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We've been logging our cats eating patterns because he goes through periods when he's got a really good appetite and other periods where he eats less (we count calories). Regardless, he's consistently maintaining the same weight so we don't worry too much about it. But we hadn't been able to come up with any definitive patterns with the exception of one related to the weather. Were in Florida so we don't really have a "winter" per se but we do get a few cold snaps each winter. Gizmo's appetite was down during the last couple of cold (cool) fronts so we thought we would watch for a pattern there. We just had the coldest front of the winter come through starting yesterday and knowing it was coming, we suspected his appetite would be down again. Sure enough, it is.
This is counter intuitive to everything I've read which seems to indicate that cats eat more when they are cold because they burn more calories to keep their body temperatures up. We keep the thermostat at 76 or 77 when the AC is running but when it get's colder the house is kept in the 68-70 degree range.
Again, were almost positive at this point that it's something related to the cooler temperatures that puts him off his food a bit. But it's probably not because he is actually cold. I'm wondering more if it's the heater running, or maybe the humidity or maybe he just is used to it the house being in the mid/upper 70's and when it gets much cooler it puts him off. Other than appetite, he's acting pretty normal ... which is to say that he sleeps most of the time. He's 12 years old.
Anyone have any ideas or theories?
Thanks
This is counter intuitive to everything I've read which seems to indicate that cats eat more when they are cold because they burn more calories to keep their body temperatures up. We keep the thermostat at 76 or 77 when the AC is running but when it get's colder the house is kept in the 68-70 degree range.
Again, were almost positive at this point that it's something related to the cooler temperatures that puts him off his food a bit. But it's probably not because he is actually cold. I'm wondering more if it's the heater running, or maybe the humidity or maybe he just is used to it the house being in the mid/upper 70's and when it gets much cooler it puts him off. Other than appetite, he's acting pretty normal ... which is to say that he sleeps most of the time. He's 12 years old.
Anyone have any ideas or theories?
Thanks