Ginger is SO skinny!

gingersmom

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I can feel the individual knobs on her spine when she sits. I can feel her hip bones when she is standing. I can just about count her ribs.

But she's a little girl, and I just weighed her and she is 9 pounds! Penny is smaller than she is but packed with muscle, and also weighs about 9 pounds.

I know that Ginger is the right weight for her overall body size, as per my vet the last time I took her in for thinking she's too skinny last year,
but she always seems underweight to me!

She gets plenty of food, lots of treats (mostly dried chicken filets that are 70% protein,) 3 ounces of her wet (well, 2.75) at night that she eats most of. She's healthy, bright-eyed, tortitudish, drinks lots of water, good litterbox use - yet she's rail thin, and I mean BONY.

I guess all I can do is continue to stuff her face, while trying to prevent Penny and Ferris from hogging all the food.
 

starryeyedtiger

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not to worry you-but a few suggestions


has she lost weight recently? if so, if might be a good idea as a precaution to have her checked for diabetes and thyroid issues (with cats most thyroid problems are the result of an overactive thyroid- which can lead to weight loss).
 
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gingersmom

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Originally Posted by StarryEyedTiGeR

not to worry you-but a few suggestions


has she lost weight recently? if so, if might be a good idea as a precaution to have her checked for diabetes and thyroid issues (with cats most thyroid problems are the result of an overactive thyroid- which can lead to weight loss).
She's the same weight she was last September at her checkup, and she has stopped growing, so no, that doesn't sound like anything I need to worry about, but thank you, 'cause I know you care.
 

sarahp

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It's hard with fluffy cats to see how chubby/skinny they are!

If she's 9lb and her weight hasn't changed recently, and nothing else is the same, then she's probably fine.

Stumpy is 7lb 12oz or something like that, and is fairly skinny and bony, but the vet said she's just petite - she's the way a cat should look. I daresay Ginger is the same - we just see so many fat cats around, a "normal" looking cat looks super skinny!
 

starryeyedtiger

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Originally Posted by GingersMom

She's the same weight she was last September at her checkup, and she has stopped growing, so no, that doesn't sound like anything I need to worry about, but thank you, 'cause I know you care.
if she's kept the same amount of weight on her for the past year then i wouldn't worry!
(that is good to hear!) Sounds like that little one is just a petite girl
My Velvet weighs about 6lbs- she's been tinsy her entire life
Sometimes they're just petite and adorable like that!
- What food are you feeding her at the moment? I'm sure if you post in the health/nutrition form or pm Jennifer (sharky) she might be able to give you some suggestions for adding a safe amount of weight to her slowly
By the way- we need more pictures of her
 
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gingersmom

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Ginger is VERY camera shy - she turns her back when she sees it, but if I can catch any, I'll be sure to post them.


As far as what she eats: this little girl is FINICKY when it comes to wet and will only eat one flavor of one brand. I spent SO much money trying to find one she would eat - this was one of the last I tried, so that's what she gets: Meow Mix Tuna & Shrimp.
I tried, believe me.

As for the dry, they are currently sharing a mix of Royal Canin Adult, Nature's Prairie Raw Instinct and Serengeti, and her coat is simply beautiful.
She also gets petromalt on occasion, and seems to be the only one in the house that enjoys the taste.
 

tierre0

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Maybe when you have her to the vet next time get them to check her kidney function. Cats with poor kidney function are usually really skinny because they aren't getting as much nutrition from their food. They also pee a lot and seem hungry more then they should. The treatment is pretty simple they just put them on a lower protein diet which works really well.
It might be worth checking on simply for peace of mind.
 

theimp98

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Originally Posted by GingersMom

But she's a little girl, and I just weighed her and she is 9 pounds! Penny is smaller than she is but packed with muscle, and also weighs about 9 pounds.

I know that Ginger is the right weight for her overall body size, as per my vet the last time I took her in for thinking she's too skinny last year,
but she always seems underweight to me!
she sounds so much like heyu. I have taken her to the vet twice this last year, but they said she is fine. she is the same weight 9 pounds, and looks so skinny, and it does not help tha she is long. Eazy is now the same weight and he is not even a year old yet.

i guess, they are trying to keep there sexy fiq for the boys cat? i dont know.
 

calico2222

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Oh old is she? Missy is that way. She, Gizmo and Corky are littermates but Gizmo is twice the size of Missy. She just won't put on weight, but the vet says she's fine. I guess its like humans...some are naturally thin and some put on weight if they even see food (like me
). If the vet says she is fine, I wouldn't worry as long as she doesn't start losing weight. If she is young, she may just have some filling out to do. Harley didn't start "filling out" until he was 2 yrs old.
 

adymarie

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My little tori Peepers was also like that when she was younger. She is beginning to chunk up a little now in her "senior years" (she is turning 11 this month). But she is still extremely agile and active (and bossy).
 
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gingersmom

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Originally Posted by tierre0

Maybe when you have her to the vet next time get them to check her kidney function. Cats with poor kidney function are usually really skinny because they aren't getting as much nutrition from their food. They also pee a lot and seem hungry more then they should. The treatment is pretty simple they just put them on a lower protein diet which works really well.
It might be worth checking on simply for peace of mind.
Ginger eats like a bird, actually. She is a "gravy licker" and snacks on small portions of dry food throughout the day. She does drinks lots of water, but nothing ridiculous - she doesn't stand there drinking and drinking and drinking - she takes a nice long drink and then doesn't go near the fountain again for literally hours.

She'll be just 2 years old this month, and her last vet check she came through with flying colors.

She doesn't go to the litterbox too frequently, although she does pee in large "clumps," but she's been this way since I brought her home at 8 weeks old.


I'll ask them about it, but I think she's just a skinny Minnie.
 

lunasmom

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She'll start to "fill" out a little more (as in become muscular) in her 3rd year.

Luna is a midget cat (well that's what we call her
) and she was always super thin up until this past winter. She turned 2 last June, but now this year she's muscles rather than fur and bone.
 
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