He needs to gain weight.

Mango is definitely on the thin/very lean side. He is neutered and has no known health issues. However, he has always had a hard time keeping weight on. It didn't seem as evident when he was free-fed kibbles, but now that I've made the switch to mostly wet with 1/3 dry in the afternoons on a feeding schedule (3 meals/day), I find that he has gotten thinner. He is on a grain-free diet. He is a lanky cat. I'm not sure how much he weighs now, but I can tell by his body shape that he could stand to gain some.

I read that dry food has lots of carbs, therefore will help him gain weight. At the same time, I prefer to give him minimal dry due to a fear of kidney issues later on. I'm currently dealing with a parrot in renal failure and it's awful - I never want to have to go through this ordeal ever again.

Anyway, the ONLY reason why he even still gets the 1/3 dry is because I know if I take it out, he will definitely get thinner.

He is not emaciated or anything, just skinnier than how I'd like him to be.

Any feeding tips greatly appreciated!

If you could post exactly which foods you're using - that would help with assessing their protein/fat levels.

Originally Posted by BLAISE

If you could post exactly which foods you're using - that would help with assessing their protein/fat levels.

Click to expand...

Also HAVE you had the VET look at the cat??? Often we have misguided idea of fat and thin...

IMO Thin = being able to see/feel ribs and spine, hip bones protruding.

Could be the change in feeding schedule. Dillon would eat most of his food throughout the night. I never got him on a so many a day feeding plan. I had food down through the day and through the night, he grazed. He ate almost nothing throughout the day but emptied the bowls at night.

some cats are just lean and lanky, My Bruschi is built that way and he eats a ton of food. I know he's healthy as he's very active and alert. And fully vetted.

Originally Posted by BLAISE

If you could post exactly which foods you're using - that would help with assessing their protein/fat levels.

Click to expand...

Wet -- Wellness pouches and cans, Natural Balance, Nature's Variety, EVO, Merrick, Go Natural (rotation)

Dry -- Orijen

Raw -- Basic Instincts, Natural Instinct

Basically for each meal, I give him a measured out portion, but he's a nibbler and will never finish in one sitting. So it turns out to be more like he has food available MOST of the time.

I really started to notice the weight when I switched from two canned meals to one canned and one raw. I'm not sure what it is, but I had this same issue with my little dog. She ate wayyy more than a dog her size usually would eat, but couldn't keep weight on. Once I started home-cooking for her instead, she gained back to an ideal weight and we have no problems maintaining it now. I've had other dog owners tell me the same thing happened with them and some just lose weight on raw, for whatever reason. Could this be the case with Mango?

He is due to see the vet for a check-up next week. I'll have her assess him then, too, but I feel really awful because she was concerned with my dog's weight to begin with and now she's going to be over Mango, too.

Hold on, let me try to get a quick pic of him.

OK, these were taken just right now.













It actually looks pretty bad in the 3rd photo (to me, anyway).

I feel I'm looking at one very healthy and well-proportioned cat!

I'm going to pull a couple of links for you and come back.

He looks like a young/ adolesent who is a touch lanky ( not thin)

OK - the following pages will show you how a cat should be proportioned.

First, have a look at these images.

Next, check this one out. This is one I particularly like, because you can adjust the shape and read the descriptions. In Step 2, click on the orange-circled 5 and move it back and forth... that's here.

Now, what do you think?

How old is he? If he's still pretty young, then he's probably just in that awkward teenage stage and hasn't filled out yet.

Originally Posted by BLAISE

OK - the following pages will show you how a cat should be proportioned.

First, have a look at these images.

Next, check this one out. This is one I particularly like, because you can adjust the shape and read the descriptions. In Step 2, click on the orange-circled 5 and move it back and forth... that's here.

Now, what do you think?

Click to expand...

Blaise, thanks so much for the links! I really liked the 2nd one because it was easy to compare. From the side view, Mango looks to be "ideal", but from the top, he looks to me like he's closer to "underweight". Not quite there, but not fully at ideal either. In between? I'll have to look at it again later tonight.

I guess I'm so used to seeing plump cats around that when I look at him, he looks skinny to me. I do know for a fact that he's lanky, though.

It also doesn't help that my boyfriend had a friend over the other night and we found out the next day that this friend had told another friend that our cat is thin. "Do you not feed your cat?" we were asked. I felt absolutely horrible.

Originally Posted by cloud_shade

How old is he? If he's still pretty young, then he's probably just in that awkward teenage stage and hasn't filled out yet.

Click to expand...

He turned one year old mid-June.

My Sasha is like that and Meeko was the same way.