Why Should I Weigh My Cat?
Weighing your cat on a regular basis is one of the easiest ways to monitor their health. Gradual weight loss or gain is often not noticeable to the naked eye, so tracking your cat’s weight with a scale allows you to catch concerning trends early before they become serious health issues. According to Animal Wellness Magazine, monitoring your cat’s weight can help identify conditions like diabetes, hyperthyroidism, and kidney disease.
Weighing your cat is also important for accurately calculating medication dosages. Many medications are prescribed based on the animal’s body weight. An inaccurate weight could lead to your cat receiving too much or too little medication. Regular weigh-ins ensure proper dosing.
In addition, weighing your cat helps determine their ideal diet and feeding amounts. Like humans, cat weights fluctuate over time. As your cat ages or their activity level changes, you may need to adjust food quantities to maintain a healthy weight. Monitoring weight provides insight into whether diet adjustments are needed.
Obtaining an Accurate Weight
Getting an accurate measurement of your cat’s weight is important for monitoring their health. However, you can’t simply use any old scale – you’ll need to use a scale designed specifically for weighing pets in order to get a precise reading.
Cat scales are more sensitive and calibrated differently than human bathroom scales. According to ecats.vet, trying to weigh your cat on a human scale may result in an incorrect weight. Cat scales also often have helpful features like a bowl or platform to contain the cat and non-slip surfaces.
When using a cat scale, it’s also important to weigh your cat at the same time each day, before feeding if possible. Cats can fluctuate in weight throughout the day, so picking a consistent time, such as first thing in the morning, will give you the most accurate tracking over time. Weighing before meals ensures that the weight is not impacted by food or water intake.
Types of Cat Scales
There are a few common types of scales that can be used to weigh cats at home:
Mechanical Scale
Mechanical scales use springs and dials to display weight. They don’t require batteries or electricity. Mechanical scales like bathroom scales can work for weighing cats, but their accuracy depends on careful use and calibration (Any recommendations for cat scale? : r/CatAdvice).
Digital Scale
Digital scales convert force into an electric signal, using a strain gauge inside the platform. They display weight digits on an LCD or LED display. Digital scales designed for pets like the My Weigh PET100 offer better precision for weighing cats than bathroom scales.
Baby Scale
Baby scales are small digital scales with a tray or platform designed to safely weigh infants. Many cat owners find baby scales like the Mambaby digital baby scale work well for getting accurate cat weights at home (Best Pet Scale For Cats: Large & Small Breed Cats).
Choosing a Cat Scale
When selecting a scale to weigh your cat, you’ll want to consider accuracy, durability, ease of use, and any special features that may help.
For accuracy, look for a scale that measures in smaller increments such as .1 lb or .2 lb rather than .5 lb increments. Scales that are more precise allow you to track smaller changes in your cat’s weight over time. Mechanical scales may be less accurate than digital scales according to some experts (CAT Scale).
Durability is also important – scales made of heavy duty materials with covered buttons can withstand regular use and accidental scratching or batting from cats. Look for scales that lie flat and have a wide platform for stability.
Consider ease of use factors like easy-to-read displays, low profile platforms, and scales that give verbal prompts or cues during weighing. Some scales have memory features that let you store previous weighings for convenient tracking.
Scales designed specifically for pets often have handy extras like bowls to hold treats and keep pets centered on the platform. Some also have safety features like auto-off to preserve battery life.
Using a Mechanical Scale
Mechanical cat scales are a simple option for weighing your cat. Here’s how to properly use a mechanical pet scale:
First, place the scale on a flat, hard surface like a table or floor. Make sure the dial is set to zero before placing your cat on the platform. Gently position your cat in the center of the platform. Avoid having any paws hanging over the edges. Some cats may resist being placed on the scale. For difficult cats, place them in a carrier and then set the carrier on the scale platform.
Once the cat is situated, read the weight value indicated by the needle on the dial. Mechanical scales may have a small margin of error, around 0.1 to 0.5 pounds. For best accuracy, take 2-3 measurements and calculate the average. Make sure to return the needle to zero before each attempt. Record the weight for your reference.
Be patient and reward your cat during the process. Weighing can be stressful for some cats. Work slowly and provide treats to help create a positive association.
For more tips, watch this instructional video on weighing a cat with a mechanical scale: How To Weigh on a CAT Scale
Using a Digital Scale
Digital scales are a convenient option for weighing your cat at home. They provide a digital readout of your cat’s weight and many models have a handy tare feature to exclude the weight of a carrier or bowl from the measurement.
To use a digital pet scale:
- Set up the scale on a hard, flat surface per the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Make sure the scale is powered on and displaying 0.0 before weighing. If not, press the “zero” or “tare” button to reset it.
- Place your cat in a carrier or bowl and set them gently on the scale platform. For an accurate reading, ensure your cat is centered on the platform.
- Wait for the digital readout to stabilize, then record your cat’s weight measurement.
- Press “tare” again before weighing a second cat to clear the previous reading.
With a digital scale, the weighing process is quick and easy. Just be sure to place your cat on the platform slowly and steadily to get an accurate weight.
Tips for Weighing
Here are some helpful tips for successfully weighing your cat at home:
Reward your cat with treats after the weighing session. Giving treats will help make the experience positive and reduce stress. Offer favorites like tuna, cooked chicken, or commercial cat treats during or right after weighing.
Handle your cat gently and carefully when moving them onto the scale. Avoid squeezing or forcing them onto the scale, as this can frighten them. Place them down softly and allow them to step onto the scale on their own.
Be patient throughout the process. If your cat is struggling or resisting, give them a break before trying again. Don’t chase or force the issue. With time and positive reinforcement, your cat can get more comfortable with the weighing routine.
For more tips, refer to this helpful guide from eCats Veterinary Hospital.
Weighing a Difficult Cat
Some cats can be challenging to weigh due to fear, anxiety, or simply not wanting to stay still. Here are a few techniques to try with a difficult cat:
Confined Space Technique:
Place the scale in a confined space like a cat carrier or small box. This restricts the cat’s movement and makes it easier to obtain a weight. Be sure the space is just large enough for the cat and scale. See this source for tips.
Towel Wrapping:
Gently wrap the cat in a towel, leaving the head exposed. The enclosed feeling can help calm the cat, and the towel prevents escape. Use a soft, lightweight towel that won’t substantially impact the weight. This article recommends supporting the hindquarters when wrapping.
Two Person Method:
Have one person hold and restrain the cat while the other operates the scale. The restraining should be gentle yet firm. This works best with two people the cat is comfortable with. Move slowly and give verbal reassurance.
Using Weight Data
Monitoring your cat’s weight over time is important to recognize unhealthy fluctuations. Your veterinarian will track your cat’s weight at each visit and note changes, which can help adjust diet and medication if needed. Dramatic increases or decreases in weight may indicate an underlying health issue that needs to be addressed.
For example, rapid weight loss could signify hyperthyroidism, diabetes, or dental disease, while rapid weight gain could indicate hypothyroidism or Cushing’s disease. More gradual changes in weight also need attention, as consistent upward or downward trends could point to improper nutrition or feeding habits.
Your vet can use weight data over multiple visits to determine if your cat’s weight is changing significantly from its optimal range. This allows diagnosis and early treatment of medical conditions before they advance too far. Regular weigh-ins at home supplemented with your vet’s weight tracking provides the best picture of your cat’s health.
Treating any weight issues as soon as they appear gives your cat the best chance of reversing the problem and returning to a normal weight and health outlook. So monitor weight fluctuations and work with your vet to use the data to adjust care when needed. Consistent weight tracking ultimately helps your cat live a happier and healthier life.
Weighing Frequency
How often you should weigh your cat depends on their age and health status:
- Kittens should be weighed weekly to ensure they are gaining weight properly. Their rapid growth at this stage means their weight can fluctuate significantly week to week.
- For a healthy adult cat, weighing monthly is usually sufficient to monitor their weight. More frequent weighing may be needed if the cat is on a diet or weight management program.
- Senior cats, aged 11 years and older, should be weighed every 2 weeks. Their metabolism changes with age, so more diligent monitoring helps detect concerning weight loss.
- Any cat that is ill or has a chronic medical condition should be weighed weekly. This frequent monitoring allows early intervention if their weight starts declining due to illness.
Discuss appropriate weighing frequency with your veterinarian. They can provide tailored advice based on your cat’s health profile.