It’s common for veterinarians to discuss feline obesity, but many cats also struggle with being underweight. Just like with weight loss, gaining weight can be a challenging issue for cats, and it’s not simply a matter of adjusting food portions. The first step is to identify the underlying reason for your cat’s weight loss. Once the cause is understood, a plan can be developed, including a diet to safely help your cat reach a healthy weight. This guide will delve into the causes of weight loss, how to create an effective action plan with your veterinarian, and the best dietary choices and feeding strategies to help your cat regain their healthy weight.
Understanding Why Your Cat is Losing Weight
Several medical conditions can lead to a cat losing weight. These can range from common issues like intestinal parasites and dental disease to more serious conditions such as kidney disease, hyperthyroidism, diabetes, and cancer. Gastrointestinal diseases, lung diseases, chronic pain, and other underlying health problems can also contribute to unexplained weight loss. It is crucial to consult with your veterinarian to diagnose and treat any potential health issues.
Common causes of feline weight loss include:
- Intestinal parasites
- Kidney disease
- Hyperthyroidism
- Diabetes
- Dental disease
- Gastrointestinal disease
- Lung disease
- Chronic pain
- Cancer
Creating a Plan of Action for Your Cat
Once you and your veterinarian have established a plan to address the underlying disease, the focus can shift to the critical task of weight gain. Your veterinarian will likely provide specific recommendations tailored to your cat’s age and medical needs. A diet customized to your cat’s specific medical condition offers the best chance for a positive outcome. Your vet will also help determine your cat’s ideal weight and schedule regular weigh-ins to monitor the effectiveness of the plan and ensure your cat does not exceed their target weight. For cats that are ill, regaining a healthy weight involves more than just increasing calorie intake. Diets designed for specific conditions are formulated with the appropriate macronutrients and micronutrients to promote weight gain while simultaneously addressing unique disease-related concerns.
What to Feed a Cat to Help Them Gain Weight
If your cat’s medical problem is under control—meaning parasites have been treated or painful teeth have been extracted—simply correcting the calorie deficit may be the only treatment required. Your veterinarian will consider several factors when recommending a healthy cat food for weight gain.
Choosing a Food Your Cat Enjoys
The most critical initial step is to find a food that your cat finds appealing and that does not cause stomach upset. The ideal food should meet their dietary requirements and be highly palatable, encouraging them to eat. It’s common for cats to have strong preferences for specific flavors, food types (canned/dry), or even textures. Conversely, they may be repulsed by certain aspects of a food. Navigating your cat’s preferences is the essential first step in ensuring they eat adequately.
Ensuring Nutritional Needs Are Met
Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they require essential nutrients for their health to be derived from animal products. The natural prey of cats, such as small rodents, are estimated to consist of approximately 55% protein, 45% fat, and 1–2% carbohydrates on a dry matter basis. While the macronutrient breakdown of prey shows only 1-2% carbohydrates, most cats can tolerate up to 40% of their diet in carbohydrate form, which serves as a good energy source. Generally, dry food tends to contain more carbohydrates than wet food.
Cat Food Options for Weight Gain
High-quality kitten food is an excellent option for healthy cats needing to gain weight, and most cats readily consume it. For instance, Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition dry cat food for young kittens is nutrient- and calorie-dense and is typically highly palatable to most felines. Your veterinarian may also prescribe high-calorie cat foods such as 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 additional calories your cat requires for weight gain.
Calculating How Much to Feed Your Cat
Once you’ve identified a food that meets your cat’s needs and entices them to eat, the next step is determining the appropriate portion sizes. Mathematics plays a key role here. For gradual and healthy weight gain, it’s generally best to calculate your cat’s resting metabolic rate and then feed that amount of calories plus an additional 20%. Your veterinarian can assist you in translating this calculation into the correct feeding amount for the chosen food.
Tips for Helping a Cat Gain Weight
Addressing underlying health issues, selecting the appropriate food, and determining the correct feeding amounts are crucial for success. However, these are just the foundational steps. After these are in place, establishing a consistent feeding routine is essential. Here are some tips to encourage your cat to eat reliably and gain weight safely.
Feed Small, Frequent Meals
A cat’s stomach is quite small, roughly the size of a ping-pong ball. Therefore, it’s normal for your cat not to eat large quantities at once. Whether your cat prefers wet food, dry food, or a combination of both, try offering one tablespoon of food every few hours. These smaller, regular meals are typically better tolerated than larger ones and can help reduce the risk of vomiting after eating.
Warm Up Wet Food
Cats’ sense of smell is a primary driver for eating. Warming up wet food can enhance its aroma, making it more enticing. To do this, place the food in a microwave-safe bowl and heat it for a few seconds. The ideal temperature for most cats is around their body temperature, approximately 38.5°C (101.5°F).
Offer Healthy Snacks
Offering healthy snacks between meals can significantly contribute to your cat’s weight gain. Consider tempting your cat with a few high-protein, simple bites of freeze-dried chicken, such as PureBites chicken breast freeze-dried raw cat treats, between their main meals.
Reduce Your Cat’s Anxiety
A calm cat is generally a happier cat, and happy cats tend to have better appetites. Cats are naturally solitary hunters and eaters, preferring to consume their meals without disturbance. When your cat has been unwell, it’s natural to want to monitor them closely. However, your cat may eat better if given a bit more personal space.
Consult Your Vet About Appetite-Stimulating Medication
Your veterinarian may have access to medications that can help stimulate your cat’s appetite. About an hour after administering such medication, your cat should feel an urge to eat. You can inquire whether your vet can provide the medication in a transdermal form (a patch or gel applied to the skin or gums) to avoid the difficulty of administering a pill.
