cat weight

What to Feed a Cat for Weight Gain

Diane Weinmann Animal Health, animal hospice , , , , , ,

by Liz Bales DVM

When veterinarians talk about a cat’s weight, it’s usually focused on feline obesity.

While obesity is a prominent health issue among cats, many cats are also struggling with being underweight. And similar to losing weight, gaining weight gain can also be a tricky issue for cats. It’s not just about changing food portions.

First, you’ll need to find out why your cat is losing weight. Then you can determine a plan of action that includes a diet that will safely help your cat return to a healthy weight.

Create a Plan of Action for Your Cat

Once you and your veterinarian have a plan for treating the underlying disease, you can get to the hard work of weight gain. Your veterinarian will likely have specific suggestions for your cat based on their age and medical needs.

A diet that is customized to your cat’s specific medical condition is likely to result in the best outcome. Your vet will also identify your cat’s ideal weight, and can do regular weigh-ins to make sure that your plan is effective and that your cat does not exceed his/her ideal weight.

For sick cats, returning to a healthy weight is about more than just calories. Diets for specific conditions are customized to have the right macronutrients and micronutrients to provide weight gain while addressing the unique disease-related concerns.

What to Feed a Cat to Help Them Gain Weight

If your cat’s medical problem is under control—parasites are treated or painful teeth are pulled—correcting the calorie deficit may be the only treatment necessary.

Here’s what your veterinarian will look for in a healthy cat food for weight gain.

Find a Type of Food That Fits Your Cat’s Preferences

The most important first step is to find a food that your cat enjoys eating but that doesn’t cause stomach upset. You want a food that fits their dietary requirements but is also highly palatable so they will want to eat it.

It’s not unusual for a cat to have a strong preference for a specific flavor, type (canned/dry) or even texture of food. The same goes for a cat being repulsed by one or more of these factors.

Navigating your cat’s preferences is the first, and most important, step of getting your cat to eat well.

Make Sure the Food Fits Their Nutritional Needs

Cats are obligate carnivores. This means that cats need to get the essential nutrients for their health from animal products.

The natural prey for cats, such as small rodents, are estimated to contain around 55% protein, 45% fat and 1–2% carbohydrate on a dry matter basis.

Although the macronutrient breakdown of prey is only 1-2% carbohydrate, most cats can use up to 40% of their diet in the form of carbohydrates as a good source of energy.

In general, dry food contains more carbohydrates than wet food.

Cat Food Options for Weight Gain

Good quality kitten food is an excellent choice for weight gain in healthy cats. And most cats enjoy eating kitten food.

Royal Canin Feline Health nutrition dry cat food for young kittens is nutrient- and calorie-dense and tends to be highly palatable to most cats.

Your veterinarian can also prescribe high-calorie cat foods like Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Recovery RS canned cat food or Hill’s Prescription Diet a/d Urgent Care canned cat food.

These formulations are highly digestible and provide the extra calories your cat needs to gain weight.

Calculate How Much to Feed Your Cat

Once you have found a food that fits your cat’s needs and also gets them excited about mealtime, it’s time to work out the right portion sizes.

Math is our friend here. In general, for gradual and healthy weight gain, it’s best to assess your cat’s resting metabolic needs and then to feed this amount of calories plus 20% more.

Your vet can help you translate this into the correct amount of the food to feed.

Tips for Helping a Cat Gain Weight

Addressing the underlying health issues, selecting the right food and figuring out how much to feed are vital for success.

But that’s just the starting point. Once you have that sorted, you will need to establish a feeding routine.

Here are a few tips for getting your cat to eat reliably and gain weight safely.

Feed Small, Frequent Meals

A cat’s stomach is only about the size of a ping-pong ball. So it’s normal that your cat won’t eat a lot all at once.

Whether your cat prefers wet food, dry food or both, try feeding one tablespoon of food every few hours.

These small, regular meals are better tolerated than large meals and can reduce the risk of vomiting after a meal.

Try Warming Up Your Cat’s Wet Food

Cats are stimulated to eat by the smell of their food. Warming up wet food can help make the food more aromatic and enticing to your cat.

To heat your cat’s food, put their food in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave it for a few seconds.

The optimal temperature for most cats is at, or near, their body temperature—38.5°C (101.5°F).

Offer the Right Snacks Between Meals

Healthy snacks between meals can aid in putting weight on your cat.

Try tempting your cat with a few high-protein, simple bites of freeze-dried chicken, like PureBites chicken breast freeze-dried raw cat treats, between each meal.

Decrease Your Cat’s Anxiety

A calm cat is a happy cat, and happy cats are more likely to have a good appetite.

Cats are solitary hunters and solitary eaters. That means that they prefer to eat their meals without being bothered.

When your cat has been unwell, it’s normal to want to hover over them. But your cat will likely eat better if you give them some space.

Talk to Your Vet About Appetite-Stimulating Medicine

There are a few medicines available from your veterinarian that can help stimulate your cat’s appetite.

An hour or so after talking the medicine, your cat will feel the urge to eat. You can even ask if your vet can get the medicine in a transdermal form (patch or gel for the skin or gums), so that you can avoid having to give a pill.

Cat losing weight? This may be why….

Diane Weinmann Animal Health, animal hospice , , ,

Cat losing weight?  This may be why….

Reviewed and updated for accuracy on November 8, 2019 by Dr. Elizabeth Bales, DVM as seen in PetMD

 

It’s not always easy to detect weight loss in your cat. The fluff of fur covering most cats can serve as camouflage for weight loss until there is a big change.

 

Unintentional weight loss in cats can be a cause for concern. If you weren’t trying to help your cat lose weight, and especially if your cat is a senior, there might be a health issue to blame.

 

The causes of unintentional weight loss in cats range from simple lifestyle changes to serious illness. Any noticeable weight loss in your cat warrants a visit to your veterinarian to rule out serious health conditions. They will be able to run the necessary tests to determine what might be at the root of the problem.

 

Here are some possible reasons why your cat is losing weight and what you should do about it.

 

Reasons Your Cat Might Be Losing Weight

 

Below is a list of a few common causes of weight loss in cats.

 

Not Getting Enough Food

 

Sometimes, your cat is eating less than you think.

 

Do you have another cat or dog in the house? Additional pets in your home could be eating your cat’s food or obstructing your cat’s access to their food bowl.

 

Or did you recently change brands of food? The calorie content in a cup of food can vary greatly from one brand to another.

 

Is the food dish up high on a counter? Your cat could be experiencing pain from arthritis that is making it difficult to jump up to where the food dish is.

 

Your veterinarian can help you determine if there are obstacles in your home that are preventing your cat from getting enough food.

 

Intestinal Parasites

 

Intestinal parasites are very common in cats and can lead to weight loss if left untreated.

 

Pregnant mothers can give their kittens parasites, and they can also pass parasites through their milk when they are nursing. Cats can also get parasites from hunting and eating prey, or even by walking through contaminated grass and dirt and then grooming.

 

Your vet can examine your cat’s feces to determine if he is carrying parasites that might be causing weight loss.

 

If parasites are the cause, a simple dewormer, directed at the appropriate parasite, can put your cat back on the road to a healthy weight.

 

Feline Diabetes

 

Diabetes is very common in cats and will require immediate veterinary care and ongoing treatment.

 

In addition to unexplained weight loss, diabetic cats typically drink an abnormally large amount of water and urinate large volumes as well.

 

Overtime, without treatment, diabetes is a fatal condition.

 

If your vet suspects diabetes, they will likely take blood and urine samples to confirm the diagnosis. Successful treatment involves diet changes and often insulin.

 

Feline Hyperthyroidism

 

Cats over 8 years old are at risk for hyperthyroidism.

 

The thyroid is a butterfly-shaped organ that is located in the throat. It produces hormones that perform many functions, including regulating the body’s metabolism.

 

When a cat becomes hyperthyroid, their metabolism goes into overdrive—they lose weight, are ravenously hungry all of the time, have a very high heart rate, and often meow at night and have trouble sleeping. They may also drink a lot of water and urinate large amounts.

 

Your vet will do bloodwork to see if this is the cause of the weight loss.

 

Treatment of hyperthyroidism involves controlling the thyroid gland, either with medicine, special food or inpatient radioactive iodine treatment. Your vet will guide you in choosing the best treatment.

 

Feline Viral Disease

 

FIP, FeLV and FIV are viral diseases in cats. These viruses have different causes and possible therapies, but weight loss is a common symptom of all three.

 

If your vet suspects that a virus is the cause of your cat’s weight loss, they may perform blood tests and possibly more tests to determine if one of these viruses is the cause.

 

If a diagnosis is made, management and treatment will be based on the symptoms your cat is showing.

 

Feline Kidney Disease

 

Feline kidney disease can also lead to weight loss in your cat.

 

To determine if kidney disease is the cause of your cat’s weight loss, your vet will do bloodwork and a urinalysis.

 

Treatment may include prescription food, medicine and even sterile fluids that your vet can teach you to administer at home on a regular basis.

 

Feline Cancer

 

Many different forms of cancer can cause weight loss.

 

The diagnosis and treatment plan will vary depending on the kind and stage of cancer suspected. Your vet might do some or all of the following to confirm a diagnosis:

 

·         Bloodwork

·         Urinalysis

·         X-rays

·         Ultrasound and/or biopsies

 

Always Discuss Cat Weight Loss With Your Veterinarian

 

Unintentional weight loss is a nonspecific sign that can have many causes. Anything short of a veterinary visit is just a guess.

 

If you notice that your cat is losing weight, you need to call the vet. Make the appointment now.

 

Your vet should have a documented weight from the last visit and can confirm the weight loss.

 

They will take a thorough history and do a complete physical exam. Based on those findings, your vet might recommend a fecal exam to check for intestinal parasites, and bloodwork to check for clues to get to the bottom of what is causing the weight loss.

 

Fat Cat is NOT where it’s At!

Diane Weinmann Animal Health , ,

By Dr. Becker and Diane Weinmanncat-in-overalls-photo-u2

Sadly, the majority of pet cats in the U.S. are either overweight or obese. According to the most recent research by the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), 58 percent of American kitties are overweight, and 28 percent are considered obese.1

Even more discouraging is that an astonishing 90 percent of cat guardians think their too-heavy cat is a normal weight. According to Dr. Ernie Ward, founder of APOP:

“Pet owners think their obese dog or cat is a normal weight, making confronting obesity difficult. No one wants to think their pet is overweight, and overcoming denial is our first battle.”

Our animal companions have much shorter lifespans than we do. Depending on her breed and other factors, your kitty’s life is compressed into a short 12 to 20 years. And just as her lifespan is accelerated compared to yours, so too is the damage done to her body when she is forced to carry too much weight.

Yes, I said forced. There are no fat felines in the wild. It is humans who have created this problem, and it is humans alone who have the power to reverse the disastrous trend of an ever-increasing number of fat, sick, immobile, and short-lived pet cats.

I am serious when I say I have seen many fat felines. In fact, my mother-in-law’s cat is so fat he almost seems to drag his tummy. She feeds him treats constantly and he doesn’t really play or get exercise. Although, you must remember this is a cat belonging to a very sedate 83 year old woman. I would believe that pets belonging to our senior generation do not get a lot of exercise. This is a mistake but I doubt if you or I would be able to correct it.

So we must start now with cat owners that know better and can provide the stimulation and exercise a feline or dog needs to remain a healthy weight.

Fat Cats Routinely Become Very Sick Cats

There are so many reasons to prevent your cat from becoming overweight or obese. One of the most important is to insure your kitty has a good quality of life throughout her life. Another is so that you’ll have your pet with you for as long as possible.

  • Overweight pets often don’t live as long as pets at a normal weight. The shortened lifespan of a heavy cat can be the result of one or more obesity-related diseases.
  • Carrying around extra weight on a small feline frame places tremendous stress on joints, tendons and ligaments. This can cause arthritis. Tragically, in worst-case scenarios, senior cats immobilized by weight and intractable pain wind up euthanized.
  • Overweight cats have fat lurking in places you can’t see. For example, accumulations of fat deposits in the chest and abdomen can restrict the ability of your kitty’s lungs to expand, making breathing difficult.
  • Obesity is the biggest risk factor for diabetes mellitus in cats. Kitties fed processed cat food, in particular dry food (kibble), are at highest risk for developing this often difficult-to-manage disease.
  • Overweight kitties can also develop hypertension (high blood pressure), which can negatively impact major organ systems.
  • Hypertension does significant damage to a cat’s body. It causes small blood vessels to leak and in some cases, rupture. The result can be a detached retina or a stroke. High blood pressure also takes a toll on the kidneys and heart.
  • Overweight and obese cats are often predisposed to fatty liver disease, a potentially life-threatening disorder also called hepatic lipidosis. A buildup of fat cells in the liver prevents normal functioning. Left untreated, the liver ultimately fails and sadly, cats can and do die from this condition.
  • Your overweight kitty is also at greater risk for feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD). FLUTD is a group of disorders, any of which can affect your cat’s bladder or urethra, including cystitis (inflammation of the bladder), urinary tract infections, urinary stones, urethral plugs, cancer and other disorders.

Now, I am not one to talk—I am overweight, and yes, I have arthritis in my knees. Is that from being overweight? It is probably part of it—the other part is that I’ve had a horse since I was 18 years old and I ride constantly. Do I get enough exercise- in my estimation, yes! But maybe the ice cream and chocolate calories that I consume is too high for the exercise I get. Ya think?????

Given the tremendous risks associated with allowing cats to become overweight, I hope veterinarians and cat owners alike will heed the words of Dr. Steve Budsberg, Director of Clinical Research at the University of Georgia College of Veterinary Medicine:As an orthopedic surgeon I see, on a daily basis, the effects of obesity on dogs and cats with osteoarthritis. It is very frustrating to see how much pain and discomfort excess weight has on my patients.

 Nutrition and Exercise Recommendations for Overweight Cats

  • My mother-in-law the enabler! My dog and horse are not overweight and my cat (when he was alive) was not heavy either. I make sure they receive plenty of exercise based on the food they consume.
  • Veterinarians and owners have the ability to stop obesity in our pets. No animal goes to the refrigerator or the pantry and helps themselves. We enable our pets to get fat!”
  • “The prevention of obesity needs to be at the forefront of all discussions people have about the health of their pet with their veterinarian. The body of evidence that shows the negative impact of obesity on all the body’s systems is overwhelming.

Are You Enabling YOUR Cat to Be Fat?

  • Overweight cats are also at higher risk for surgical complications, decreased immune function, skin disorders, constipation, and certain types of cancer.
  1. In order to slim down an overweight cat, you must feed a portion-controlled, balanced, and species-appropriate diet. In my experience, most overweight cats are fed a dry diet and are often free-fed, which means they’re grazing day and night on food that is keeping them fat.

If your cat is still eating kibble, she’ll need to be slowly and safely transitioned to the right nutrition for her species: a low carb, moisture-dense, and fresh food diet. Not only will a better diet help with weight loss, it will make your feline companion much healthier overall.

  1. Next, make sure your kitty has at least one thing to climb on in your home, like a multi-level cat tree or tower. If he’s willing to use it, he’ll get some good stretching, scratching and climbing time in each day even when you’re not around.
  2. It’s important to keep in mind that your cat has a very limited attention span. Consider investing in a laser toy, either a very inexpensive, simple one or something more sophisticated like the FrolicCat. Many kitties will enthusiastically chase the beams or dots from these toys.
  3. You’ll also want to invest in a few interactive cat toys. To pick the best ones, consider things from your pet’s point of view. She’s a hunter, so when choosing toys and activities to engage her, think in terms of appealing to her natural instincts to stalk prey.

For example, if you have a cat toy like Da Bird, make it land and take off like the real thing. To keep her interest, every so often have the bird land on a tasty treat and let your cat discover it when she pounces on her prey.

5. Also keep some low-tech interactive toys on hand, like a piece of string you drag across the floor, ping-pong balls, or bits of paper rolled into balls. Any lightweight object that can be made to move fast and in unexpected directions will entice almost any cat to chase after it.

Your cat will tell you when he’s had enough, and you shouldn’t expect one game with one toy to go on for very long. Cats in the wild stalk prey for only a few minutes at a time and then move on.

  1. Turn mealtime into a workout session. Put your kitty’s food in a bowl, and then walk around the house with it, with her following close behind. Stop from time to time and offer her small bites of food. As she gets used to this new game, you’ll probably notice her being very active as she weaves around your ankles, runs ahead then turns back and runs towards you, stretches up toward the bowl, and hops around on her back legs.

After 10 to 20 minutes and a good little workout for kitty, you can put the bowl on the floor and let her finish up her meal.

A Word of Caution About Cats and Dieting

It’s extremely important that you diet your kitty slowly. I recommend you weigh your cat every week until he reaches his ideal body weight. Once that’s accomplished, you can weigh him every four to six months to insure he stays at his new healthy weight.

If your cat is obese, he should lose no more than a half-pound per month to prevent triggering a potentially deadly case of hepatic lipidosis. As your cat’s body senses weight being lost, it will begin to mobilize accumulated stores of fat. If weight loss occurs too quickly, the rush of fats being mobilized can overwhelm the liver and shut it down. Very overweight kitties are more prone to this life-threatening condition because their percentage of body fat is so high.

If your cat is only mildly overweight, he can probably safely lose up to a pound a month. What’s important is that his weight goes down and not up, but progress should be slow and steady. There’s no such thing as too slowly when it comes to weight loss in cats.

These weight loss timing guidelines are only suggestions. Some kitties should lose weight much slower than I’ve outlined here due to existing medical issues like diabetes and other chronic conditions. You should work with your veterinarian to determine a safe and healthy amount of weight loss for your cat, and the rate at which weight loss should occur.

It’s also very important that you not change your cat’s food while he’s dieting. If your cat rejects his food and won’t eat (which cats sometimes do when new food is introduced), it can cause a whole host of metabolic problems. This is especially true with overweight kitties.

Please talk with your vet about a meal and exercise plan for an overweight pet! You will be able to thank yourself later because you will have extended your pet’s lifespan…what a great accomplishment for both of you—not to mention all the more memories and love you can share together!