# What's the healthy weight range for a 6-month-old?



## SnowyOwl (Jul 21, 2015)

I was looking at the record for Belle's surgery (spay) and her weight is 4.05 lbs. She's an American Shorthair so I realize she'll be smaller than my last cat (Maine **** mix) but she's bigger than the last time she was at the vet and her weight hasn't changed, actually she dropped almost half a pound as she was 4.5 lbs back at the end of September.
She eats regularly, I'm just wondering why she's still so slim. I don't want her getting fat but I don't want her to be underweight. I've tried giving her larger portions from the canned food but she still eats about the same and then walks away.
Her follow-up after the surgery is Dec 1st so I'll speak with the vet at that time but until then I am wondering the healthy range for the cat's weight.


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## LakotaWolf (Aug 10, 2012)

It depends. I have a DSH as well and her fighting weight, as an adult, is 8.5 lbs, and my vet says she could stand to be 9 lbs, but my cat has a "cobby" body type.

From a bit of internet reading, 4-6 lbs seems to be an okay weight for a 6-month-old DSH. However, from what I gather, it's less about an "exact" number/magic weight as it is about how the weight looks on your cat (if that makes sense). Does your girl look thin? Fat? Just right? Can you feel (or see) her ribs or spine when you pet her? Does she feel too "bony"?

If she looks okay to you, 4 lbs is probably a fine weight. Definitely ask your vet, but it seems like it shouldn't be anything to worry about as long as she doesn't "look" or feel too skinny :}


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## Augustine (Nov 27, 2014)

My childhood pet, Lucky, was a runt and grew up to be a tiny little thing. She was always thin (though not to the point of being unhealthy) and small, but still a happy, robust girl. She was maybe, 6 pounds or so?

One of my current kitties is the same way; maybe 6 1/2 pounds, small but fluffy. 

Personally, as long as she's got a clean bill of health and eats well, I wouldn't sweat it.


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## eldercat (Jul 3, 2015)

How wonderful to be happy to walk away from extra food! Don't many of us wish *we* could easily do that? 

I am feeding a feral and he's accustomed to it now, no longer starving. Daughter says he is thin, I should feed him more. When I gave him more he didn't finish, so I tossed it - tried for a number of days. That seemed silly, so I'm back to feeding him what I used to feed. He licks his dish clean most feedings. For me, that's how it should be.


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## evince (Mar 9, 2015)

My American Shorthair, Aggie, just turned 1 and she is about 3.2 kg so about 7lbs. I also had the same concerns, whether she's too heavy or too light, but lovely people on here advised me to look at their body condition rather than the weight. I believe there are quite a lot of those body conditioning charts online  

Aggie is starting have a belly so she's getting more controlled feedings these days


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## Marcia (Dec 26, 2010)

Don't go by #, go by body shape. If she is pudgy it will show as undo padding on her ribs. Some cats are naturally prone to a pudgier body and some and long and sleek.


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## SnowyOwl (Jul 21, 2015)

Well, she's definitely starting to feel bony. I can try to feed her more often this weekend as I have no classes tomorrow or Friday but it's difficult with the eCollar. Once I get it off sometimes she just wants to play with it. The collar will have to stay on at least until December 8, when her stiches will be removed. I will be bringing her to the vet on December 1 for a checkup when I hope to get some suggestions from the vet.


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## wilberry228 (Nov 29, 2015)

My son's new kitten weighed just around 5'5-6 pounds at the vet and they said she was six months old. But I also have a full grown cat who only weighs 8 pounds. Maybe you just have a petite kitty?


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## SnowyOwl (Jul 21, 2015)

Well, I think the weight printed on the receipt is from the last exam, as they said last week she weighed 8.3 lbs and today she had lost a pound but the receipt showed 8.3 lbs. I'll have to ask next time, I was just in a rush to get out of there as my aunt gave me a ride and was sitting with Belle in the carrier who was not happy. Hopefully she starts to fill out some more, she's feeling bony.


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## SnowyOwl (Jul 21, 2015)

*Should I consider changing her food?*

Since bringing Belle back after having her stitches removed she has been meowing and only reluctantly eating her dry food. I give her wet food but she doesn't eat all of it and I cannot leave it out all day when I'm at school so whatever is left over before I leave I have to clean off or it gets nasty.
I feed her Nutro Naturals kitten food for both wet and dry, and the reason I feed her the dry is because sometimes I'm gone for over six hours. I also am not sure if it is based off of her wanting a different food or if she just wants more of the treats I give her.
I have those freeze-dried chunks of turkey and aside from those and another catnip flavored treat which is the greenies brand, she hasn't had anything else.
I do realize the Nutro kitten food only comes in only flavor, so I wonder if she needs more variety and what should I try. I know she didn't go for the Science Diet at all as I tried out the Nutro, Royal Canin and Science Diet. I went with Nutro as it cost less than the Royal Canin but I could do a mixture of the two.


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