How to Weigh Your Cat: 5 Vet-Approved Steps
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Yueke
Wed, May 15, 2024
PHOTO: Yueke
Though it may not be considered a necessary part of caring for cats, there are significant benefits to weighing your cat. Since cats can’t use words to tell us if they’re feeling sick, cat owners must be observant and look for potential warning signs of illness.
A cat’s weight and the rate of weight gain and loss can tell you a lot about a cat’s well-being and overall quality of life. For example, keeping track of a cat’s weight can ensure healthy weight loss for overweight cats or raise flags for underlying diseases that impact a cat’s weight.
Fortunately, weighing a cat is a straightforward process. Here are a few ways you can start weighing your cat and keeping track of their weight.
There are a few ways you can measure your cat’s weight. You can certainly place your cat on a pet scale and measure their weight, but this can be difficult if your cat doesn’t like to stay still. For this reason, many people opt to hold their cat and use a human scale to record their cat’s weight. If you choose this method, make sure that your cat’s already comfortable with being picked up and held.
First, start by measuring your own weight. Check to ensure that your scale is on an even surface before stepping onto the scale. Record your weight, and make sure to write down the precise tenth of a pound. Since cats are much smaller and lighter than people, it’s worth paying attention to fluctuations that are less than a pound.
Measure your weight one or two more times to ensure your scale is giving accurate and consistent readings.
Next, gently pick up and hold your cat. Then, step on the scale again and record your combined weight. You can do this a couple of times to ensure you’re getting consistent readings from your scale.
Next, subtract your body weight from your combined weight. The remainder is your cat’s weight. For example, if your body weight is 150.5 pounds, and your combined weight with your cat is 157.2 pounds, your cat’s weight is 6.7 pounds.
Write down your cat’s weight in a log. You can measure your cat’s weight once a week at the most, and it’s recommended to measure your cat at least once a month if they’re on a weight loss plan. Keeping a log will help you to notice patterns of weight loss or weight gain much more quickly.
If your cat doesn’t sit still on a pet scale or really doesn’t like being held, you can try using a carrier to hold your cat while they’re being weighed. If you choose this method, it’s best to use a hanging scale for the most accurate measurements.
Hang the empty carrier on the scale’s hook and record its weight measurement. Then, place your cat inside and weigh the carrier again. Subtract the weight of the empty carrier from the combined weight of the carrier and your cat. The remainder will be your cat’s weight.
Give your cat plenty of praise immediately after you measure their weight, every time. If they’re not needing to lose weight, give them a couple of their favorite treats, too. Rewarding your cat will eventually build a positive association with weigh-ins, and it’ll make this process much easier for both of you.
Your cat’s weight and weight fluctuations can tell you a lot about your cat. First, keeping track of your cat’s weight can help you determine if your cat’s eating too little or too much food.
Cats can also start to lose weight due to other health issues that are unrelated to not eating enough. Weight loss can be a sign of a greater underlying medical issue. Intestinal parasites, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, cancer, heart disease and kidney disease can all cause weight loss in cats. Recording your cat’s weight can help you detect potential health issues more quickly.
Significant or rapid weight gain can put your cat at high risk of developing health issues, and it’s fairly common for indoor cats to become overweight. Nearly 60% of pet cats are overweight.
Feline obesity can lower a cat’s quality of life significantly. It can shorten their life expectancy, and obese cats often have mobility issues that make it difficult for them to move around independently. Obesity increases the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and urinary bladder stones. It is also thought to weaken a cat’s ability to fight off infectious diseases.
Regularly weighing an overweight cat ensures that they’re losing weight at a healthy rate. In general, cats on weight loss plans should lose between 1-2% of their body weight every week. Anything more can be dangerous, and rapid weight loss of a previously obese cat can lead to a serious liver condition called hepatic lipidosis.
Weighing your cat regularly can give you peace of mind in knowing that your cat has healthy eating habits. Since weight loss and weight gain are often indicators of certain illnesses, weighing your cat can also help you detect health issues much more quickly.
There are several different methods for weighing cats. Once you find one that works, stick to it, and make sure to reward your cat after every weigh-in. Adding weigh-ins to your cat’s care routine is a simple way to keep your cat’s health in check, and it will help you respond more quickly to any potential health issues.
A cat’s weight and the rate of weight gain and loss can tell you a lot about a cat’s well-being and overall quality of life. For example, keeping track of a cat’s weight can ensure healthy weight loss for overweight cats or raise flags for underlying diseases that impact a cat’s weight.
Fortunately, weighing a cat is a straightforward process. Here are a few ways you can start weighing your cat and keeping track of their weight.
There are a few ways you can measure your cat’s weight. You can certainly place your cat on a pet scale and measure their weight, but this can be difficult if your cat doesn’t like to stay still. For this reason, many people opt to hold their cat and use a human scale to record their cat’s weight. If you choose this method, make sure that your cat’s already comfortable with being picked up and held.
First, start by measuring your own weight. Check to ensure that your scale is on an even surface before stepping onto the scale. Record your weight, and make sure to write down the precise tenth of a pound. Since cats are much smaller and lighter than people, it’s worth paying attention to fluctuations that are less than a pound.
Measure your weight one or two more times to ensure your scale is giving accurate and consistent readings.
Next, gently pick up and hold your cat. Then, step on the scale again and record your combined weight. You can do this a couple of times to ensure you’re getting consistent readings from your scale.
Next, subtract your body weight from your combined weight. The remainder is your cat’s weight. For example, if your body weight is 150.5 pounds, and your combined weight with your cat is 157.2 pounds, your cat’s weight is 6.7 pounds.
Write down your cat’s weight in a log. You can measure your cat’s weight once a week at the most, and it’s recommended to measure your cat at least once a month if they’re on a weight loss plan. Keeping a log will help you to notice patterns of weight loss or weight gain much more quickly.
If your cat doesn’t sit still on a pet scale or really doesn’t like being held, you can try using a carrier to hold your cat while they’re being weighed. If you choose this method, it’s best to use a hanging scale for the most accurate measurements.
Hang the empty carrier on the scale’s hook and record its weight measurement. Then, place your cat inside and weigh the carrier again. Subtract the weight of the empty carrier from the combined weight of the carrier and your cat. The remainder will be your cat’s weight.
Give your cat plenty of praise immediately after you measure their weight, every time. If they’re not needing to lose weight, give them a couple of their favorite treats, too. Rewarding your cat will eventually build a positive association with weigh-ins, and it’ll make this process much easier for both of you.
Your cat’s weight and weight fluctuations can tell you a lot about your cat. First, keeping track of your cat’s weight can help you determine if your cat’s eating too little or too much food.
Cats can also start to lose weight due to other health issues that are unrelated to not eating enough. Weight loss can be a sign of a greater underlying medical issue. Intestinal parasites, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, cancer, heart disease and kidney disease can all cause weight loss in cats. Recording your cat’s weight can help you detect potential health issues more quickly.
Significant or rapid weight gain can put your cat at high risk of developing health issues, and it’s fairly common for indoor cats to become overweight. Nearly 60% of pet cats are overweight.
Feline obesity can lower a cat’s quality of life significantly. It can shorten their life expectancy, and obese cats often have mobility issues that make it difficult for them to move around independently. Obesity increases the risk of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and urinary bladder stones. It is also thought to weaken a cat’s ability to fight off infectious diseases.
Regularly weighing an overweight cat ensures that they’re losing weight at a healthy rate. In general, cats on weight loss plans should lose between 1-2% of their body weight every week. Anything more can be dangerous, and rapid weight loss of a previously obese cat can lead to a serious liver condition called hepatic lipidosis.
Weighing your cat regularly can give you peace of mind in knowing that your cat has healthy eating habits. Since weight loss and weight gain are often indicators of certain illnesses, weighing your cat can also help you detect health issues much more quickly.
There are several different methods for weighing cats. Once you find one that works, stick to it, and make sure to reward your cat after every weigh-in. Adding weigh-ins to your cat’s care routine is a simple way to keep your cat’s health in check, and it will help you respond more quickly to any potential health issues.
Argan oil is often found in cosmetics, lotions, shampoos, and conditioners. It’s also commonly used as a carrier for essential oils. Some evidence suggests that it may benefit humans, including hydrating skin and hair, and even help reduce inflammation.
The oil can be used for cooking and even as a condiment, much like olive oil. Although studies have been carried out regarding the safety and effectiveness of argan oil when used by people, similar evidence is lacking regarding cats. To be safe, it’s probably best not to feed argan oil or use it topically on your cat.
Argan oil is often used as a carrier for essential oils. Undiluted essential oils are often applied topically or inhaled in aromatherapy. They’re also regularly added to cleaning products and air fresheners. Essential oils contain distilled aromatic chemicals from plants.
It’s possible to find more than 90 types of essential oil, which have unique uses. Peppermint oil is often used to help digestive health, and tea tree oil is used to combat infections. However, regardless of the various benefits they provide humans, essential oils and argan oil are not safe for cats.
Essential oils and cats are an extremely bad combination. Several popular oils are toxic to cats, including tea tree, peppermint, and pine oils. Cats don’t have the proper liver enzymes to break down some of the chemicals in essential oils efficiently. They can become quite ill from ingesting or absorbing the products through the skin.
Cats can consume essential oils after walking through spills and licking their paws clean. Signs of essential oil poisoning include drooling, vomiting, lethargy, and a lack of coordination. If your cat has managed to get essential oil on their fur or skin, use a bit of dishwashing detergent to remove it to limit absorption.
Contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your cat has come in contact with any essential oil. Make sure to have the product your cat was exposed to on hand so you can provide accurate information and write down a few key facts your veterinarian is likely to want to know, such as how long ago your cat was exposed and if you’ve seen any signs indicating your buddy may be suffering from toxin ingestion.
Argan oil comes from the argan tree, also known as Argania spinosa. The tree can be found in dry areas in parts of southern Morocco between the Sahara Desert and the Atlas Mountains. They can grow to heights of up to 25 feet and feature yellow flowers in spring.
Argan oil has a long and storied history in North Africa. The tree has been used for wood and oil since the 11th century or so, and it’s long been incorporated into Moroccan diets and beauty routines. Traditions surrounding the argan tree are on the United Nations’ list of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and part of the area where the trees grow natively has been named an International Biosphere Reserve by UNESCO.
General hair loss, dermatitis, itchy skin, sores, infections, tumors, and dandruff are just a few common feline skin issues. Because skin conditions share similar signs, it’s important to have dermatological problems evaluated by a veterinarian for accurate diagnosis to ensure proper treatment.
Veterinarians usually rely on a physical examination along with answers to questions such as when the issue first showed up, what kind of food your cat is eating, and if anything has changed at home that may be stressing your pet. Needle aspirates and biopsies are sometimes used to narrow down the causes of potentially concerning growths.
High-quality food is essential for helping cats’ skin stay supple and well-nourished. When cats don’t get all the nutrients they need, their coats become malnourished. Keeping up with flea and tick prevention can also minimize several skin problems. Cats that are stressed sometimes groom themselves too much, but pheromone products can help manage anxiety.
Many people swear by the health benefits of argan oil, and it’s commonly added to lotions, moisturizers, shampoos, and conditioners. It comes from a tree that grows in southern parts of Morocco, but the oil has become popular worldwide. Unfortunately, little evidence demonstrates the safety and effectiveness of using argan oil on cats. To keep your cat safe and healthy, avoid using argan oil or essential oils around your cat. If your cat has a skin condition or other health issue, your veterinarian can provide an effective treatment.