Grace Lost Some Weight and I'm Really Scared!

Continuing with my obsessive worry over my cat's health, on Tuesday, I picked up Grace and thought "hmmmm she feels lighter." So I did the digital scale method and tried weighing her. Well the scale was telling me 8.5 pounds so a chill went down my spine. I called the vet but ultimately decided to take her in to be weighed. The vet told me that weighing her on my own scale isn't that great a method so I did try to think positive. She didn't really feel as light on Thursday but still I couldn't get it out of my head. Finally I decided to take her for a weigh in and exam, since I had other concerns today. Well I got the shock of my life when I discovered I was right. She had lost weight. She lost 4 tenths of a pound in under 3 months! Doesn't that seem huge? The way I figure it is that their scale measure in tenths of a pound so .1 off on their scale is the equivalent of 1.6 ounces. So all told she lost about 6.2 ounces which is quite nearly half a pound. Basically her weight has fluctuated over the 5 years of her life between 9.2 and 9.6. When I took her over the summer, she was 9.6 but then dropped to 9.4. I was concerned then but the vet so that small amount which I guess is around 3.2 ounces isn't that big. I took her back again on October 30 and she maintained the 9.4. However, now she is just 9.0! So in reality, between August and January, she's lost a total of 9.6 ounces! That's over half a pound! Needless to say, I burst into tears right then and there and the whole visit was a mess. The vet was very nice trying to reassure me. I was ready to shell out whatever money was needed (even if I dipped into my rent fund) to test her for anything under the sun and he told me I needed to calm down. When I finally stopped crying and told him I think she has cancer, he chuckled (not in a mean way) and said, "You need to stop going there. You always go to the worst case first." He didn't tell me 100% it's not cancer but he said he didn't think so. He also told me not to test her for anything. He would have liked to get a urine sample because, since I told him she seems to go pee more (or so I think) he's thinking UTI. He did give her some Clavamox to take just to rule it out but the poor thing got sick after taking it so I'm not so sure I'm giving her more since it's not definitive she has a UTI. He told me these weight fluctuations can happen and since she hasn't lost more, he's not panicking over it. He asked if I changed anything in her diet and I said I did start giving less dry food as I fear it's bad for them. He said that could even be the case. He said to bring her back in 2 weeks just to weigh her again to see if she's lost more. If she has, we could pursue other testing. Does anyone have any experience with this? Like with weight fluctuations? I feel like a wreck right now and just want to curl in a ball and cry.

Hi

I'm going to say this as gently as I can. You're probably over reacting.  What you want to watch for is trends.  Weight can fluctuate up and down, but when it keeps going down that is an issue.  Does your cat have any pre existing illnesses and how old is he?

breathe.

Do as your vet says and bring him back for re weighing.  A few 1/10's of a pound can be explained in lots of harmless ways.

Stephen

My cat is 5 years old. She'll be six in April. Her trend does seem to be upward, than downward. She had gained around 6 ounces but now she lost it all and then some since her vet visit like 18 months ago. 18 months ago she was 9.2 pounds. Then in August, she was up to 9.6 pounds. Then in September, 9.4 pounds which she maintained until October 30. Now she is just 9 pounds. The scale registered her as 9.00 or something like that. Her only issue is allergies and some unexplained twitching. The vet did say cancer isn't common in cats her age but I know lymphoma in particular can hit at any time. She has no other symptoms.

And I really hope you're right.

Weight can fluctuate a lot over a period of a few months.  If she loses more than a pound then I'd start to worry.  Cancer normally doesn't appear until the cats are older, like 9 or 10 ish or even older.  Did your vet say she was underweight? 

I never watched my kitty's weight that closely, but from reading the experiences of other members the weight loss you're reporting is light. You're talking 1.5 ounces per month while kitties diagnosed with serious diseases have reported losing a pound in a month.

If you're feeding higher protein food in lieu of the dry that can trim some weight off, too!

The average age for lymphoma is 8 or 9.

You've done the right thing, taking her in to the vet. For now, rest easy until test results come in. There's a reasonable chance there's no cause for alarm.

Agree with comments above. The amount of weight loss at this point is not a cause for alarm. I keep a baby scale at home and have weighed my cats for years. Some of my cats go up and down with time (very unstable weight - one cat could lose 1/2 a pound in a few months, and then gain it right back in a few more months time). Some of my other cats are extremely stable in their weight. Some of them do huge pee/poops and that can even change things by about 2+ ounces or more if you weight just before or after peeing/pooping. Some of mine lost some weight super gradually as they aged (but at a very slow rate, that with the passing of time it became clear is was just aging as no illness materialized). The trick is looking at *trends*. As other have said, at your kitty's age, it is unlikely to be some of the more serious issues. My cats are senior, so I watch for weight loss, but at their age of 15 years old, there are more serious things that could be going wrong than for a younger cat like your cat. So step back, breathe and get her weighed in a few weeks.  

BTW the switch to more wet food could cause some weight loss. And so could a UTI - one of my kitties had a UTI and before it he was 9lb 13oz - once the UTI set in (when I took him to the vet), I weighed him at home and he was 9 lb 9 oz. So even a simple UTI can allow a cat to lose 4 ounces (most people don't have a baby scale at home so would not even notice this kind of weight loss!!).

In the kindest possible way, I think you need to relax more. And stop looking up symptoms on the internet because it always seems worse than it is!!  Cat weight goes up and down, just like us. So many factors, skipping a dinner, playing more, well, anything can cause it and it's perfectly normal. I took my cat in to the vet last summer because he seemed much skinnier than normal and he'd lost a pound in weight. Vet said utterly normal because he's an outdoor cat and for sure, in the summer he stays out a lot longer and is more active and he didn't eat so much. This winter he's put on weight. I did give him loads more than normal because of an UTI (to flush water through him as he doesnt drink) but now his eating is back to normal and he's still a tiny bit overweight, tho very strong and fit (you should see him run and climb trees, its wonderful!).  I fully expect him to lose more weight in the summer when he spends less time at home asleep.

I've read a few of your posts now, you really do need to stop looking for problems and scaring yourself. IF and when one of your kitties gets sick, it will be apparent and I have every faith in you that you will sort it all out then in a fantastic way, but please, until (and I say again IF) one of your kitties gets sick, please learn to relax and enjoy them! Try to remember that many many cats live a long happy and healthy life without a thing wrong with them and your kitties may just be like that.

My Pipsqueak's weight can fluctuate up and down a few ounces here and there. 6 ounces one way or another would not concern me. If a cat steadily loses weight over a few weeks time, say more than a pound, then I would be concerned. I don't think Grace is at that point of losing over a pound. Since you cut back on the dry, then that could be why. I would try to pump some more canned food into her and go back to offering her more dry food as well. Check her weight in about two weeks time and try not to drive yourself crazy with weighing her everyday. I bet that is the reason why the loss of ounces - the dry food being cut down. and for momma.

Thanks for all the responses everyone. You've gone a long way in easing my mind a bit that maybe there is no reason to panic yet.

@cprcheetah No, she's not underweight. The vet said her body would be considered in "excellent condition." That's why he said tests weren't needed, so no, @Raintyger there are no test results yet. He said if she lost more in another 2 weeks, then we would discuss the next steps. I know cancer does strike older cats. My 14 year old passed in July from probable lymphoma so that's why I'm super sensitive to this. I know that the typical age is older but sadly I've seen people have cats on here that had lymphoma at 5 years old. I'm not feeding her high protein. I just cut her dry food consumption in half over the last couple months because I don't want her to have too much. She's actually always been a huge dry food fan. She loves the wet but the dry is her fave. Right now I feed her Fancy Feast, many varieties, just not fish since the vet said to avoid fish.

@Scarlett 001 I actually considered investing in the scale but I'm afraid that could just make me more paranoid. However, thank you for saying sometimes the weight fluctuates. I just never seen hers fluctuate so much. I mean she had a physical around 18 months ago and there was a steady gain with her growing and such over the years and then when I took her in August, she really jumped up there, when she gained around 6 ounces. Then however, when I took her for a recheck like 3 weeks later she was down about 3 ounces just like that. The vet said it was not a big deal and she maintained that until her last visit in October. I was stunned though to see her lose 6 more ounces in just these, not even, 3 months. I mean she hasn't been 9 pounds since she was maybe a year old.

@Fleabags Mom You are so right! My vet actually told me before I left, "Now don't go home and google." Guess what? I did. I read an article that said weight loss is typical in the summer months so that made me more nervous. Then another article said that most cats will keep a stable weight to the ounce and I just had to stop then. You are right about my posts. I'm just very sensitive at this time because of my cat Tito's death from cancer and I still feel I could have saved him had I been more vigilant. Now I feel like I have to watch for anything and everything or else I'll lose another.

@Feralvr I know you've been busy so I appreciate you getting on to answer my post. The vet did say to give her a bit more food. He said if she gained some it would be fine even though she's not underweight. I have been feeding her some extra and some extra dry too. She's been loving that. I just have been getting extra worried now when she leaves any food behind thinking it could mean something.

You're going on the assumption that she did actually lose the weight. When l posted about Rhys' blood test, the tech weighed him at 9.6lbs. He had to go back to re-do his blood test 2 weeks later, and the vet herself weighed him at 9.2lbs. l said wow, that's a large drop in 2 weeks. She said it was more likely that the tray on the scale wasn't perfectly centered, or the cat wasn't perfectly centered in it, or a combination thereof. So if she (your kitty) lost a couple of oz and the scale waffles by a couple of oz, it may look worse than it actually is.

WorriedSoMuch said:

 
@Fleabags Mom You are so right! My vet actually told me before I left, "Now don't go home and google." Guess what? I did. I read an article that said weight loss is typical in the summer months so that made me more nervous. Then another article said that most cats will keep a stable weight to the ounce and I just had to stop then. You are right about my posts. I'm just very sensitive at this time because of my cat Tito's death from cancer and I still feel I could have saved him had I been more vigilant. Now I feel like I have to watch for anything and everything or else I'll lose another.

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Please don't blame yourself with your lovely Tito - or think that things would've have been different had you noticed, that's the hardest thing to think tho, I understand. Even if you had known you may not have been able to help and I bet that you looked after kitty so very well once you did know, please take some comfort in that.  Cancer is very hard to detect and often not found until things are pretty much too hard to cure and it's just a rotten part of nature and part of life. Just look at us humans too - we hear so many stories like that too, no symptoms until it's taken firm hold. Try too to remember that cancer does tend to strike older cats and yours are so young. The chances of you and your kitties being that unlucky now are slim.

While I now understand why you are so vigilant, you have to strike more of a balance otherwise you're going to worry yourself sick! Not to mention fees at the vets, arghh! We all know how expensive those are. gulp.  Please relax a bit and just enjoy your kitties too. They will know you're stressed out and this may make them worry too, cats are quite sensitive aren't they? Play and enjoy their company and let them enjoy yours too! 

Big hugs to you and as your vet says, keep away from google! Really, the internet is a mixed blessing - places like this are fab, but scare stories are all too common. By our very nature, we rarely post good news or we think the worst when we look at symptoms. Symptoms are so broad, it could be any manner of things or nothing to worry about at all.

Andrya said:

 
You're going on the assumption that she did actually lose the weight. When l posted about Rhys' blood test, the tech weighed him at 9.6lbs. He had to go back to re-do his blood test 2 weeks later, and the vet herself weighed him at 9.2lbs. l said wow, that's a large drop in 2 weeks. She said it was more likely that the tray on the scale wasn't perfectly centered, or the cat wasn't perfectly centered in it, or a combination thereof. So if she (your kitty) lost a couple of oz and the scale waffles by a couple of oz, it may look worse than it actually is.

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That is a thought. Both times when she has lost though, I made them do it again. This time they weighed her 3 different times and it was still the same. I mean, I would love to think it's a scale issue.

Fleabags Mom said:

 
Please don't blame yourself with your lovely Tito - or think that things would've have been different had you noticed, that's the hardest thing to think tho, I understand. Even if you had known you may not have been able to help and I bet that you looked after kitty so very well once you did know, please take some comfort in that.  Cancer is very hard to detect and often not found until things are pretty much too hard to cure and it's just a rotten part of nature and part of life. Just look at us humans too - we hear so many stories like that too, no symptoms until it's taken firm hold. Try too to remember that cancer does tend to strike older cats and yours are so young. The chances of you and your kitties being that unlucky now are slim.

While I now understand why you are so vigilant, you have to strike more of a balance otherwise you're going to worry yourself sick! Not to mention fees at the vets, arghh! We all know how expensive those are. gulp.  Please relax a bit and just enjoy your kitties too. They will know you're stressed out and this may make them worry too, cats are quite sensitive aren't they? Play and enjoy their company and let them enjoy yours too! 

Big hugs to you and as your vet says, keep away from google! Really, the internet is a mixed blessing - places like this are fab, but scare stories are all too common. By our very nature, we rarely post good news or we think the worst when we look at symptoms. Symptoms are so broad, it could be any manner of things or nothing to worry about at all.

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Thanks for the kind words. I just feel like the signs were evident. He was throwing up frequently but he always had a sensitive system and he was eating well at that time. I wonder if maybe he at first was an IBD kitty and I just didn't know, because I didn't know much about it until coming here. I know IBD can progress to lymphoma. I really couldn't do much once the illness took hold. He stopped eating, hid all the time, and wouldn't even use the box. The sudden trek downhill was rapid though. He went through a night of intense vomiting and it appeared we got him through, but then he just got worse, all in just a week's time. Awful, awful experience. I miss him terribly as he was my soulmate and it's as if Grace knew I missed him and became my best little girl.

I agree about the fees. I already spent at least 200 bucks this week on taking both my cats in, and this is without testing. It's really hard. I actually turned down going to an event last weekend that I was dying to attend because I knew I needed vet money but in the end, the sacrifice is worth it.

Keep this in mind about cancer in cats.

You would see something, there are various symptoms that many will show signs something is going on, like vomiting/diarrhea, weight loss yes, but because of lack of appetite or interest eating, rough dull coat, basically showing a failure to thrive.

This in no way sounds like your cat.

I seriously believe it is cutting back on the dry.

In a year's time, my chubby cat lost 2.4 lbs because I transitioned her to an all canned diet. If I'd stop giving her treats she would lose even more! (she needs to!)

The thing is, and why I put my two cents in here even though you have great advice is, your cat not eating the dry amt he once was, he may very well lose a bit more, so just because in 2-3 weeks you see that he lost another ounce or even 2, it does NOT mean something is wrong.

This year I lost one of my permanent fosters Stella to lymphoma, at only 3 years old. This is very uncommon, rarely ever seen, the vast majority is in older cats as you already know.

Stella showed signs, she lost weight, would vomit, slowed way down, slept alot, and her fur looked ruffled, unclean like. She stopped eating and I knew her time had come because she couldn't drink water without vomiting it up.

It happened fast and hard. One day here and great, the next day looked like crap, next day to the vet, the following day she was pts. Still grieving that one. RIP Darling Stella. You were my star.

You could not change cancer in your cat you lost, it is what it is, like FIP in a big way. Random, unforgiving, unknown reasons why, deadly.

Don't beat yourself up, your kitty knew he was loved. It's just still new.

WorriedSoMuch said:

 
Thanks for the kind words. I just feel like the signs were evident. He was throwing up frequently but he always had a sensitive system and he was eating well at that time. I wonder if maybe he at first was an IBD kitty and I just didn't know, because I didn't know much about it until coming here. I know IBD can progress to lymphoma. I really couldn't do much once the illness took hold. He stopped eating, hid all the time, and wouldn't even use the box. The sudden trek downhill was rapid though. He went through a night of intense vomiting and it appeared we got him through, but then he just got worse, all in just a week's time. Awful, awful experience. I miss him terribly as he was my soulmate and it's as if Grace knew I missed him and became my best little girl.

I agree about the fees. I already spent at least 200 bucks this week on taking both my cats in, and this is without testing. It's really hard. I actually turned down going to an event last weekend that I was dying to attend because I knew I needed vet money but in the end, the sacrifice is worth it.

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You've just said what makes sense, with the part of your kitty who had always had a sensitive system. How were you supposed to know that something had changed or gone bad? You've not got x-ray vision or supernatural powers, you're human!  Please do not blame yourself, it's not your fault. Cat's that throw up can have many reasons why and it rarely would it be a sign of cancer because it's rare. A million symptoms a cat can have meaning all manner of things or none at all. If I have a headache, I do not think I have a brain tumour...  The kitty litter quirkiness is nothing to worry about I don't think and more behavioural (and your vet thought the same) and the losing weight, such a little amount too could and probably is down to less carbs in kitty food now you've switched to wet. Cat's weight moves up and down all the time anyway.   You need to keep more of a level head and stop the panic! You said that cats losing weight in the summer made you even more nervous - but why? It's natural so why would something that is natural and common make you nervous? Easily said than done, calming down I agree but the alternative is you make yourself too stressed and you spend out money where you really do no need to.   Good luck and I really hope you enjoy your kitties soon rather than keep worrying about them all the time :-)

WorriedSoMuch said:

@Feralvr
I know you've been busy so I appreciate you getting on to answer my post. The vet did say to give her a bit more food. He said if she gained some it would be fine even though she's not underweight. I have been feeding her some extra and some extra dry too. She's been loving that. I just have been getting extra worried now when she leaves any food behind thinking it could mean something.

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I sent you a reply PM too with some of the brands that I feed and then there is always the Nutrition Forum Stickies that are loaded with great suggestions of good quality food to try. I think I would just try to push some more good quality food (but not too much too soon :lol3 into her and see if you can get her to gain a few ounces over the next two weeks. THEN, you will know....... ALL IS WELL. :bigthumb: :cross:

@catwoman707 I'm so sorry for your loss of dear Stella. How awful to lose such a young cat to a terrible disease like cancer. That's how my Tito's progression was, very fast. He did exhibit the vomiting for a couple months before his death but he always ate well and acted fine back then. Then suddenly he was very, very sick and within a very short time, he was gone.

@Fleabags Mom The reason I said cats losing weight in the summer made me more nervous was because it's winter so I'd expect Grace to not be losing weight if it's more normal to lose in the summer. She actually gained in the summer and then lost and now lost some more. Thank you for the support. Thanks for the support and information too @Feralvr

I'm trying to keep a level head about this. I mean the litterbox stuff is still going on but it's off and on. Sometimes they "litterbox hop" and dig and other times I barely see them in there. Grace is still acting fine. Yesterday she was so active! I watched a movie that was 2.5 hours long and the whole time she watched birds eating from a feeder near the window, running back and forth and chattering to them. I have been super observant though with her eating habits and wanting her to eat every speck on her plate but sometimes she doesn't want to. I also have been giving her just a bit more food but she doesn't want to eat tons. I guess she's satisfied with the amount she gets. She's never been the "clean the dish" type anyway unless it's something she LOVES. She always leaves little "crumbs" behind. I also was worried yesterday because she went to hide out behind the couch for around half an hour. I really think that was my fault though because I was following her around and I think she got annoyed. I also had the fire alarm go off twice in my building yesterday so that didn't help matters.

WorriedSoMuch said:

 
@catwoman707 I'm so sorry for your loss of dear Stella.

How awful to lose such a young cat to a terrible disease like cancer. That's how my Tito's progression was, very fast. He did exhibit the vomiting for a couple months before his death but he always ate well and acted fine back then. Then suddenly he was very, very sick and within a very short time, he was gone.

@Fleabags Mom The reason I said cats losing weight in the summer made me more nervous was because it's winter so I'd expect Grace to not be losing weight if it's more normal to lose in the summer. She actually gained in the summer and then lost and now lost some more. Thank you for the support. Thanks for the support and information too @Feralvr

I'm trying to keep a level head about this. I mean the litterbox stuff is still going on but it's off and on. Sometimes they "litterbox hop" and dig and other times I barely see them in there. Grace is still acting fine. Yesterday she was so active! I watched a movie that was 2.5 hours long and the whole time she watched birds eating from a feeder near the window, running back and forth and chattering to them. I have been super observant though with her eating habits and wanting her to eat every speck on her plate but sometimes she doesn't want to. I also have been giving her just a bit more food but she doesn't want to eat tons. I guess she's satisfied with the amount she gets. She's never been the "clean the dish" type anyway unless it's something she LOVES. She always leaves little "crumbs" behind. I also was worried yesterday because she went to hide out behind the couch for around half an hour. I really think that was my fault though because I was following her around and I think she got annoyed. I also had the fire alarm go off twice in my building yesterday so that didn't help matters.

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Actually, if Grace had the about same level of activity in the winter as summer and ate the same, she'd lose weight. Metabolism kicks up during winter because of the colder weather. Takes more calories to keep our bodies at a stable, good temperature.

There's lots of reasons for weight gain/loss that are perfectly normal, so don't stress over small fluctuations. While it's good to be observant about your kitties, you need to enjoy them, too!

Thank you @Raintyger I didn't know that about metabolism. Maybe that explains my own weight loss too, although I attribute that to a lot of worry.

See that's the thing with me too now, I spend so much time worrying about them that I feel I'm not enjoying them too. Unfortunately I looked up weight loss on this site and a lot of stories had cancer ties to them so I'm afraid. One person's cat had just lost around 7 ounces which is about what Grace lost, more if you count what she lost in August/September. Granted that these cats were older but still, you just never know. What worries me too is her hiding thing. The other day she just randomly decided to sit under the bed. Why? I have no idea. She wasn't completely out of sight, just sitting under the bed near the end. I wonder, does she feel sick? Then yesterday, she was behind the couch. She ate and then went to sit near the side of it and I happened to walk by. Then she meowed at me and ran to sit behind it. She wasn't under it but just out of view. I know I am surely part of this issue as she is seeing my stress. I wonder if maybe she thinks I am going to grab her and cart her off to the vet, or give her meds like before. I just worry because I know hiding can be a sign of illness. This is another sign Tito exhibited before his death. He started hiding out under the couch during the day. I thought he just didn't want to be bothered with his age but I think now it was all a sign. I just keep thinking, what if I'm sensing something and missing something important?

WorriedSoMuch said:

 
Thank you @Raintyger I didn't know that about metabolism. Maybe that explains my own weight loss too, although I attribute that to a lot of worry.

See that's the thing with me too now, I spend so much time worrying about them that I feel I'm not enjoying them too. Unfortunately I looked up weight loss on this site and a lot of stories had cancer ties to them so I'm afraid. One person's cat had just lost around 7 ounces which is about what Grace lost, more if you count what she lost in August/September. Granted that these cats were older but still, you just never know. What worries me too is her hiding thing. The other day she just randomly decided to sit under the bed. Why? I have no idea. She wasn't completely out of sight, just sitting under the bed near the end. I wonder, does she feel sick? Then yesterday, she was behind the couch. She ate and then went to sit near the side of it and I happened to walk by. Then she meowed at me and ran to sit behind it. She wasn't under it but just out of view. I know I am surely part of this issue as she is seeing my stress. I wonder if maybe she thinks I am going to grab her and cart her off to the vet, or give her meds like before. I just worry because I know hiding can be a sign of illness. This is another sign Tito exhibited before his death. He started hiding out under the couch during the day. I thought he just didn't want to be bothered with his age but I think now it was all a sign. I just keep thinking, what if I'm sensing something and missing something important?

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Oh my goodness, are you going to do this will all your cats for the rest of their lives?! Another 13+ years? You're going to be a nervous wreck!  Your cats are young, so very young, the chances of them being ill is so slim, really! And even if they do get sick, seriously sick like cancer, even if you knew there may not be anything you could do to save them. I said before, its a tough, nasty, horrible sickening fact of life - sometimes cats, dogs, any creature or us humans, we get sick and there's nothing that can be done about it. Why live your life in fear? You deal with things IF and when they come along.

Things to remember with cats - they like to hide! Not all of them but a lot of them. Mine loves it! Loves finding somewhere new to hide too, and he regularly switches his new fav hiding spot. The sofa, a cardboard box that just had something delivered in, one of his many cat bed places, in the laundry cupboard - wherever!  You really need to stop looking for a problem in every single normal cat thing going on, you really do. Surely you know this, having had a cat before?  I would say that your cat hiding and meowing at you means she wanted you to play! She probably hoped you'd pop a toy around there and play some sort of hunting game.  Even if she did hide because she's worried about going to the vets, well, stop taking her to the vet without a need to! As Raintyger said, please enjoy your cats.