Weighing a Cat - Tips?

[Pookie]

I tried to weigh Pookie last night, to see if he's still losing weight and how much, but he REALLY gets nervous.  I think he connects it with (shudder) The Vet.  I wasn't able to get a consistent weight because he kept shifting and pushing down to take off of the scale.  For the rest of the night, he kept his distance from me because he thought I'd pick him up and put him on the scale.  He didn't even eat his RadCat because he was so freaked .

For those of you who use a baby scale to weight your furkid -- any tips?  I'm at a loss here.  I'd left it out on the floor since it came so he'd get used to it, but I guess that wasn't enough.  Do I just give up?  How do I get him to tolerate being on it?  Would putting a towel on it help?

Thanks in advance!

[Middle Child]

It took my girls time to get used to it, and Mazy cat and Queen Eva still don't like it.  Jennie doesn't care.

I put the cat on and kind of hover my hands over them, but not on them, long enough to get a reading. I gave a little taste of PureBites chicken after, at first, but I don't bother with that any more. 

They know it doesn't hurt them, even though they don't like it and are allowing me to put them there Under Protest, they do allow it, now.  It did take a few months though.

[Lola]

Does the baby scale have a flat surface?  Does Pookie like boxes?  Maybe you could put the box on the scale and then Pookie in the box. 

[FurMonster Mom]

Do you have a human scale?

Mark your own weight, pick up kitty, weigh while holding kitty, subtract the difference. 

[Pookie]

This is the baby scale that MC recommended, that curves/cradles (to keep a baby from rolling out) and weighs in pounds and ounces.  My human scale doesn't get into ounces (thank goodness!), and that's what I'm monitoring to make sure he doesn't lose weight too quickly.

He gets so freaked about it that he won't let me pick him up now.     Why is it never easy?

[Lola]

Why is it never easy?

   

Maybe just change one thing... and just a very little, so you don't have to worry about him losing weight too fast.  ??  Sorry I don't have anything better...

[Pookie]

   

Maybe just change one thing... and just a very little, so you don't have to worry about him losing weight too fast.  ??  Sorry I don't have anything better...

Thanks, Lola.   

I think I'll hold off changing anything for a couple more weeks.  I want to see just how much of a difference (if any) it makes that he's not getting the pumpkin anymore.  I've also cut back on using the duck treats as a topper, and have replaced it with the Forti-Flora, not that I like the ingredients of that.

The only other thing that's changed is that I now have his gizzards in 2 oz packages.  He was getting much bigger portions of the gizzards for a bedtime snack.  The snacks rotate, so he'll only get them 1-2 times/week (until I run out of the RadCat . . . the order comes in this week).  The rest of the raw is usually 1 oz portions, though when I portion more turkey tenders, those may be reduced, too.

I just wish he wouldn't get so freaked about the scale.  It would help to know how much/fast he's losing (if at all).  *sigh*  He's still not really letting me pick him up, even just for a hug.  He used to be fine with that.   

[Lola]

How is Pookie doing not having the pumpkin? 
You didn't ask but... I would go for the duck treats, as a topper, over the Forti-Flora.  How many calories can there possibly be ...in a bit of a duck ? 
Where do you order the Rad Cat from?

[Pookie]

How is Pookie doing not having the pumpkin? 
You didn't ask but... I would go for the duck treats, as a topper, over the Forti-Flora.  How many calories can there possibly be ...in a bit of a duck ? 
Where do you order the Rad Cat from?

Knock on wood, he's been doing really well.  I hardly get any fur off of him when I comb him at night, which leads me to think we may be in for another coooooold winter.   

I don't know how many calories are in the duck.  I was thinking they're high in fat, though, and maybe cutting back on those would help his weight.  I break them into small pieces when I crumble as a topper, but it can add up when it's a food he's just not interested in.   

The specialty pet food store where I get the canned food also sells raw, and they special order the RadCat for me.  They've turned another customer on to RadCat as well.     The only problem is the distributor that delivers the RadCat isn't always reliable, so sometimes the store has to order it several times before it arrives.  But they do call me to tell me if the order came in or not, and the people that work there are pretty knowledgeable (comparatively speaking).  Some, if not all of them, feed raw to their own pets.   

[Middle Child]

Where do you keep the scale? It's probably too new for him.  You might try leaving it out and letting it become a piece of furniture for a while.  Put a soft blankie over it and see if he uses it as a lounging spot. I don't think it will hurt it if he sits in it, it won't be on. 

[Pookie]

Where do you keep the scale? It's probably too new for him.  You might try leaving it out and letting it become a piece of furniture for a while.  Put a soft blankie over it and see if he uses it as a lounging spot. I don't think it will hurt it if he sits in it, it won't be on. 

I did, as soon as it came.  I had it on the kitchen floor near his condo, by the kitchen table, and he basically ignored it.  After the other night, I put it on a shelf to get it out of the way (and so he wouldn't keep thinking I was going to put him on it).  I can bring it out again, though, and try the blanket or towel, to see if he'd be interested in lying on it.  Thanks!   

[Lola]

Do you have a micro fleece blanket?  My cats LOVE those.  I think they will sleep anywhere I put one!