How to weigh a cat? (weight, house, licking, vets)
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We want to start tracking our cat's weight on a bi-weekly basis, but we're having trouble getting him to stay on the scale long enough for the weight to register. Any advice?
We want to start tracking our cat's weight on a bi-weekly basis, but we're having trouble getting him to stay on the scale long enough for the weight to register. Any advice?
Weigh yourself on the scale. Pick up your cat. Weigh yourself while holding the cat. Subtract the weight you are without the cat from the weight you are holding the cat. That number is how much your cat weighs.
What kind of scale are you trying to use? If it's a human scale, that probably won't work. If you can't get him to stay on a baby/pet scale long enough, dunno, maybe put a treat on there?
You can try the subtraction method with a human scale, but my initial looking seemed to be that very few of them would be precise enough to have a good tracking of a cat's weight. I think the most precision I saw in a reasonably priced human scale was 0.2 pound (2 tenths of a pound) which may be enough as long as it is reliable. 0.2 pound would be 3.2 ounces.
We use a human scale. Our scale calculates weight in pounds AND ounces. We do what suzco suggested above.
Our cats won't stay on a scale at the vet office, so I weighed the carrier and wrote the weight on it. All the vet has to do is subtract the weight of the carrier.
Would love a tip on the ounce-resolution human scale if you know what make/model. I really want to do this with my cat but stopped short of ordering one when they had 0.2 pound resolution. I did just find a couple with 0.1 pound, which is 1.6 ounces. That's close enough I'm sure but curious which one you're using.
I really didn't want to get a dedicated pet weighing scale because it's just so big for a one-purpose device. I already have way too much junk in this little house!
I think it depends on the size/type of cat. Most scales these days are digital and can handle fine measurements. Oddly, our tuxedo cat, Henry, seems to be concerned with his weight and periodically tries to check it! I hear the scale beep and look out the hall to see him wander out of the bathroom. He doesn't entirely understand how to do it, but I turn the scale back on and sit him on there - he tucks himself on well enough- the scale beeps and I let him go and tell him what it says. It has been accurate to his vets, so.. but he's a 12lb cat.
Now Magnus, being a Wegie, is too big to easily sit on it. I've been considering getting a high sided tray/tub, seeing what it weighs, and then putting him in it for the subtraction method. He has a lot of trouble fitting all of him on the scale. and being the diabetic, I'm more concerned what he comes in at.
Classically, the subtraction method is the standard. The vets will do similar: weigh them in the carrier, and then once in the exam room, weigh the carrier.
Oddly enough, Jasper must be concerned with his weight. He places himself squarely on the scale at least once a day. It is digital, he currently weighs 15.6 pounds.
I used a baby scale when I had an anorexic cat that I needed to monitor. I'd put her on it and just deter her from walking off by putting my hands in her path. Baby scales are nice because they have a pan on top that can accomodate even the largest of cats without them having to stand on a little bitty square of scale. My scale got a readout quickly, and she was pretty smart and understood what was expected of her after the first two or three times and would just wait quietly, so it was never an issue. At the vet office they put a little treat on the weighing pan, a squirt of canned cheese or similar item, and the cat is so intent on licking it up, they don't even realize they are being weighed. Those Wellness jerky treats are quite low calorie and quality protein if you are looking for a treat that won't undo the weight loss goals. My cat likes the turkey & salmon flavor, but they also make one that is lamb based.
OK, so if I've got this right--put treat on scale, remove treat, put treat back on scale, wait for cat to get on scale, subtract weight of treat from total weight
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