How to make a cat gain weight?!

foreign_correspondent

there are supplements you can add - when I worked as a zookeeper all the carnivores (mainly felines) were fed raw food with a sprinkling of SA37 powder, which is a supplement...

If I were you I would talk to the vet and maybe run off a copy of the recipes - aha I have just looked at them and they do include a list of supplements and additives - although it is possible to do this, tinned foor may be much easier - ask the vet what he thinks and advises.

I know kimberley on here raw feeds her cat so she may have some ideas - is the cat interested in raw meat at all?

UKTigerlily

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

there are supplements you can add - when I worked as a zookeeper all the carnivores (mainly felines) were fed raw food with a sprinkling of SA37 powder, which is a supplement...

If I were you I would talk to the vet and maybe run off a copy of the recipes - aha I have just looked at them and they do include a list of supplements and additives - although it is possible to do this, tinned foor may be much easier - ask the vet what he thinks and advises.

I know kimberley on here raw feeds her cat so she may have some ideas - is the cat interested in raw meat at all?

ooo I thought hers had Orijen?

foreign_correspondent

oh I dunno I could be wrong - or maybe she has changed it over, but I am sure she said she was raw feeding, cos I remember I was surprised cos she had told me off for letting my dog have bones in the past! lol - that's all totally irrelevant but it's what made me remeber it IYSWIM?

UKTigerlily

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

oh I dunno I could be wrong - or maybe she has changed it over, but I am sure she said she was raw feeding, cos I remember I was surprised cos she had told me off for letting my dog have bones in the past! lol - that's all totally irrelevant but it's what made me remeber it IYSWIM?

lol maybe her Dog is on raw? idk? lol KIMBERLEYYYYYY?

LittleTinker

My cat who was very thin and funny with her food turned out to have a liver problem. Basically she wasnt putting weight on because the liver wasnt taking nutrients from the food as it should.

One night, about 2am, I got up and went into the kitchen and she followed me but I noticed she was walking as though she was drunk. And being very affectionate too.

Took her to the Vets in the morning and he told us she had advanced liver problems and it had caused her a stroke. She was pts.

Her brother had the reverse of the problem a year prior. But he wasnt eating. Me and my OH were feeding him a slop every half an hour, through out the night.....he went the other way and ballooned, poor thing. After several weeks it was too much for him too and he was pts.

You need a special test from the Vets which costs a fair bit but worth it.

LittleTinker

Nomad25 wrote: »

You don't say how old she is? From experience, if they're normally quite thin - you'll have a hard time to fatten an old cat up. [Usually due to the kidneys not processing food as efficiently].

Kidneys process food??

Wickedkitten

Surely it would be worth a visit to the vet to see if she actually is underweight for her frame, plus he could give you advice on how much weight she should be putting on each week as well.

Most people these days completely overfeed their cats so depending on her lifestyle she may not need as much, or need more food than an average cat. Both of our cats are neutered indoor males and it ended up that the perfect amount of food for them both calorie wise is a half tin of food each day.

sleepymy

Apologies if I'm repeating anything (I'm too tired to read the thread properly) . I just wanted to say be careful of how much protein you're giving her, especially if she's older, too much combined with age can damage the kidneys. Anything I've read suggests that carbohydrates make cats fat (why some people don't like dry food) so perhaps a high fat dry food. Our boys used to get a lil chicken fat saved and poured over their dinner too.

I hope you find a solution, I have a skinny old man too but he has an inflammatory stomach condition and early kidney disease so overfeeding him gives him problems too :rolleyes:

And cat's can actually develop anorexia so your first post isn't so daft

UKTigerlily

Wickedkitten wrote: »

Surely it would be worth a visit to the vet to see if she actually is underweight for her frame, plus he could give you advice on how much weight she should be putting on each week as well.

Most people these days completely overfeed their cats so depending on her lifestyle she may not need as much, or need more food than an average cat. Both of our cats are neutered indoor males and it ended up that the perfect amount of food for them both calorie wise is a half tin of food each day.[/quote]

You're totally right, i'm guessing half a can is about 200g, so half of what the can says they supposedly need? Mine has the same, 200g a day, 100 in the morning & 100 at night. She's 11 next month & tho she does go out it's more to go to the loo & sit waiting to come in than to hunt & exercise! I find 200g to be the right amount for her. Of course all Cats are different & I agree too that a Vet visit would be good

foreign_correspondent

The cat has already been to the vet, I remember the last thread where the owner took the cat to the vet as the vet suspected a medical cause too, but that has all been ruled out, so the owner is now just trying to find a way to encourage the kitty to eat more! (On the advice of the vet)