Persian cats really are sweet as can be. These adorable, flat-faced little kitties have a way ‘melting the ice’ and making their home in your heart with quickness! The problem, of course, is that it’s easy to worry about these little guys and gals once you’ve become well and truly attached.

Today we’re going to help with one aspect of this – your Persian cat weight – and we’ll provide you (a cat owner) with some guidelines of what to expect, including some diet tips for your glamour cat, and other useful information that can give you an edge in ensuring that your Persian cat has a chance at a long and happy life.

Let’s talk about your Persian’s expected weight by age and what you need to know!

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Persian Cat Weight By Age

While we can give you general information about what to expect, we should be clear that this is by no means definitive – these data points are weight approximations based on the average weights of Persian cats as they grow, but there are a lot of variables to consider and we’ll go into those later.

Persian cats tend to start off very small, and kittens are typically a bit lighter than your average housecat, though you’ll find that they quickly grow out of this, and this information should be useful to help you approximate where your cat should be along the way.

Just be sure to get the final word from your vet before starting any diets. Some Persian cats are unusually tall, while others may be delicately petite, and this can be completely normal.

Just like with humans, there are DNA factors, health problems, eating habits, and exercise levels to consider, so no 2 cats are exactly the same.

Provided that you keep this in mind, the basics that we provide you today should be helpful for keeping your Persian cat on-track, tweaking their diets and avoiding unnecessary weight gain.

Now, let’s take a look at what you should be able to expect in the upcoming months up to 3 years when it comes to your Persian cat growth!

Persian Cat Weight Distribution Chart

Persian cats are quite light in comparison to your standard housecat’s kitten weight (and other cat breeds) but don’t let that fool you. These graceful kitties develop a strong, lean musculature and their weight gain is quick, with males reaching a typical height range of 10 – 15 inches/ 25.4-38.1cm, while females average 8-13 inches/20.32-33.02 cm.

Keep in mind that for height, it may be up to 2 years before your Persian cat stops growing, so while their 1st birthday might be the most that they grow, year 2 might well surprise you.

Growth approximation for cat owners:

Persian cat Growth rate – 3 months to 3 years	Male Persian Cat	Female Persian Cat
3 months	3 pounds/ kilos	2.5-3 pounds/ kilos
6 months	4-5 pounds/ kilos	3.5-5 pounds/ kilos
9 months	6-7 pounds/ kilos	5-6 pounds/ kilos
1 year	8-13 pounds/ kilos	6-7 pounds/ kilos
3 years	9-13 pounds/ kilos	7-10 pounds/ kilos

Persian cats age can be hard to gaze at a glance because they tend to look a little bigger than they really are. The truth certainly comes out when you give your Persian cat a bath, however, and you see what they look like when those thick coats get wet.

Hey cat owner – Don’t get us wrong – Persian cats are still medium and sometimes even large cats, but as with all felines there is a little more to this breed than initially meets the eye!

Variables that can affect Persian cats weight

While there are some obvious factors that will affect your Persian’s overall weight gain, such as DNA, eating habits, and high or low levels of exercise, there are also some health considerations that you will want to keep in mind.

While Persian cats typically have a lifespan of around 15 years, there are some conditions which they are prone to that can affect their weight. We’ll go into two of those in this section, with the first one being their dental problems.

Persian cats are a brachycephalic breed

Persian cats are a brachycephalic breed, which is simply fancy-talk for saying that they are bred to have flat faces. Brachycephalic cat breeds are prone a little more to issues such as misaligned teeth and gingivitis, as well.

Regular vet checkups and brushing your cat’s teeth can help with this, as it’s hard for them to eat when these conditions begin.

Secondly, these cats shed a lot, and this can sometimes lead to furballs when they are grooming if they are not regularly brushed.

Brushing your Persian cat daily can help to reduce the shedding on your furniture, but more importantly you’ll have to worry less about lost nutrition due to regurgitation of fur from grooming after a meal.

Counting your cat’s calories for proper nutrition

Understanding your Persian cat daily nutritional needs will help you quite a bit, not only in making sure that they get their proper nutrition, but also that you don’t go overboard on treats.

Let’s face it, when your Persian cat gives you THAT look, it’s hard to say no, but that could be a recipe for feline obesity down the line.

As a baseline, your Persian cat needs 40 to 50 calories per every 2 pounds/.9 kilos of weight. We recommend that you lean towards the higher 50 ratio when they are kittens and that instead of feeding them twice a day like you would with an adult, it’s better to separate meals into 3 – 4 feedings.

Now, with our basic recommendation, an adult or young adult of 10 pounds/4.53 kilos needs 200 – 250 calories per day to maintain their current body weight. The 250-calorie diet is better suited for highly active Persian cats, especially if they have ‘outside privileges’ and thus are getting much more exercise daily.

You can also make things easier by assuming the 250-calorie diet, but using 50 of those calories for daily treats. Just keep in mind that calculating their calories is a MUST.

A lot of things have more calories than you might think, for instance, a single McDonald’s chicken nugget is 47 calories. Careful planning is a good idea!

Care considerations for the Persian breed

Since this breed tends to take good care of themselves physically, it can sometimes be hard to quickly spot when parasites, such as worms, have become a factor.

This is why it is vital to get Persian cats wormed regularly, even if they aren’t an ‘outside kitty’.

As kittens, starting at 3 weeks of age, you want to get them wormed every 2 weeks until they are 9 weeks of age, and after that it should be monthly until they reach 6 months of age.

After that, the ‘wormwatch’ becomes a piece of cake, requiring a visit for deworming at the vets only 4 times a year.

Vet Visits

Regular vet visits are a good idea with brachycephalic breeds such as Persian cats, and this breed in particular is prone to a number of health conditions that help to underline the importance of these regular checkups.

They can get polycystic kidney disease, for instance, and bladder stones are not uncommon either.

Liver shunts and bladder conditions may also occur and it’s a good idea to clean Persian cats eyes twice a day with a clean, damp cloth, as they can develop infections and other issues with their eyes quite easily.

Thankfully, with regular vet visits you can catch any conditions quite early, so just be sure not to skip those checkups!

Bonus tips about your Persian cats diet

If you have a large-framed Persian cat, a little extra care is a good idea to help avoid them becoming overweight and the score of health issues that can come with this.

The best way to approach this takes a little time but is definitely worth it, and it starts with getting yourself a cheap 1$ notepad at the grocery store.

Make a list of 5 – 10 of your Persian’s favorite snacks, with the name of the snack on the left and the calories on the right.

Assuming that you are going with the ‘250 calories a day/50 of those are snacks’ model then this will give you a way to get a pretty good approximation of your cat’s serving sizes.

This is really the best approach because it’s hard to tell them ‘no’ and if you take the time to make this little ‘snack nutrition journal’ then your cat can have what they like – within reason.

Foods to avoid

You’ll still want to avoid fried foods, with boiling and baking being preferred cooking options, although one fried portion of a favorite kitten food once a week will be fine. It’s all about moderation, the same as with our own diets.

It’s simple, effective, and your cat still gets their favorite treats, but it keeps an eye towards future health.

In closing

In today’s article, we’ve taken a look at what a cat owner can expect with a male or female Persian in regards to expected growth, potential health pitfalls, and other issues that can affect your kitty’s weight.

While it seems like a lot to learn at first, once you’ve taken these tips to heart then managing your Persian’s health is something you’ll pretty much do automatically.

Just be sure to groom them daily to avoid furballs and clean their eyes twice a day to avoid potential infections.

Stick to a regular worming schedule and a ‘snack journal’ can quickly teach you the portions that you can give your cat without regretting it later down the line.

Add in regular vet visits and with a little luck, you and your Persian will be sharing adventures well into the foreseeable future! Cat owners – In case of any problems with cat personality, you can also use a cat behavior specialist like Marilyn Krieger. Good luck!