# Why is my cat heavy? (not fat) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 17, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522 "2007-04-17T20:41:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/1 "2007-04-17T20:41:54Z")
I have a kitten (Jork) who’s around a year old. I don’t know exactly how old because he was a stray, but I’d guess 11-12 months. To look at him, he’s perfectly normal-looking, not fat in the slightest. I’ve had fat cats in the past, so I know what they look like when they’re on the verge of getting too big. So, he looks normal, but when I go to pick him up, he’s HEAVY! He won’t stay on the scale so I don’t know exactly how much he weighs, but it feels like a ton. I can’t hold him with one hand, not because of his size, but because of his weight. I had another cat who was bigger in size than Jork is now, and he was light as a feather, like you could blow on him and he’d fall over. I could have held him with one finger, if it had been possible. He died last year at around age 19, light to the last, eating the exact same thing Jork eats. What makes a cat super-heavy when he’s normal-sized? Are his internal organs heavier than normal? He eats Science Diet regular dry food, btw. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/2 "2007-04-17T20:47:59Z")
Is he just muscley? Muscle weighs more than fat of the same volume, so a well-muscled cat (or person, for that matter) will be heavy for their size. I always have to remember that when picking up other people’s babies. Mine are/were both tiny, but solid muscle with barely a bit of baby fat on 'em, and I got used to that heft. I pick up a cute little butterball of the same size and nearly fling 'em across the room, they seem so light! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/3 "2007-04-17T20:50:50Z")
[QUOTE=Equipoise] He won’t stay on the scale so I don’t know exactly how much he weighs, but it feels like a ton. [/QUOTE] This is how I weigh my dogs: Hold critter, step on scale, note weight, step off scale, release critter, stand on scale, note weight, step off, subtract. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/4 "2007-04-17T20:55:03Z")
Are you sure he’s not a she? And whatever he or she was born as, is he or she still a he or she? Something often happens to female cats around that age which causes them to gain weight. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/5 "2007-04-17T20:59:27Z")
He’s prolly just big boned. I have a big AND fat cat. His head is the size of a large softball. The vet said, “He is what he is.” ---
**Author:** ![yBeayf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/e274bd/32.png) [@yBeayf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yBeayf)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/6 "2007-04-17T21:01:04Z")
Muscle and bone structure, I would assume. Different cats and cat breeds are different weights and sizes. Some cats ([like](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/ybeayf/darlachilling.jpg) [mine](http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a384/ybeayf/furrycat.jpg)) are built like bricks (they weigh 12 and 11 lbs, respectively, and are about a foot tall at the shoulders, and about 2.5 ft long), whereas others, while being the same height and length, have a much finer bone structure and are less muscular. I pick up one of my friend’s cats, which is a longhair almost the same volume as mine, and I’m afraid I’m going to crush her, she’s so slightly built – it’s like she’s nothing but fur, whereas my cats throw their hard plastic cat carriers around for fun, and one of their favorite games is “knock over the chairs”. ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/7 "2007-04-17T21:14:08Z")
A kitten OP without photos? How are we supposed to remote-assess your kitten’s size and weight without seeing photos? Lots of cute photos. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/8 "2007-04-17T21:18:54Z")
Thank you for the responses WhyNot, KneadToKnow, Chronos, and Kalhoun! KneadToKnow, I took your tip and weighed myself both holding Jork and not, and he weighs about 12 pounds, give or take a few ounces. That seems a lot for a year-old cat, but yeah, it must be bone structure. Kimsu, here you go! 😛 [This](http://wretchawry.com/gallery/cats/all/photos/P1010959.html) was Jork in August, right after we got him. [This](http://suspended-in-gaffa.com/vickie/Jork_10-01-06/photos/P1010017.html) was Jork in October. [This](http://wretchawry.com/gallery/cats/all/photos/EctoJork5.html) was Jork a few weeks ago. (He’s smaller, but heavier, than the white cat Ecto, who just died ☹ , in fact, Jork is the only one we have left now) ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/9 "2007-04-17T21:26:30Z")
Bwah-ha-ha! I love [this one!](http://suspended-in-gaffa.com/vickie/Jork_10-01-06/photos/P1010016.html)😃 Nope, he sure doesn’t look overfat to me. Is the vet happy with his physique? (The cat’s physique, not his own.) ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/10 "2007-04-17T21:40:59Z")
That’s my favorite one too! I need to incorporate those into the rest of the photos. The vet says he’s fine, I was just curious. None of my other cats, with the exception of Harvo after he gained weight and became an actual fat cat, were ever so heavy. Kimstu, sorry I got your name wrong. I noticed after the edit window had passed. Otto, the big fluffy white cat, is the one who was huge in size, but light as a feather. Btw, Otto, Harvo and Ecto were declawed when we got them. We chose not to declaw Ran Tan and Jork. We got Harvo as a kitten, and he died at about age 18. He had diabetes. Otto died of a stroke. We had him for about 18 years too. We had RanTan for about 7 years, and he had cancer. We got Ecto at the same time (they were abandoned in an apartment) and he had a heart attack about three weeks ago. I lost 4 cats in just under 2 years. Jork’s young, so I hope I don’t have to lose him for many, many, many years. I’d like to get a young companion for him, but he’s a biter (nipper, more precisely) and I don’t want to freak out a new cat. ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/11 "2007-04-17T21:54:08Z")
[😉](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=417104) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/12 "2007-04-17T23:46:39Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] Are you sure he’s not a she? And whatever he or she was born as, is he or she still a he or she? Something often happens to female cats around that age which causes them to gain weight. [/QUOTE] They absorb superheavy cold dark matter? Stranger ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2007, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/13 "2007-04-17T23:53:08Z")
> [@](#): > > They absorb superheavy cold dark matter? Strictly speaking, yes. But it’s baryonic. ---
**Author:** ![Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/13edae/32.png) [@Stranger\_On\_A\_Train](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stranger_On_A_Train)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/14 "2007-04-18T00:07:22Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] Strictly speaking, yes. But it’s baryonic. [/QUOTE] As well as being embryonic. Stranger ---
**Author:** ![docandjean](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7993a0/32.png) [@docandjean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/docandjean)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/15 "2007-04-18T00:10:48Z")
We have a postal scale that we use to weigh our two cats. My husband’s weighing method is to put the scale on the coffee table, then put a section of newspaper on the scale. Wait about two minutes, cats will appear to sit on the paper (one at a time). note weight. never fails. ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/16 "2007-04-18T00:22:09Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] Strictly speaking, yes. But it’s baryonic. [/QUOTE] You may have fed them too much food with a positive static electric charge. After all, they don’t call 'em cations for nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/c4cdca/32.png) [@Quiddity\_Glomfuster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quiddity_Glomfuster)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/17 "2007-04-18T01:13:03Z")
[QUOTE=Equipoise] That’s my favorite one too! I need to incorporate those into the rest of the photos. The vet says he’s fine, I was just curious. None of my other cats, with the exception of Harvo after he gained weight and became an actual fat cat, were ever so heavy. [/QUOTE] He looks perfect. He was a little thin in the earlier photos. Some cats are just solidly built. Most of mine have been. I’d like an ‘air cat’ (what I call those fluffy cats that look big but weigh next to nothing when you pick them up) someday but all cats are marvy. [QUOTE=Stranger On A Train] They absorb superheavy cold dark matter? [/QUOTE] Is that what’s been happening to me? And what happened to pretty much every one of my female kitties? How could I detect it? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Kimstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ecd19e/32.png) [@Kimstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimstu)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/18 "2007-04-18T01:58:14Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > This was Jork in August, right after we got him. > This was Jork in October. > This was Jork a few weeks ago. Oh cuuute! Good Lord, though, he’s as long as a jackrabbit (see first photo). Maybe that’s where he’s carrying all the weight. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/19 "2007-04-18T02:29:17Z")
[QUOTE=Chronos] Are you sure he’s not a she? And whatever he or she was born as, is he or she still a he or she? Something often happens to female cats around that age which causes them to gain weight. [/QUOTE] Stranger On A Train’s answer made me realize I didn’t answer this question. He’s definitely a he. I took him to the Anti-Cruelty Society to get him neutered a few months ago. [QUOTE=Quiddity Glomfuster] He looks perfect. He was a little thin in the earlier photos. [/QUOTE] He was feral (is that the right word?, a stray who lived in the woods, as opposed to Harvo and Otto who were city strays) when my brother-in-law found him and took him to the vet to get shots and a checkup. BIL already had a cat who was King Of The Manor and wouldn’t stand for having another cat in the house. We went down to KC and brought him back on the Amtrak (we got a sleeper room and snuck him in). [QUOTE=Quiddity Glomfuster] I’d like an ‘air cat’ (what I call those fluffy cats that look big but weigh next to nothing when you pick them up) someday but all cats are marvy. [/QUOTE] An air cat! I like that! Otto was definitely an air cat. [QUOTE=Kimstu] Oh cuuute! Good Lord, though, he’s as long as a jackrabbit (see first photo). [/QUOTE] I know! We were amazed when he stretched out like that. That was our first surprise…how could a kitty so little be soooooo long? And now, how can a kitty not a whole lot bigger be soooo heavy? But I get it now, as QG said, some cats are just solidly built. ---
**Author:** ![Sublight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@Sublight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sublight)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2007, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522/20 "2007-04-18T02:29:37Z")
Could just be muscle, as others have said. He looks quite like my parents’ siamese, who’s very slender but weighs a ton. When he was younger, the vet looked at him and said “that is the most muscular cat I’ve ever seen,” and added that it was almost a shame we’d had him (the cat, not the vet) neutered. This could bode well for Jork. Chatchat is fifteen now and is still very healthy and active. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-my-cat-heavy-not-fat/400522.md?page=2)