Longitudinal changes in bodyweight, body condition, and muscle condition in ageing pet cats: findings from the Cat Prospective Ageing and Welfare Study.

ABSTRACT: Body composition metrics such as bodyweight, body condition score (BCS) and muscle condition score (MCS) can be readily recorded as part of veterinary examinations in ageing cats. However, the description of how these parameters change with age, whilst accounting for sex and age-related morbidity, is limited. The aim of this prospective cohort study was to evaluate age, sex and health-related changes in bodyweight, BCS and MCS in client-owned pet cats. A total of 1,231 veterinary examinations were performed on 209 pet cats aged 6.7-16.4 years enrolled on the Cat Prospective Ageing and Welfare Study. Cats were followed every 6 months for up to 7 years. Mixed-effects models using natural cubic splines were applied to investigate non-linear age-related changes, adjusting for sex and disease s

SUBMITTER: Pye CR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12415779 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature