Is my pet overweight?

There is no single right weight for a dog or a cat, because frames differ so much. Vets use body condition instead: how easily the ribs can be felt, whether there is a waist from above, and whether the belly tucks up from the side. Those three checks work on any breed.

Long or thick coats hide a great deal, so feel as well as look. In cats, a pouch of loose skin that swings under the belly is normal and is not the same as a belly that hangs with fat.

In older pets, watch muscle as well as fat. A pet can carry extra fat and still be losing muscle over the spine and hips, which is a reason for a vet visit in its own right. And any weight loss you did not plan, in a dog or a cat of any size, should be checked.