Delaney and Emory are losing weight. I'm concerned, but should I be?

[alicatjoy]

Okay, I am feeling like a really terrible meowmy right now. I haven't been spending as much time with my cats as I usually do as I have been struggling with some health and personal issues (some of you may be aware of what I'm talking about here). Of course, the kitties are always fed and watered and their litter boxes are always clean. And, I do spend time with them, but it is not as much as usual and my roommate has, in some instances, been more involved with them since I have been out of commission for a bit. I'm finally getting back into the swing of things, but I'm feeling very guilty at the moment.

Last night, as I was giving the kitties their evening wet food meal, I noticed that Delaney looked quite thin. In fact, it struck me so suddenly that I almost was brought to tears and immediately reached out to feel her frame. Now, it could've just been my emotions getting at me, but she really did look thin. Her hips looked like they were protruding and her waist was what I would term "wasp-waisted." But, when I pet her, I could not easily or readily feel her hip bones or her ribs. I should also mention that Delaney has a tendency to crouch down in an almost submissive position and that often makes her appear slighter. So, I'm kind of confused -- especially since my other DSH, Emory, looked much the same. They both have the "spay sway" which has become more pronounced, but they have also lost some weight since the fall and winter. And, of course, I also need to take into account the fact that they are shedding quite heavily at the moment. I've never had either through the winter seasons prior to this year so I have nothing to go by and my other two kitties are DLH and their body shape has always been more cobby than my DSH cats.

Over the fall and winter, all of my cats put on a good deal of weight. And, since then, I have changed their diet (per my vet's instructions) to a grain-free dry and a combination of grain-free and other high quality wet foods. Throughout all of this time, all of the cats have eaten well and appear healthy. Delaney and Emory both have shiny coats and their eyes, nose, and ears are clean and clear. They show interest in their food as well as in play. Nothing about their personalities or behaviors has caused me concern, but their weight is bothering me something terrible. My roommate says I'm just noticing their change from fall/winter to spring/summer and thinks they look totally fine, but the thought that something may be wrong is niggling the back of my mind. Unfortunately, I have nothing to base my worries on as they do seem fine, look fine, and feel fine. If there was something glaring, they'd be at the vet in no time flat. But, I can't help but wonder if my fear and worry is based more on the fact that I haven't seen them or spent as much time with them than straight up truth. So, basically, I'm freaking out where they may be no need. And, this, my friends, is par for the course for me...

So, my question is how do you know when to worry and when not to be concerned? Everything points to the fact that the girls have just blown their winter coat and have lost some weight (which was a desired weight loss). I've only seen Delaney grow as she is only just about to turn 2 this week and Emory has always been on the petite side and doesn't look poorly at all. And, Delaney looks healthy as well. My gut says I am just feeling guilty for not being as present in the last couple of weeks as I'd have liked to, but I don't want to rely on that. What have your experiences been with cats losing winter weight and thickness of coat come spring and summer? It's finally steadily warm here in Ohio and this would be the time I'd expect to see some change, but I'm just totally obsessed over this issue.

I have a tendency to run to the vet with even small issues and would prefer not to do that with this issue unless it is warranted. Being out of work (despite having money set aside and insurance for my pets) is certainly a hardship and, while I'll do whatever is necessary, I do not want to strike preemptively. I hope that makes sense as I am not the kind of person to scrimp where my pets are concerned.

I know this is all a bit jumbled, but I hope you all can see where I'm coming from. I haven't weighed the cats, but can do so a bit later once my roommate gets home. I'm just really stressed. I'm stressed about things going on outside of my home life and I'm stressed about my health. I can't help but wonder if my outward stress is being transferred to fear and anxiety about the cats. They're my life, you know?

If you stuck this out, well, you deserve an award. I just feel so terrible. I hope you all don't think I'm a terrible meowmy because of all this...

 

[kluchetta]

How old are those two in particular? Drinking a lot of water? Or eating a lot? Sometimes it's just more activity in summer, but could also be diabetes, hyperthyroidism, or kidney problems...

I do have one cat in particular (the former feral) that consistently gains and loses between winter and summer. Do you think they have done this before?

 

[alicatjoy]

Emory is 2.5 years old and Delaney turns 2 years old this weekend. I adopted Delaney as a 10 month old kitten and so it's hard for me to really know if this is a typical weight gain-weight loss scenario. By mid-summer, last year, I'd say she was at what would be a normalized weight for her. Then, as fall went into winter, it was obvious she was gaining quite a bit and that's when I spoke with the vet about changing their diets. Emory I adopted as an adult around this time last year. So, again, it was my first year with her and so I don't know whether this was the norm for her. And, in fact, I'm not sure anyone does since she came into the shelter in very poor condition.

Neither cat is eating and drinking more or less than usual. If anything, occasionally, my kitten, Finn, will get in their food dishes and try to push them away, but I've been feeding them separately for a while now due to that fact. It's possible my roommate wasn't as conscious of that when she fed them, but it shouldn't have made a tremendous difference. Their behavior and personalities have not changed at all and they appear to be healthy -- their eyes are bright and their coat is shiny (aside from the fact that they are shedding though I suspect that is to be expected). I don't know whether they are more active as they remained very active through the winter, but I know that it's not atypical for cats (or other animals) to consume less in the warmer months. And, also, keep in mind that I did change their diet some at the recommendation of their vet so that they would lose some weight.

My roommate reassured me again that I am looking at this situation through guilt-framed lenses. She may be right. In fact, she's more than likely right. But, at the same time, I don't want to not take action based on the fact that I tend to overreact, obsess, and worry. I recognize that I do feel very stressed and it is quite possible that I am transferring this anxiety onto a situation I feel as though I can control, but I'd rather look like a fool and ask a question than do nothing and regret it later.

 

[alicatjoy]

Okay, I'm back again with an update.

I spent the time since my last post laying in bed with the kitties all around me. And, I'm feeling much better about the situation as a whole. I think, in this instance, my roommate was right and that I was looking at the situation through guilt-framed glasses. I felt badly for not spending as much time with the cats as usual and for asking my roommate to help me out as I got back on my feet after an illness and other personal issues that have transpired. I have always spent all of my spare (and not so spare) time with my animals -- even when I've been sick or overwhelmed with work. But, this time, some things were more difficult and I needed help from my roommate to get by. I now realize that that does not make me a bad meowmy. Rather, it makes me a good one. And, instead of being on hard on myself for not being 100% present then, I need to let it go and allow myself to be 100% now. And, amazingly, with that realization came a clear head and I've since been able to look at the situation more objectively.

I weighed all of the cats this evening. Emory weighed in at 9.5 pounds. She was 10 pounds in December. So, she's lost 1/2 a pound. That is excellent considering the vet wanted her at the 9-9.5 pound mark since she is such a petite cat. Cassidy weighs 12.5 pounds. Unfortunately, of all the cats, she is the one that needs to lose the most weight. And, for her, it is going painstakingly slow. Delaney (who I was most concerned about) weighs in exactly at 10 pounds. She was 10.5 pounds at her last vet appointment in the winter (I weigh the cats quarterly, unless needed otherwise, and also have them weighed at the vet so I can tell the difference between my scale and the vet's scale) and she is, interestingly enough, exactly where she should be (but, more about that later). And, my little man, Finnegan, weighs 9 pounds. He's gained a lot and has a huge appetite, but at 9 months, he's right where he should be. So, all my worry was much ado about nothing.

I spent a lot of time just petting Delaney since she was the one I was most concerned about. While she looks slight, she really isn't. She does tend to crouch which causes her shoulders and haunches to appear more pointed than they are, but she doesn't feel underweight in the least. She has nice muscle tone and her fur is shiny. I don't know why, but I was so anxious that she was getting too thin. I was obsessed with the fact and it wasn't even real. She eats well, drinks well, plays well, and acts as normal as she ever acts. Needless to say, I am thankful that I took action and made sure she was where she needed to be weight-wise. And, while I feel like a fool for posting all of this nonsense, I am grateful that I had her prior medical history and weight for me to go off of. But, even more than that, I'm just so thankful that my cats are healthy, happy, and well-adjusted.

If this foolish post and my incessant, obsessive ramblings have a purpose in all this, it would be this: please always keep accurate weights of your cats. Weigh them regularly at home as well as at the vet. Keep files and get to know your cats inside and out. I was able to dodge a bullet (and another sleepless night) because I had accurate records. And, because of that, if there is a real concern, I can take action quickly and confidently. Thankfully, I didn't have a problem this time (other than my silliness!) but things can come up at any time. Being in the know is never a bad thing. And, neither is being prepared. I'm grateful that I have been and will continue to be both...

 

[sk_pacer]

If it makes you feel better - I have that guilt over my barn cats and feel horrible for them when they lose winter fat. Thing is, the three worst are the most playful and affectionate of the lot, so I notice the loss more. I KNOW it is fat loss and muscle gain (you don't retain much muscle lounging about under a heat lamp with free choice kibble) and that it is perfectly normal. The worst thing is this: a cat of proper weight is really quite bony over the ribs and spines and quite muscle bound over the quarters and down to the knees and hocks. I have been told by my regular vet that the cats are looking good and the ones he can catch are of good weight. I also know that if any of the stooges sit on me, I have been well and truly sat on - they are heavy despite the ribs.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

I actually weigh my cats about every 10 days because one is underweight (CRF kitty), one is overweight and we're trying everything we can think of to get him to lose weight, and the other two are the perfect weight and we want to make sure they stay that way. Keeping track this often is a great tool.

 

[mizmelzy]

I have one cat Smokie. He's been feeling more bony as of late. Probably I'd say since February/March. I Weighed him again this week and he's around 10lbs so he's not malnourished and this was when he was sick too and throwing up. I do know that as cats get older they start losing a little muscle and you start noticing more of their bones. I have another cat who is that way too but she is 12 years old. Smokie Just turned 9 this May. I also have one cat who I've been trying to get to loose weight. I think she's around 17lbs. So I try to weigh them often as I can so I know if they are loosing weight or gaining.

Mel