How to Track Changes in Your Cat's Behavior

Cats are subtle creatures. Changes in health and behavior often happen so gradually that we don’t notice until something is clearly wrong. A simple tracking habit can change that.

What to Track

• Appetite: Is your cat eating all their food? More or less than usual?

• Water intake: Note if you’re refilling the bowl more often

• Litter box: Number of urine clumps, stool consistency, any changes

• Energy level: Playing less? Sleeping more? Restless at night?

• Weight: Monthly weigh-ins (a kitchen scale works for most cats)

• Grooming: More or less than usual? Any bald spots?

• Social behavior: More clingy? More withdrawn?

How to Track

Keep it simple — a notes app on your phone, a paper log on the fridge, or a dedicated notebook. You don’t need to track everything every day. Focus on changes from your cat’s baseline.

Why It Matters

When you visit the vet with concerns, being able to say “she’s been drinking more water for the past two weeks and using the litter box more often” is far more helpful than “something seems off.” It leads to faster diagnosis and better outcomes.

This practice is especially valuable for senior cats, where subtle changes are often the first signs of age-related conditions.

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