiber for satiety
Purina OM Overweight Management	~310 cal/cup	Common alternative
Hill's r/d (Reducing Diet)	~280 cal/cup	Older formulation, still effective

Step 3: Move From Free-Feeding to Portion-Controlled Meals

Most overweight cats are on free-feeding. Switching to portion-controlled meals is the single highest-impact intervention. The pattern that works: 4-5 small meals throughout the day via a timed automatic feeder.

Step 4: Calculate Calories for Ideal Weight

Resting Energy Requirement formula: RER = 70 × (ideal weight in kg)^0.75. For weight loss, vets typically feed at 1.0× RER until target weight is reached.

Step 5: Add 10-15 Minutes of Play Twice Daily

Wand toys, laser pointers, food puzzles, food-dispensing toys. The goal is to break the sedentary cycle.

Step 6: Re-Weigh Monthly

Healthy cat weight loss is 0.5-2% of body weight per week — slower than dogs. Most cats reach ideal weight in 6-12 months from BCS 7. Faster than 2%/week risks hepatic lipidosis.

What About GLP-1 Drugs?

Two cat-specific GLP-1 drugs are in clinical trials right now. Okava's OKV-119 is an exenatide-releasing implant. Akston's AKS-562c is a once-weekly injection at Cornell. Both report 2026 results. Realistic commercial launch: 2027-2028. Full analysis.

Get notified when cat GLP-1 launches →

Overweight Cat — What to Do