Sudden weight drop/fluctuation

Paris Pluto

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Hi everyone,

I weigh my cats every few months as they've gotten older and I'm kind of concerned about the weight drop/fluctuation in one on my cats, Malibu.

At 12 months, she weighed 3.8kgs and at 15 months, she is currently at 3.3kgs. Should I be concerned at that sudden weight drop? She seems to get bigger by the day and I flea and worm her monthly and for tapeworm every 3 months. She seems to be thriving, doing her zoomies, eating and drinking regularly etc. She is also spayed.

Could this be just her 'filling out' as she's growing longer/taller/wider etc?

I'll attach some pics of her at 12 months and her today and also the weight chart that I've been recording. Don't laugh, I'm a helicopter Dad lol.

July 2020:
Point Blur_Jul062020_133324.jpg


Oct 2020:
20200914_130810.jpg


12 Week Weight // 1.08kg (04/10/19)
14 Week Weight // 1.35kg (18/10/19)
16 Week Weight // 1.56kg (01/11/19)
19 Week Weight // 2.00kg (19/11/19)
21 Week Weight // 2.20kg (05/12/19)
25 Week Weight // 2.40kg (13/01/20)
7 Month Weight // 2.70kg (08/02/20)
9 Month Weight // 3.40kg (19/04/20)
10 Month Weight // 3.40kg (09/05/20)
12 Month Weight // 3.80kg (03/07/20)
15 Month Weight // 3.30kg (02/10/20)

Any help or feedback would be greatly appreciated! She is due for her annual vaccine in 2 weeks so would appreciate any help in the meantime. Thank you! :hearthrob::hearthrob::hearthrob:
 
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MissClouseau

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If your worm treatment only treats for like say roundworms and hookworms, she might still have tapeworms. Profender treats for tapeworms too. Since they mostly catch tapeworms through fleas, maybe something for tapeworms could help by the end of flea season. This is if getting her poop tested for worms isn't an option.

It's hard to understand Body Condition Score when they lie like this and the weight loss isn't technically that large in number but, at 3,3kg I would say she's underweight. She was supposed to go up to 4 - 4,5 kg by around 15 months and later, looks like she went to the other direction.

Is it possible another cat eats her food? Or she doesn't get enough food? The weight difference is small enough that the problem might just be she doesn't eat enough compare to how much she burns. My own cat is quite physically active. She eats more than the recommended amount on boxes but she's at a healthy weight.
 

Antonio65

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Hi and welcome to TCS!

I am not laughing because I'm worse than you, I'm weighing my kitty every Sunday morning :lol: and I've been doing this since I have her, December 2019.

The first thing that came to my mind is how accurate your scale is, if you use always the same scale and what procedure you follow to weigh her.
I mean, sometimes scales have different readings with the same object, or it might have a low battery and the reading is incorrect due to this.
I put my cat in her carrier and weigh the whole thing several times during each session. It is natural for scales not to read the same weigh two times in a row, especially in the grams department. So I want to read at least three readings that are the same. I have been calibrating scales for a few months as my job, so I know how it works :)
I know the carrier's weight exactly, so the cat's weight is accurate after a few readings.

On the other hand, if the reading is accurate and you're sure it is, the other thing is that your cat is losing weight.
Do you see her eating always the same amount of food? Is she using her litter box regularly and with no issues? Do you think she's properly hydrated? Do you think you can feel her ribs more than in the past?
Have you noticced any sign of distress or an unusual behavior in her lately?

If your vet visits her and you point out that she's losing weight, it might be likely she won't get her vaccine this time, unless your vet says everything is really fine.

Just out of curiosity, I've noticed her badge. Is it something you must put on your cats in Australia?

P.S.: Your cat is stunning!
 

Antonio65

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She was supposed to go up to 4 - 4,5 kg by around 15 months and later, looks like she went to the other direction.
Well, a cat's weight depends on many factors, like the cat's size.
My kitty is 13 months old and is 3.250 kg, but she's more on the small side. The two ferals in my yard are bigger cats, but none of them is 4 kg, they're lighter than that.
 
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Paris Pluto

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If your worm treatment only treats for like say roundworms and hookworms, she might still have tapeworms. Profender treats for tapeworms too. Since they mostly catch tapeworms through fleas, maybe something for tapeworms could help by the end of flea season. This is if getting her poop tested for worms isn't an option.

It's hard to understand Body Condition Score when they lie like this and the weight loss isn't technically that large in number but, at 3,3kg I would say she's underweight. She was supposed to go up to 4 - 4,5 kg by around 15 months and later, looks like she went to the other direction.

Is it possible another cat eats her food? Or she doesn't get enough food? The weight difference is small enough that the problem might just be she doesn't eat enough compare to how much she burns. My own cat is quite physically active. She eats more than the recommended amount on boxes but she's at a healthy weight.
Thanks so much for your fast reply! I use Profender on the cats every 3 months. Food wise, all 3 cats get 2-3 80g tins of Fancy Feast in intervals and are free fed dry food and they all seem to eat their own food.
 
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Paris Pluto

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Hi and welcome to TCS!

I am not laughing because I'm worse than you, I'm weighing my kitty every Sunday morning :lol: and I've been doing this since I have her, December 2019.

The first thing that came to my mind is how accurate your scale is, if you use always the same scale and what procedure you follow to weigh her.
I mean, sometimes scales have different readings with the same object, or it might have a low battery and the reading is incorrect due to this.
I put my cat in her carrier and weigh the whole thing several times during each session. It is natural for scales not to read the same weigh two times in a row, especially in the grams department. So I want to read at least three readings that are the same. I have been calibrating scales for a few months as my job, so I know how it works :)
I know the carrier's weight exactly, so the cat's weight is accurate after a few readings.

On the other hand, if the reading is accurate and you're sure it is, the other thing is that your cat is losing weight.
Do you see her eating always the same amount of food? Is she using her litter box regularly and with no issues? Do you think she's properly hydrated? Do you think you can feel her ribs more than in the past?
Have you noticced any sign of distress or an unusual behavior in her lately?

If your vet visits her and you point out that she's losing weight, it might be likely she won't get her vaccine this time, unless your vet says everything is really fine.

Just out of curiosity, I've noticed her badge. Is it something you must put on your cats in Australia?

P.S.: Your cat is stunning!
Thank you for your detailed response! To me, she seems like she's at her prime. She is constantly playing, eating well and drinking plenty of water from the water fountain, peeing and pooing consistently no diarrhea etc which is why I'm puzzled. I also have to admit that everytime she goes to her food bowl every few hours, I give her half a tin of FF straight away so she's 'never hungry' per se.

Also, the way I have been weighing her is me stepping on the scales 5 times to confirm my weight and then hold her and stand on the scales again 5 times lol.

Also, the tag is not a necessity, I just thought it was cute and helpful if she were to ever get lost. They're from Tags For Hope.
 
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MissClouseau

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Well, a cat's weight depends on many factors, like the cat's size.
My kitty is 13 months old and is 3.250 kg, but she's more on the small side. The two ferals in my yard are bigger cats, but none of them is 4 kg, they're lighter than that.
I'm talking about Malibu though. Some domestic short-hair cats have small frames indeed but generally speaking if a domestic short-hair ADULT cat is less than 4 kg, more often than not they are not getting enough calories.
 
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Paris Pluto

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I'm talking about Malibu though. Some domestic short-hair cats have small frames indeed but generally speaking if a domestic short-hair ADULT cat is less than 4 kg, more often than not they are not getting enough calories.
That's my concern too but if I'm honest, I feel like I overfeed them. Every 3 hours, the cats come to their bowls and get half a tin of FF and unlimited dry food. I will let you know what the vet says after our visit :)
 
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MissClouseau

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That's my concern too but if I'm honest, I feel like I overfeed them. Every 3 hours, the cats come to their bowls and get half a tin of FF and unlimited dry food. I will let you know what the vet says after our visit :)
There is unlimited dry food but how much of it does she eat? My cousin has two cats and she realized the skinny cat didn't really eat much dry food at all. Fancy Feast's website says 1 can per 1 kg in weight. So if we go with 4 kg average weight number, 4 cans of food a day. So when Malibu eats 2 cans, she needs a significant amount of dry food too.

My Hima also hangs out although not for long (and her coloring is mackerel like your beautiful Malibu :).) She gets the zoomies at least once a day, usually more. Lots of running and jumping. She eats Acana Wild Prairie as dry food which is not low on calories, and gets two cans of wet food a day - currently Miamor pate and Gourmet Gold pate which is like Fancy Feast. According to Miamor, a cat her size is fine with 2-3 cans a day of Miamor in total. Hima gets more calories, yet she goes between 4,3 - 4,7 kg with "healthy weight" Body Condition Score. 🤷‍♀️

I hope the vet visit goes all well! We'll be waiting for the updates 🍀
 

Antonio65

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I'm talking about Malibu though. Some domestic short-hair cats have small frames indeed but generally speaking if a domestic short-hair ADULT cat is less than 4 kg, more often than not they are not getting enough calories.
It sounds like European cats are smaller than American and Australian cats.
After all, everything is bigger in those countries :lol:

These are my ferals, both adult, boy is 3 yo, girl is 6+ yo, they're both around 3.3 to 3.5 kg, and they look "big" to me.
 

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MissClouseau

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It sounds like European cats are smaller than American and Australian cats.
After all, everything is bigger in those countries :lol:

These are my ferals, both adult, boy is 3 yo, girl is 6+ yo, they're both around 3.3 to 3.5 kg, and they look "big" to me.
Your scale lies! They don't look 3,5 kg to me!! :lol:

This is my Hima at about 4,5 kg.
 

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Antonio65

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Your scale lies! They don't look 3,5 kg to me!! :lol:
A few scale lie, it seems :lol:
The tabby girl was 3.3 kg last time I weighed her at home a month ago, shortly before taking her to the vet's practice for a surgery, and the vet weighed her again on their scale and the weight was right to the 10 grams.
My calico kitty is 3.250 kg, just like the clinic's scale (not practice, this time) said when they spayed her.
I also calibrated my scale with precise weights, so I'm sure she's reading right.

This is my Hima at about 4,5 kg.
She seems lean, but you say she's 4.5 kg, so I guess she's long and tall in comparison to mine?
 
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Paris Pluto

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Omg great news everyone! There was something definitely wrong with my scales. My cousin brought over her baby scales and her weight is 3.75kgs!!! I feel so silly - I should have double checked before freaking out and posting!! Sorry everyone :runaround::hearthrob:
 
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