Become familiar with the actual amount of food commonly eaten by your cat in a 24-hour period, It is helpful if the daily amount of food is weighed regularly, so you can determine what your cat is actually eating. Discuss this with your veterinarian during your annual exam to ensure your cat’s nutritional requirements are being met.
Also watch for significant changes in drinking behaviour. Remember, cats can drink water from different places throughout the home (such as their water bowl, a glass on the nightstand, or directly from the tap).
Regular assessments by your veterinarian can help monitor weight changes. Your vet may evaluate both body condition score (BCS) evaluations and muscle condition score (MCS). A BCS is the pet version of a human Body Mass Index (BMI). It’s a measurement to help identify ideal body weight. In some veterinary practices, BCS is combined with an MCS for more accurate measurements.
Muscle loss is often only found after the veterinarian physically examines the cat. For example, obese cats may have significant muscle loss that is overlooked due to the presence of adipose tissue, or fat. Cats can have significant muscle loss even if they are overweight. Healthy cats consuming fewer calories are able to burn fat. On the other hand, sick cats are more likely to use muscle and lean body mass as the primary source of fuel.
It is important that you try to keep cats at their ideal weight. Over time, chronically underweight cats can have a reduced lifespan. Being underweight puts cats at risk of damage to their internal organs and increased susceptibility to infections.
Your veterinarian will help you determine the ideal weight for your cat and develop a plan to help you keep him there.
At-home monitoring can help determine when to take your cat to the vet, but your veterinarian is the best judge of proper body and muscle condition. In between veterinary visits, you can learn how to perform a BCS at home and check your cat about once a month to determine if there are changes.
When an adult cat has not eaten in more than 24 hours — or just 12 hours for kittens younger than 6 weeks old — it is a cause for concern. (Make an appointment with your veterinarian) immediately if this occurs.
If you recognise that your cat has lost weight without any specific reason it is also advised to take your cat to the vets. You may not have realised, but your cat maybe eating less than before. You can download and fill in this behaviour log to help monitor your cat’s eating patterns and behaviour. Be aware that also a small weight loss can be of significance and a sign of a chronic condition.
If you suspect you have a picky cat you can also download and fill in this behaviour log to help monitor your cat’s eating patterns and behaviour. You can use the log to provide your veterinarian with valuable information if you need to make an appointment.
If you suspect your cat has lost body or muscle condition, visit your veterinarian. (Download and complete this document) to provide important information to your veterinarian about your cat’s eating patterns and behaviour.
