Pet Weight Calculator — Ideal Weight & Body Condition Score

Run your hands along your pet's ribcage. At BCS 5 (ideal), you should feel ribs easily without pressing hard, but they should not be visible. Look from above — there should be a visible waist. From the side, the abdomen should tuck up behind the ribcage. If you cannot feel ribs without significant pressure, your pet may be overweight.

Scale weight alone isn't the best indicator — breed, frame size, and muscle mass all matter. A working Labrador at 90 lbs may be perfectly fit while a small-framed one at 80 lbs is overweight. BCS is a more reliable assessment tool because it evaluates actual body composition, not just a number on a scale.

Schedule a veterinary appointment if your pet scores 7 or above on the 9-point BCS scale, if they have lost weight rapidly without dietary changes, if weight loss efforts aren't working (could indicate thyroid or Cushing's disease), or if your cat is losing weight (hyperthyroidism is common in senior cats).

The safe rate is 1–2% of body weight per week for dogs, and no more than 0.5–1% per week for cats. Faster weight loss in cats can trigger hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease), a potentially fatal condition. A 5 lb overweight dog should take 5–10 weeks to reach goal weight with dietary restriction and increased activity.