This guide is a recording aid. It does not provide a normal-intake threshold or diagnose a reason for a change.
Decide what the number represents
Use a consistent description: “measured amount attributed to this cat over this window,” or “bowl change with attribution uncertain.” Those are different records.
Record an amount only when you have a basis for it. Do not subtract two bowl levels and label the result the cat's intake if a spill or another animal could account for some of the difference.
When measurement is uncertain, keep the note and the uncertainty. It is better evidence than a falsely precise number.
Keep the window explicit
Choose a start and end time you can record consistently. Use local dates and note a time-zone change if relevant. A midnight-to-midnight record is different from one that ends at noon.
A full day that was only partly observed remains partial. A blank day remains missing. Neither should be silently expanded to a complete day.
| Date | Window | Amount/unit | Collection context | Completeness | Source note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ____ | ____ to ____ | ____ mL, or blank | Measured / estimated / uncertain attribution | Complete / partial / unknown | ____ |
| ____ | ____ to ____ | ____ mL, or blank | Measured / estimated / uncertain attribution | Complete / partial / unknown | ____ |
| ____ | ____ to ____ | ____ mL, or blank | Measured / estimated / uncertain attribution | Complete / partial / unknown | ____ |
Use the blank CSV resource if you want to keep a local copy.
Add context without inventing an explanation
Useful notes include a spill, bowl replacement, shared access, an interrupted window or a changed collection method. They explain the recording conditions.
Keep observation and interpretation separate. “Water spilled during the window” is a recorded circumstance. “The change proves a medical cause” goes beyond this log.
If you also record food, keep that as a separate signal with its own unit and method. Do not merge unlike quantities into a single score.
A fictional partial-day example
In a fictional log, Period A has complete-day amounts of 100, 110 and 120 mL. Period B has complete-day amounts of 140 and 150 mL, plus an 80 mL partial-day entry.
The complete-day means are 110 and 145 mL. The 80 mL record remains visible but is excluded from that primary comparison. These fictional amounts are not intake recommendations.
See the full worked calculation.
Shared bowls and more than one cat
If two cats share a bowl, label the amount shared or unattributed unless your observation supports individual attribution. Do not duplicate the whole amount under both cats.
Keeping separate pet labels prevents a precise-looking timeline from describing the wrong animal. Read the multi-pet record guide.
Review the log before using it
Check dates, units and collection windows. Count complete, partial and missing observations separately. Preserve the original entry when correcting a mistake and explain why the correction was made.
If recording is inconsistent, the next useful step may be a clearer observation window—not another percentage calculation.
Bring the basis of the log to a visit
A concise summary should include the period, method, complete-day count, gaps and source notes. If you are concerned about your cat, contact a veterinarian rather than waiting for the log to become complete.
The log helps explain what you observed. It is not a replacement for professional assessment, and a recording score is not a health score.