The relationship among ultrasound measurements, body fat ratio, and feline body mass index in aging cats

This study compared the subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness between aging cats and young adult cats to confirm the suitability of ultrasonography for measuring feline adiposity. Body weight, body condition score (BCS), head and body length, length from the top of patella to the end of the calcaneus, and chest girth were measured in 14 healthy, intact cats (5 young adult and 9 senior cats). Additionally, feline body mass index and body fat ratio were calculated. Ventral subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness (VSAT, caudal to the 13th rib) and breast subcutaneous adipose tissue thickness (BSAT, between the 6th and 7th ribs) were measured by ultrasonography as the distance from the inferior line of the dermis to the superior line of the latissimus dorsi muscle. The aging group showed significant increases in age, body fat ratio, chest girth, and VSAT but not body weight, feline body mass index, BCS, or BSAT. Additionally, VSAT demonstrated significant positive correlations with body weight, feline body mass index, BCS, body fat ratio, chest girth, and BSAT. In conclusion, the site caudal to the 13th rib can be considered a suitable location for ultrasonographic evaluation of fat accumulation in cats. This measurement enables the evaluation of masked fat deposition in aging cats