The Average Weight of Female Calicos Cats

The calico cat has a tri-color pattern of white, orange, and black on its coat. This type of coat coloring does not indicate a specific breed of cat, just a color pattern, available in different breeds. Because of the variation in size between breeds, the average weight of a female calico cat can also vary, but will usually range between 7 and 9 pounds, according to veterinarian Sue A. Whitman.

  1. Identification

    • A calico cat's coat contains a majority of white fur with patches of black and orange tabby, also called red tabby, fur mixed in. The orange patches have typical tabby lines or dots. Calico cats come in short, medium and long-haired breeds, which vary in size. The Cat Fanciers' Association currently recognizes 16 breeds of cat that can result in the calico color pattern. A cat with a majority of white fur, along with blue and cream patches on her coat is called a dilute calico and comes in various breeds of cat, similar to the traditional calico. Because of the genetics of the coloring, most calico cats of any breed are born female.

    Breeds

    • A female calico's cat's average weight varies by the breed of the cat. The average weight of a female Maine coon calico cat, one of the largest cat breeds, varies between 9 and 12 pounds, while the diminutive, short-legged munchkin cat weighs between 4 and 8 pounds, according to the Iams website. The Scottish fold, with its unique, folded-down ears, weighs between 6 and 9 pounds. The manx, a tailless breed of cat weighs between 7 and 11 pounds, as does the long-haired Persian. The British shorthair female calico weighs between 9 and 15 pounds, while the American shorthair weighs between 8 and 12 pounds.

    Age

    • The age of a female calico also determines its average weight. An adult cat weighs between 7 and 9 pounds, but a younger cat will weigh significantly less. At birth, a kitten weighs 3 ounces, and gains one-half an ounce each day and reaches 2 pounds at 10 weeks of age, according to PetPlace.com. A kitten will grow to her full, adult size between 8 and 12 months old. During this period of growth, the kitten will average between 3 and 7 pounds, and requires a greater amount of food each day than she will when she reaches adulthood.

    Weight Issues

    • Though the average weight of a calico cat varies, some of these cats may have weight issues, which affect their size. To determine if a calico cat is overweight, feel her body and ribs. You cannot feel an obese cat's ribs because of the high amount of fat on her body, while a malnourished cat's ribs have little to no fat on them. An obese cat has a round shape, with no defined waist below the ribs, while a normal one has a slight tuck indicating a waistline. Though the average, normal-sized calico cat weighs between 7 and 9 pounds, an obese one can weigh significantly more and requires feeding with a commercial weight reduction diet.