Stress can be a real game-changer for your feline

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 your feline's 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 next proceed. You may ask yourself a series of question 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 and you should have the answers ready at hand.

First, let us 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 old age can bring with it a host of other medical problems. I like to put that issue aside and perhaps suggest you should examine some less obvious reason your feline may be less hefty.

Stress can be a real game-changer for your feline. You may not detect subtle changes in your household, but your feline does. So before you look for a drastic excuse for any wight 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 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 10-fold for the feline who has no clue what all the fuss is about. This is equally true when a feline goes from a known shelter environment (Buddy) to a new home.,

In these types of stressful situations, an otherwise healthy feline just stops 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 in preventive care.

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 a sitter may be bringing in your feline for treatment.

A few other signs to acquaint yourself with, in combination with lack of appetite, has to do with your feline's behavior. Is the behavior 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 problem 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 imaging or ultrasonic imaging may be necessary. These test 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 your feline a better chance of recovering from whatever is ailing it.

• The Buddy Foundation is at 65 W. Seegers Road, Arlington Heights. For information, visit thebuddyfoundation.org or call (847) 290-5806.