How much should your pet weigh?

Wondering ‘How much should my dog weigh?’ Or perhaps you’re thinking, ‘Is my cat overweight?’ Whatever pet you have, when was the last time you actually weighed them properly? Just like us, our pets benefit from being in a healthy weight range. However, because we love our furry friends so much, it can be tempting to give them lots of little extras to eat. 

Here at Burgess Pet Care, we offer high-quality dog food, cat food, and small pet food, where all of our recipes are formulated by vets and nutritionists. In this guide, we’ll give you top tips for maintaining a healthy weight in your pets, as well as some diet and exercise tips!

Get ready to understand the ideal pet weight by exploring our advice below… 

Is my pet overweight? 

According to research carried out by the veterinary charity PDSA, professionals estimate that 46% of dogs and 43% of cats are overweight or obese, and 82% of owners don’t know their pet’s body conditioning score. This is an industry-wide veterinary scale, running from numbers 1 to 9, which indicates if a pet animal is underweight, at the ideal weight, or overweight. 

As a guide: 

• You should be able to see and feel your pet’s ribs, spine, and hip bones
• Your pet’s waist should be clearly visible when viewed from above 
• Your pet’s belly shouldn’t be sagging underneath - there should only be a small amount of belly fat 

How to weigh your pet properly 

While we humans can simply hop on the scales to reveal the numbers, our pets have to rely on us to keep them in shape. In fact, regular weigh-ins are a very important part of pet care. As part of regular health check-ups, checking your dog’s weight should be included.

You’re probably already aware that being overweight can be dangerous for your pet, leading to arthritis, skin conditions, and breathing problems. But how can you weigh your pet at home? 

> For small animals like rabbits, guinea pigs, or gerbils, you can use kitchen scales! Simply place your pet as they are onto the scales, or place them inside a box and weigh the container, then subtract the container’s weight. 

> For medium-sized dogs or cats, a standard scale that you might keep in your bathroom will do. For the easiest method, step onto the scale and record your weight, then pick up your pet and step on again. The difference will be how much your pet weighs. 

What causes weight gain in pets? 

Now that you’ve identified what a healthy weight or body should look like for your cat, dog, hamster, gerbil, (& more!), it's important to understand what factors can affect it. Sometimes it might just be in their genes. Some labradors that appear overweight, for example, have a genetic mutation that predisposes them to increased ‘foodie’ behaviour and weight gain. And, neutered pets can have reduced daily calorie needs, so if their diet isn’t altered accordingly, they can inadvertently gain weight. 

>>> Discover our neutered cat food that includes all the essential nutrients and vitamins that your neutered cat needs to stay happy and content! <<< 

Our own Burgess in-house vet, Dr Suzanne Moyes MVB MRCVS, advises: “Obesity can lead to a variety of different health and wellbeing issues, including osteoarthritis, diabetes, cardiac disease and cancer, as well as the inability to exhibit natural behaviours. By consulting your vet, following our top tips and working together with your pets, losing that excess fat could be easier than you think – and your pets will be so much happier and healthier for it.”

Helping your pets reach their ideal weight is really important for their health and well-being. As well as being more at risk of developing serious illnesses and diseases, being overweight can also affect everyday activities, from being able to enjoy walkies and playtime to how well they can groom themselves. 

Our top tips for the ideal pet weight 

• Regularly monitor your dog’s weight by keeping an eye on how much food they are eating, especially when it comes to giving them treats. If your vet suggests putting your dog on a diet, consider our Supadog Light in Fat Dog Food! 

•  Keep your cat at a healthy weight by putting their feeding bowl in different places and making them ‘hunt’ for their food. You can also try puzzle feeding with bowls that have holes in them, which dispense kibble one by one as your cat plays with it. 

• Weigh out your pet's food accurately using a scale. Whether that’s chinchilla food or food for rats, scoops can be highly inaccurate and make overfeeding much more likely. 

• Slow down speedy eaters by investing in slow feeding bowls that feature raised patterns, requiring your pet to spend more time and effort to get to their food. 

• When it comes to rabbits, make sure you’re feeding them a healthy diet of rabbit hay and greens. You can even try hiding your rabbit's food in scrunched-up paper so they use their natural foraging instincts for extra exercise. 

• All sorts of human food can be extremely harmful to pets. Ensure you’re only feeding your dog, cat, and pet exactly what is needed as part of their diet, and don’t be tempted to feed them any scraps or leftovers. 

Easy swaps to help your pets slim down from Burgess Pet Care… 

What’s more, thanks to innovations in pet food, our companion animals who need to slim down can now benefit from lower-calorie foods that still contain all the protein, vitamins, and minerals they need. 

Here at Burgess Pet Care, we use our expertise and experience to produce high-quality, award-winning pet foods, including these nutritious and delicious ‘light’ varieties: 

• Supadog Light in Fat with Tasty Chicken is specially created for overweight adult dogs. It contains L-Carnitine to help reduce and then maintain your pet’s weight at the correct level. >> Find out more about switching your dog’s food safely <<  

• Burgess Neutered Cat with Chicken is an advanced, high-protein, complete food with added L-Carnitine to help maintain a healthy weight. Just 48 hours after neutering, cats need an estimated 20% fewer calories, and neutered cats are more prone to weight gain. >> Find out more with our cat & kitten feeding guide << 

• Excel Adult Light Rabbit Nuggets with Mint is a complementary calorie-controlled food, naturally high in Beneficial Fibre, that will help to reduce and maintain your rabbit’s weight. >> Find out more about rabbit nutritional advice << 

Shop high-quality pet food right here at Burgess Pet Care! 

Hopefully, you now know a bit more about how much your dog should weigh, as well as cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, & more! Here at Burgess Pet Care, we’re one of the UK’s leading pet food manufacturers for the country’s most popular pets! You can find specialist dog & cat food, as well as high-quality food for small animals, that can help to maintain a healthy diet. 

We’re dedicated to creating high-quality recipes that are vetted and nutritionist-approved, including ingredients that are grown by British farmers. They’re just one of our core traditions that make up our expert team! 

For more information or helpful feeding advice, you can give us a call on 0800 413 969. Or, use our online contact form instead.