Once your cat is old enough, look into spaying or neutering, which can slow the metabolism. No one likes to see poor, skinny kitty cats wasting away! Like any living being, a cat needs to eat and digest food to live. If a cat is not eating or at least doesn't seem to be getting nourishment from food, you need to find out what's wrong.
As mentioned before, you may want to try food formulated specifically for kittens as that has the most fat and protein. Read that label! The first ingredient should be a type of meat such as turkey, fish, lamb, chicken or beef. Not only will high-protein food help your cat put on a healthy amount of weight, you may notice her coat becoming shinier and softer with other physical improvements. Maybe your cat doesn't care for the texture of dry food. Or maybe mouth pain or lost teeth is her reason for being reluctant to eat.
Consider canned cat food. It's easy to digest making it quick to pack on the pounds. Read the label again. You want to know what all is in the food and how many calories. In fact, canned food may work a bit too well in helping your cat gain weight, so use caution. Generally, you are discouraged from giving a cat people food, but desperate times may call for desperate measures. Don't feed your cat any foods that will only make the condition worse.
A small amount of plain, unsweetened yogurt on top of the food adds calories and entices Kitty to eat more. Canned sardines and mackerel are acceptable if packed in water rather than oil with no salt. Both yogurt and sardines have calcium and yogurt has probiotics. They're also both foods cats are fond of.
Treats should not be used for meal replacement as they are not very nutritious though they are high in calories. A few treats between meals can whet your cat's appetite though. A few treats at a time will help your cat's weight slowly increase. Small portions served often may be what's needed. One simple method to get Kitty to eat is to heat up her food just a little. Cats love meat. It is good for them but it also tastes good. To start, your cat may view this as a treat for most cats, and it is likely better than their cat food.
If you can get your cat to eat many different meals throughout the day, they might be more inclined to eat. This could encourage your cat to chow down every time you put food in their bowl, which will at least ensure they are getting some energy throughout the day. While it is always best to help your cat gain weight naturally, sometimes they need a little help. If this is the case, talk to your vet about cat weight gain supplements. This can help fatten up a cat without them having to have a full meal.
In summation, a cat that is underweight is in just as, if not more trouble than a cat that is overweight. While there are many reasons your kitty is not eating, the result is the same. Cats cannot survive long without the right type of food. Their energy and health decline rapidly if they do not eat. So, if you notice that your cat looks underweight, or is not eating properly, you need to get them help and fatten them up right away. How to Fatten Up a Cat. Reasons a Cat is Too Skinny Cats can be difficult to figure out.
How to Fatten up a Cat There could be a medication or other health regiment that your cat needs to go on to regain their strength but if your cat is underweight, the first order of business is usually to fatten them up.
So, here are the most popular ways to fatten up a cat:. Laura Bethany T September 26th, About the Author: Laura Bethany. With some observations, dedication, and following our advice, you should be able to increase the number of daily calories ingested by your cat. Over time, the cat should put on some weight the healthy way! Paola Cuevas is a veterinarian and animal behaviorist, with over 17 years of experience working with a variety of species.
Her passion is animal welfare and focuses on the importance of preventive medicine. Paola has skills in the fields of nutrition, microscopy, clinical pathology, diagnostic imaging, and endoscopy as well as extensive experience in animal training through positive reinforcement.
As our in-house veterinarian, Paola is very happy to share her knowledge and experience with our readers and hopes to be helpful with any issue presented by your non-human family members. Image Credit: stockelements, Shutterstock Ruling Out Medical Conditions First things first, we need to rule out the possibility of the cat being underweight as a result of a medical condition or underlying disease.
Some of the most common are: 1. Dental Problems The pain caused by teeth or any injury in the mouth makes eating unpleasant and your cat will avoid it as much as possible. Parasites Intestinal parasites are a common find in underweight animals as they rob the host of many essential nutriets. Food Allergies or Sensitivities Certain food may not be ideal for your cat and make him feel unwell. Infections Needless to say, the animal will not be food-driven if feeling unwell and fighting an infection.
Hyperthyroidism This endocrine disease causes cats to lose weight and is more common each day due to the phytoestrogens from soy used as a protein base in many formulations of commercial cat food.
Image Credit: Ivonne Wierink, Shutterstock Review of Other Factors Once you have ruled out the possibility of the cat suffering from a medical condition, you should check for other factors that could be the cause of their malnourishment: 1. Quality of Their Current Diet Cats are obligate carnivores and require a diet based mostly on animal proteins with a moderate amount of fat and very limited carbohydrates.
Environmental Factors It is important to be aware of the possibility of a cat refusing to eat due to environmental factors, and some detective work and observation will be necessary to rule out this possibility. The following are some common examples of possible environmental factors:.
Their food bowl is near a noisy area or loud machines such as a dishwasher or a laundry machine. The plate is near the litter box, this one is a BIG no, no. This is very unhygienic but is somehow still a common practice.
There are other cats showing dominance over others, not allowing them to eat. As a general rule, each cat should have their own plate.
But, in some cases, even this is not enough, and the animals must be completely separated in different rooms or have different meal times. Anxiety can cause loss of appetite. Investigating the cause of the anxiety in your cat and addressing it accordingly can go a long way in helping your pet put on weight and regain their mental health.
This will help finicky eaters be more enticed to indulge in meal times, which will eventually add some weight to her frame. However, just like dry kibble, be sure the canned food contains whole proteins as the main ingredient, not grain or by-product fillers. Another helpful way to help your cat gain weight is to look to your pantry items.
These can include;. All these foods provide your cat with a big protein boost and will help supplement her daily kibble diet.
We as good pet parents may want to share everything on our plates with a mooching cat, but there are some foods that should be avoided whether you have a skinny or fat cat. These include;. When you begin the process of fattening up your cat, do so with caution. You want Kitty to go from too skinny to just right, not too skinny to too fat. I would say this is a great tip for the cat to gain weight.
When I had a sick cat, I would put canned cat food in the blender with a little water. Even with pate cat food, the cat would just lick at it. Dry food is never, ever good for cats. If your cat needs to gain weight. My cats do not like canned food.
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