Kitten Weightcheck

Why is Monitoring Kitten Weight Ranges Important?

Kittens that grow too quickly or too slowly may suffer from health problems into adulthood. For example, overweight kittens are more likely to become overweight adults that are at a greater risk of for example diabetes, urinary tract issues and joint issues.
Your kitten’s weight can be influenced by a range of factors, such as genetics, their gender, and their age, and it can be tough to know whether your kitten is growing at a healthy rate! Kitten Weightcheck was developed as an easy way to get a snapshot of your kitten’s weight compared to other kittens their age. Weighing your kitten and mapping their growth can help you keep them on track into adulthood.

How Does Kitten WeightCheck Work?

Kitten WeightCheck is designed for use with male and female kittens of all breeds, aged between 8 to 55 weeks, with an expected adult weight of between 2-7kg (4.4-15.4lbs). By providing their sex, age, breed, expected adult size, and current weight, Kitten WeightCheck lets you know if their current weight is lighter, similar, or heavier compared to similar kittens their age.

How was Kitten Weightcheck Developed?

To determine what healthy growth looks like, a team of Waltham veterinarians and scientists monitored the development of thousands of healthy young kittens (Salt et al. 2022). From here, they created the WALTHAM™ Kitten Growth Charts, built with nine distinct curves to account for differences in adult body size and sex. A kitten’s weight is then mapped against percentile lines via repeated measures throughout kittenhood to explore their growth pattern.  The data that powers the Kitten Growth Charts was used to create Kitten WeightCheck to provide a snapshot of how your kitten's current weight at one point in time compares to similar kittens their age. 

References:

1. Salt et al (2022): Growth standard charts for monitoring bodyweight in intact domestic shorthair kittens from the USA. PLOS ONE 10(1371): 0277531
2. Kitten Growth Charts | WALTHAM Petcare Science Institute

Disclaimers:
Kitten WeightCheck does not diagnose your kitten with obesity or any weight conditions - only their veterinarian can do this and can treat disease. It’s important to understand that our assessment is an estimate that focuses solely on comparing your kitten’s current weight today to other healthy kittens of a similar size and same age. It is not a substitute for a full physical exam.