Digital scale recommendation for monitoring weight?

david68

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What's a good digital scale people would recommend for weighing cats?

One of mine was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, and I want to be able to monitor her weight.
 

daftcat75

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Bathroom scales are notoriously inaccurate.

Use a baby scale.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QHK99CC/?tag=thecatsite

There's even a HOLD button for wigglers which will try its best to get a reading even when your cat won't stand/sit still. I found what works best is to plate a meal and walk them over to the scale with the meal held just above their head. They'll stand or sit still just enough thinking the meal is coming towards them. You may also try putting a treat on the scale and letting them eat the treat off the scale. One other option I could think of but never tried would be to put the scale in an open box just big enough for the scale. Then put a plate of food or even a smear of food on the scale and tare it (zero the scale), then let your cat climb into the box and eat off the scale. The box is there to force them to stand/crouch on the scale to get to the food rather than sitting in front of the scale and craning over it.
 

tabbytom

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What's a good digital scale people would recommend for weighing cats?
If your cat cannot stay still while sitting standing a weighing scale, you can weigh yourself then carry your cat and weigh together and just minus of your weight to get your cat's weight.

This way, you don't have to get a separate weighing scale just for your cat provided that you've already have a human weighing scale.
 
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FeebysOwner

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Hi. Human digital weighing scales have so many variables - e.g.; where you stand on the scale, how you step onto the scale, etc. They are not reliable, and will drive you nuts! You can try the scale I ended up with (see link below), it has turned out to be pretty reliable. And, it really only took a couple of weigh-ins to get Feeby (16+yo with hyperthyroidism) to understand what I wanted her to do. You can take something (even free weights, although they are also not entirely 'accurate') to weigh on the scale you choose to see how close the weight comes. Some baby/pet scales will read better if you turn them on, weigh something, then turn them off before you turn them back on to weigh your cat - sort of a calibration, if you will. Most of them will require you to place the cat 'smack dab' in the middle of the scale to get an accurate reading.

But, most of all, get a good reading from your vet's scale before you start. That will help. Also, weighing at about the same time of day will also give you a better reading. A cat's weight will vary depending on whether or not they have just eaten and/or used the litter box.
If none of the techniques as noted in the posts above work, take a carrier and weigh it, then put your cat in the carrier and weigh both. From there, you know the math...

Overall, in about a month worth's of weigh-ins (once a week) you will get the hang of it. In all reality, it isn't so much whether the reading you see is totally accurate, as much as it is the variances that you see.
Amazon.com: BYKAZATY Pet Scale with Tape Measure, Multi-Function Baby Scale, Infant Scale Digital Weight with Height Tray(Max: 70cm), Measure Weight Accurately(Max: 220lb), Perfect for Toddler/Puppy/Cat/Dog/Adult: Industrial & Scientific
 

daftcat75

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If you cat cannot stay still while sitting standing a weighing scale, you can weigh yourself then carry your cat and weigh together and just minus of your weight to get your cat's weight.

This way, you don't have to get a separate weighing scale just for your cat provided that you've already have a human weighing scale.
You can do this. But bathroom scales are notoriously inaccurate. I had a kitty with lymphoma. Monitoring her weight was essential. And also very depressing. I could weigh her three different times in the space of a minute and get three different numbers. The baby scale does not suffer from the same inaccuracies. If your cat will sit in a basket for a few seconds, you could always put the basket on the baby scale, zero it, and then put the cat in the basket.

One other recommendation: for yours and the cat's sanity, don't weigh her more than once a week. If her weight is stable, you could weigh her once a month until it's not stable.
 

daftcat75

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Unless you want pin point accuracy, otherwise, + - a few grams makes no difference?
When your cat is losing weight weekly, you don't want your scale to be giving you numbers with an error margin as wide as half a pound. Yes, I've seen that much variance. Baby scales are very affordable and worth it for the accuracy. Especially if you're making medicine decisions based on weight loss.
 

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As it happens, I was researching this today. The wrinkle in my case is that I'm working with a semi-feral foster cat who won't let me hold or touch her yet. I thought I'd try putting this under her favorite perch. If it works, I can weigh her "remotely" on my phone. If it doesn't, I'm out $20 and I can use it for food.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009LCM90C/?tag=thecatsite
 

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tabbytom

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When your cat is losing weight weekly, you don't want your scale to be giving you numbers with an error margin as wide as half a pound. Yes, I've seen that much variance. Baby scales are very affordable and worth it for the accuracy. Especially if you're making medicine decisions based on weight loss.
Well, in that case, better get a good accurate one.
 

daftcat75

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As it happens, I was researching this today. The wrinkle in my case is that I'm working with a semi-feral foster cat who won't let me hold or touch her yet. I thought I'd try putting this under her favorite perch. If it works, I can weigh her "remotely" on my phone. If it doesn't, I'm out $20 and I can use it for food.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009LCM90C/?tag=thecatsite
If your cat weighs more than 3000 g or 6.5 lbs, you're out of luck with that one. Also, I could easily see a cat spilling over such a small platform. Can you try something like a big plastic bin, put the baby scale in the bottom, and a meal or a treat on the platform? This would force the cat to climb into the box and stand/sit/crouch on the platform while eating the meal or treat.
 

daftcat75

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As it happens, I was researching this today. The wrinkle in my case is that I'm working with a semi-feral foster cat who won't let me hold or touch her yet. I thought I'd try putting this under her favorite perch. If it works, I can weigh her "remotely" on my phone. If it doesn't, I'm out $20 and I can use it for food.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009LCM90C/?tag=thecatsite
I have nearly the same scale. It’s not as big as you think. If your cat is larger than an iPhone, you’re out of luck. It’s a great food scale, though. I’ll often look at the serving size on a nutrition label and weigh it out to see what their portion size is. Or I’ll put my cup of coffee on it, zero it, and then weigh out 14 grams of MCT oil per bulletproof coffee recipe.
C251E1E3-0273-477A-94BC-BB4A505E05A8.jpeg
 

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I know this a bit old, I have been getting very inaccurate numbers on two scales, so I ordered a luggage scale and a fishing scale.

Would those be pretty accurate?
 

Margot Lane

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Got a luggage scale but not happy w/ It. Guess I’ll try the standing on the scale technique! You’d think they would sell animal scales at veterinarians, as so many people need accurate readings.
 

daftcat75

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Got a luggage scale but not happy w/ It. Guess I’ll try the standing on the scale technique! You’d think they would sell animal scales at veterinarians, as so many people need accurate readings.
Get a baby scale. This is the one I have. But there are more affordable models ($40ish) on Amazon too.

Beurer BY80 Baby Scale, Pet Scale, Digital, For: Infant, Newborns, Puppy, Cats, LCD Display, Weighs [LB/OZ/KG] Highly Accurate, Hold & Tare Function, Curved Weighing Platform (44 lbs) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QHK99CC/?tag=thecatsite

Leave the scale out in the environment so it’s not foreign or stressful. Get them comfortable with climbing onto the platform with treats or a meal. Then it’s a simple matter of herding his butt completely on the platform for a couple of seconds. It’s easier and a lot more accurate than weighing yourself holding the cat and subtracting your weight. Bathroom scales are notoriously inaccurate.

I have the scale I bought for Krista on the top platform of a cat tree. This playful meatball fooled me for a brief time that he was a homeless stray. I would let him in for a meal after Krista passed and before I was ready to commit to a new cat—and before I learned he was actually a neighbor’s cat. As you can see, he is so enamored with the toy, he doesn’t mind the scale one bit. It would have been remarkably easy to distract him with a treat just long enough to get a reading

 
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