My Cat is Very Thin

I have a big question... I have an adopted cat about 4-5 years old. We have had him about a year now and the vets say he is just a skinny cat, but otherwise healthy.

I think he is too skinny. He is hungery most of the time even tho I have dry food out for him. He is on Science Diet Sensitive Stomache formula because there are times he vomits quite regularly when he eats too much. I also feed him SD kitten food (canned wet food) since I am trying to help him gain weight. He eats that twice a day.

He voids normal and I see no sign of worms. His teeth look good and his gums are healthy. I am just not satisfied with the Vets attitude of 'everything is fine'. He was skinny to begin with when we got him and just assumed it was because he had been picked up off the streets.

Any suggestions would be great. I have another kitty at home too who is healthy and we have had them the same length of time.

I have a cat who I think is just WAY to skinny. She's now 3 years old, and I've finally managed to put a bit of decent weight on her. I guess what a normal cat should be...

I've heard many vets say to me "she's healthy, and happy, she's fine, you don't need to worry about how skinny she looks."
Sometimes I can fit my fingers around her waist, and it's about the size of a baseball or softball, and I just think "how is this not too skinny!?" She's not a small cat by any means! She's a Maine Coon mix we believe.

I've recently switched her to what I consider to be a really good food, better than SD, and it has worked GREAT. But I realize that your cat might be on that food for reasons you haven't revealed yet.

Is it that your cat eats too much, or too fast that causes her to vomit? I say bring her to a completely different vet office, get a second opinion.

If it's a matter of her eating too fast, try hand feeding her. She can eat as much as she likes, but she can't whorf it down that way.

sharyn,

Some cats are just skinny and others are fat. It goes to genetics and metabolism. My biggest cat was over 16 pounds, she has been horribly abused when she was a kitten and always looked like she was pregnant.

I would recommend that if you switch to any different type of food, you do so gradually. I highly recommend even if your kitty is an indoor only kitty. Royal Canin's Outdoor Formula. You can click on the link in the forum here to read on it. I started feeding mine this blend about 5 months ago and the difference I see in even the slimmest cat, is amazing.

You can also elevate your kitty's bowl a few inches off the ground, this helps to relax his throat and forces him to slow down while eating. You can also buy nutri-yeast at the grocery store and sprinkle a tiny amount (and I do mean tiny) over his food (wet food if you feed it) it has a strong odor, but it is good to put bulk on the body.

If you are really concerned, you can always take the cat to the vet and ask for a blood panel to be run. This would rule out any questions that you might have that makes you think something is wrong with kitty.

Good luck, and thanks so much for taking in a stray!

I have 2 adult DSHs, one is 8 pounds, and so she makes her 11 pound buddy look huge. I'm always shocked when I hear weights of other people's cats. Poppy is just a petite kitty, she eats plenty and is healthy.

I'm wondering what you consider too skinny? My cat is now 16 & has CRF, which has caused weight loss she is now 5 lbs, & I can tell she has lost a lot of muscle mass. In her prime she only weighed 7 lbs. She never got any bigger & she had a dog size bowl of food available to her at all times. She was a nibbler & while it seemed like she was eating all the time she was only eating small amounts a differnt times through out the day. However, since I have owned her since she was 8 weeks old I always knew that was just the way she was. I agree that if you are not happy with the vet you are seeing you should go for a second opinion. Since our baby kitties can't talk for themselves, we are the only ones who can insure they get proper medical care, and I'm sure that it would help you feel better just to be sure she is OK.

Thanks for the imput and suggestions. I have moved to another state and so an new vet is in the works. Marley is about 8 pounds but he looks like a fuzzy skeleton. His spine and hip bones show very pronounced. His stomache hangs quite low. He has good energy and is pretty playful (when he thinks no one is looking!)

I am not wanting a fat kitty, it's just his constant hunger and lack of muscle mass concerns me. I will request a Blood workup and see about a different diet that he can hold down. I have gone the extra bit to feed him very small portions about 15 minutes apart and this helps him to keep down his food, but sometimes it just doesn't work as he vomits both wet and dry food. I do know he has some siamese in him (facial features and such) and he is a very long and tall kitty. He is a sweety though and wouldn't trade him in. Just want to know that I am doing the best for him. Thanks again and I will keep you updated.

Hmmm that doesn't sound very good, the way you described him. My 8 pound kitty is very soft and squishy and round, not fat, but a bunchy plush kitty.

I agree with Hissy (of course ) if you are not satisfied with your vet, go elsewhere. You might call around some nice kitty shelters and ask for a referral, or look for a holistic vet, ours has been just wonderful.

I'm not very "up" on kitty maladies, but the way you described him makes me think roundworms or whips? A pet can be severely infested and show no worms in the stool. Have you had a fecal run?

Good luck finding a solution!

I have strong opinions regarding pet foods, and I am not fond of Science Diet. It does not sound like it is working for your kitty. My kitty also used to puke a lot, and I have found that the less "puffy" the kibble looks, the less she pukes. We tried Nutro Naturals, and that was ok, and now they eat Natural Balance and are doing very well on it.

Well, I think one thing to keep in mind, is that you know your kitty best. You know if something is wrong or not. I would say that a lack of mucsle mass in a cat that young is a problem. Best of luck in finding a good vet & please keep us updated.