Weight change can be a sign of problems

In the past, I have discussed how important it is to be knowledgeable of your feline's physical structure. That means you have a good grasp on its normal weight range and have the ability to detect a weight change.

Once a weight change is detected, you have a protocol on how to proceed. You may ask yourself a series of questions to determine the reasons for the weight loss before you spring into dramatic action and hurry to your veterinarian's office.

For sure, your veterinarian will be asking you the same questions you should already have asked yourself.

First, rule out old age. Some muscle mass loss is acceptable with age and loss of muscle will cause weight loss. You will notice that your feline's skin sags a little more than it used to. Not to downplay old age, because it can bring a host of other medical problems, but I'd like to put that issue aside and suggest you examine some less obvious reasons your feline may be less hefty.

Stress can be a real game changer. You may not detect subtle changes in your household, but be sure your feline does. So before you look for a drastic excuse for any weight loss, examine the obvious first.

Stress can cause your feline to avoid even its most favorite foods. An addition to the family, either human or feline, can be a real stress trigger.

Other such triggers can be moving an animal from a known environment to a new home. Just think how stressful the move was for you with all the planning and packing. Now, magnify that tenfold for the feline who has not a clue what all the fuss is about. This is equally true when a feline goes from a known shelter environment like Buddy to a new home.

In these type of stressful situations, an otherwise healthy feline can just stop eating from fright and change of routine. If this occurs over a prolonged period of time, the medical consequences can be grave. Your ability to promptly notice the situation is key to preventive medicine.

Boarding an animal can have the same results for some finicky felines. The same can be true if you leave your pet home to avoid the trauma and employ a pet-sitter. Some felines consider this a drastic change. In this situation, make sure your sitter can travel to your veterinarian for treatment and that your veterinarian is aware that someone other than yourself may be bringing your pet for treatment.

Another sign is your feline's behavior. Is he normal or lethargic? In addition to energy level, you need to be aware of any vomiting or litter box usage changes. These are signs of gastrointestinal problems. Here, the problems can range from the most simple, like parasites, to the more severe that might involve an extensive blood panel test.

Beyond blood, urine and stool analysis, X-ray images or ultrasonic imaging may be necessary. These tests sound drastic, but they may be the only means to diagnose the real culprit to the problem of weight loss.

Offering a higher calorie food will only give you a Band-Aid without a true diagnosis that will be a long-term solution. Once you are aware of what the true problem is, offering a more palatable and more caloric food may help jump-start your feline on the road to recovery.

Having a baseline of your feline's habits, behaviors and diagnostic testing will always give him a better chance of recovering from whatever is ailing him.

Upcoming

Blessing of the Animals:

Remember to save Saturday, May 14, at 1 p.m. for the blessing of your animals and family. The event will take place at the shelter, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, by the gazebo in the rear of the property. Watch for further details.

Featured Felines:

• Dixie arrived at the shelter with her three brothers, Braveheart, Beau and Stewart. Her brothers have all been adopted. She was the shy one of the four kittens and has been overlooked. She is still a bit on the shy side, but if you spend some time in our kitten room, she will eventually come out, especially if you are handing out treats. She won't crawl into your lap, but if you sit in the chair or on the floor she just might decide you are OK and sit next to you. But you will have to be patient to find out that she really is a nice cat.

• Shine is a handsome, gray and silver, male tabby. He and his siblings arrived at the shelter as kittens. Shine has always been a bit on the skittish side and will usually run from someone new. But once he gets to know you, he can be a pretty affectionate cat.

If he decides you are OK, he likes being petted and can actually be picked up. One quick way to get to know him is to come with a tray of food ... he loves his food, and will frequently steal trays from the other cats. Come in and visit him in Room Four.

• The Buddy Foundation, 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights, is a nonprofit (501c3), all volunteer, no-kill animal shelter. For information, call (847) 290-5806 or visit www.thebuddyfoundation.org.